Asociación Madres del Dolor advocating in Argentina. © Asociación Madres del Dolor
“Political and institutional instability in Argentina threatens progress toward the Global Plan targets. The suspension of the National Road Safety Agency earlier this year has disrupted national coordination, delayed programs, and weakened accountability for road safety.” — Viviam Perrone, Secretary, Asociación Madres del Dolor, Argentina.
At the midway point of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, achieving the target to halve road deaths by 2030 is becoming increasingly difficult in countries like Argentina. According to Viviam Perrone, the temporary suspension of the ANSV created a vacuum in leadership and coordination at a time when Argentina needed it most. The dissolution of the Ministry of Transportation and staff cuts left the agency inactive, halting enforcement and policy oversight. This breakdown has hindered national road safety efforts, weakened accountability, and could slow progress toward meeting the targets set in the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety (Global Plan).
Despite these setbacks, Alliance member Asociación Madres del Dolor, together with other Alliance members in Argentina such as Bien Argentino, has remained resilient—continuing to lead advocacy, engage the public, and press for stronger, more stable institutions capable of delivering on the Global Plan targets. “Road safety requires continuous coordination. When institutions are weakened or inactive, progress stalls. Without consistent leadership, infrastructure deteriorates, enforcement lapses, and national strategies lose direction,” says Viviam Perrone.
To ensure progress does not stall, the organization has stepped up its efforts to keep road safety awareness alive through initiatives like the Mobility Snapshots campaign, which highlights dangerous streets and reinforces why road safety must remain a national priority. It is also advocating for reforms, including improvements to the 149 helpline and amendments to the Penal Code to strengthen justice for road crash victims and their families.
Asociación Madres del Dolor continues to maintain open communication with authorities to push for the full reactivation of the Road Safety Agency and stronger collaboration across ministries. “We are currently meeting with the Minister of Deregulation, Mr. Sturzenegger, the Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Pierrini, and the Director of the Road Safety Agency, Mr. Díaz Vega, to continue the conversations that will help ensure that the agency can once again operate effectively for the benefit of all road users,” says Viviam Perrone. “We continue to emphasize that the National Road Safety Agency must be fully operational, adequately funded, and inclusive of civil society voices in decision-making processes.”
The organization is calling for renewed collaboration between government and civil society, sustainable funding, stronger inter-agency coordination, and a clear national action plan aligned with the Global Plan.
