Most of Road Deaths Occur in Poor Countries
Better Enforced Traffic Laws Vital to Saving Lives – UN Agency
Jun 16, 2009
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) released on 15 June 2009 a “Global Status Report on Road Safety” assessing some 178 countries on implementation of road safety measures, including limiting speed, reducing drunk driving, and use of seatbelts, child restraints and motorcycle helmets.
Among the findings are that 50 per cent of countries do not have laws requiring the use of child restraints. Also, while helmet laws exist in more than 90 per cent of countries, only 40 per cent have a law that covers both riders and passengers while also requiring that helmets meet a specified standard. WHO said that in countries where good traffic laws are on the books, “they are often inadequately enforced,” particularly in low-income countries.
Pedestrians, cyclists among main road traffic crash victims
The study found that about half of the 1.27 million people killed in traffic accidents every year are not in cars, but are pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. The WHO recommends that these road users need to be given increased attention. Measures such as building sidewalks, raised crossings and separate lanes for two wheelers; reducing drink-driving and excessive speed; increasing the use of helmets and improving trauma care are some of the interventions that could save hundreds of thousands of lives every year.
In addition, only 57 per cent of countries have laws that require all car occupants to wear seat-belts, and less than one third meet basic criteria for reducing speed in urban areas. “We found that in many countries, the laws necessary to protect people are either not in place or are not comprehensive. And even when there is adequate legislation, most countries report that their enforcement is low,” said WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan.
“We are not giving sufficient attention to the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists many of whom end up in clinics and hospitals. We must do better if we are to halt or reverse the rise in road traffic injuries, disability and deaths.”
Even Top Performers did not yet Achieve Truly Safe Road Transport Systems
WHO said more than 90 per cent of the world’s road deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries, while these countries only have 48 per cent of the world’s vehicles. The report also shows that road traffic injuries remain very relevant in high-income countries. Even the top performers globally are often stagnating and still have considerable room for improvement in achieving a truly safe road transport system.
"Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death, particularly among young people 5 to 44 years of age," said Mr. Michael R. Bloomberg of the World Health Organization. "For the first time, we have solid data to hold us accountable and to target our efforts. Road safety must be part of all transport planning efforts, particularly at this moment of focus on infrastructure improvements and road building by many countries around the globe."
Road Traffic Death Rates Increasing
While road traffic death rates in many high-income countries have stabilized or declined in recent decades, research suggests road deaths are increasing in most regions of the world and that if trends continue unabated, they will rise to an estimated 2.4 million a year by 2030. In addition, road crashes cause between 20 million and 50 million non-fatal injuries every year and are an important cause of disability. In many countries support services for road traffic victims are inadequate. These avoidable injuries also overload already stretched health-care systems in many countries.
Accurate statistics are crucial for understanding the state of road safety and measuring the impact of efforts to improve it. The report found that underreporting of deaths occurs in many countries, and that few countries have completely reliable data on road traffic injuries. The highest death rates are seen in the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions. The lowest rates are among high-income countries, such as the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
