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World Health Day
2004

Road crashes kill more than 3,000 a day, but many are preventable, new report notes

Washington, April 7, 2004 (PAHO)—Road crashes kill 1.2 million people every year-- an average of more than 3,000 deaths daily -- and they injure or disable as many as 50 million more, with 85 percent of those deaths occurring in developing countries, according to a new World report on road traffic injury prevention released today.

The magnitude of this growing global public health crisis, the risk factors that lead to road traffic deaths and injuries, and effective ways to prevent them are detailed in the report, which provides concrete recommendations to improve road safety. It was released today at the Pan American Health Organization during the observance of World Health Day, which has as its theme "Road Safety is No Accident."

Without immediate action to improve road safety, it is estimated that road traffic deaths will increase by 80 percent in low- and middle-income countries by 2020. But much can be done to reduce the toll of deaths and injuries, the report notes.

Unlike in high-income countries where those most at risk of injury or death are drivers and passengers in cars, the people who are most at risk of being involved in a road traffic crash in low- and middle-income countries are pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and users of informal modes of public transport, says the report, which was prepared by the World Bank and the World Health Organization.

The report, noting that road crashes are the second leading cause of death globally among young people aged five to 29 and the third leading cause of death among people aged 30 to 44 years, calls on governments to join a new global campaign to improve road safety.

"Death cannot be awaiting us at the turn of every corner," said Dr. Mirta Roses, director of PAHO. "Alcohol, excessive speed, drugs, carelessness, and lack of awareness of the importance of wearing seat belts and using helmets are also the enemies of road safety," Roses added.

"It’s not a matter of chance. The majority of these incidents are highly preventable."

"The agencies that work with and for the community have an ethical mandate to inform and train those who work with public thoroughfares to apply laws and improve urban designs so that the streets don’t become dead-end alleys," Roses added.

Some 130,000 people die annually in the roads and highways of the Americas and more than 76 percent of these deaths—that is, some 98,000—occur on the roads of the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, the most populated countries of the region.

In the United States 44,000 deaths result from road crashes, which are the leading cause of death among Hispanics under 34 years of age. Statistics indicate that in Brazil, 30,000 people die annually in traffic crashes; 82 percent of them are men and 44 percent are between 20 and 39 years old.

If current trends continue, it is estimated that deaths from traffic injuries will increase up to 80 percent at the global level by the year 2020.

The human suffering is in itself a reason to act now, but the economic impact is also significant. In low- and middle-income countries, the cost of road traffic injuries is estimated at US$ 65 billion, exceeding the total amount these countries receive in development assistance. Road traffic injuries cost countries between 1 and 2 percent of their gross national product, amounting to US$ 518 billion every year.

The report recommends appointment of a lead agency in every country to coordinate multisectoral efforts, the preparation of national road safety strategies and plans of action with clear roles and objectives for each sector, and the implementation of proven interventions to prevent crashes and minimize injuries and their consequences. The report notes that road safety is a shared responsibility, and calls on the expertise of people across many sectors and disciplines, including public health professionals, health care providers, road and motor vehicle engineers, law enforcement officials and educators.

The first recorded case of an injury by a motor vehicle occurred in May 1896, and the first death was a pedestrian in London, killed by a car going 4 miles an hour on August 17, 1896.

PAHO was established in 1902 and is the world's oldest public health organization. PAHO works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and the quality of life of its people. It serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).