The extent of the problem: road traffic deaths and crashes

Key messages

• In 2021, in the Region of the Americas, an estimated 145,090 people died from road traffic crashes, representing 12% of all deaths worldwide.
• In that year, the road traffic mortality rate was 14.09 per 100,000 inhabitants.
• Despite numerous efforts, there were no significant changes in the number of deaths (a reduction of only 0.11%, or 165 deaths) or mortality rate (a decrease of 9.37%) between 2010 and 2021.
• The figures highlight a stark inequality, with the risk of dying considerably higher in certain areas than in others.
• Nine countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay) managed to reduce road traffic deaths between 2010 and 2021.
• North America and the Latin Caribbean face a growing challenge, with mortality rates increasing from 11.1 to 13.2, and 16.4 to 20.6, per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively, between 2010 and 2021.
• In the Southern Cone and the Andean region, the mortality rate per 100,000 inhabitants fell significantly from 20.1 to 14.3, and 19.0 to 15.8, respectively, between 2010 and 2021.
• Vulnerable road users are disproportionately affected. Between 2009 and 2021, motorcyclist, pedestrian, and cyclist deaths increased from 39% to 47%.
• While fatalities among occupants of motor vehicles with four or more wheels appear to have fallen, there continues to be an alarming rise in motorcyclist deaths (accounting for 27% of total deaths in 2021).
• Approximately 4,134,297 people in the Region of the Americas suffered non-fatal injuries in 2021. At least 638,620 of these injuries were serious.

Mortality from road traffic injuries

The Region of the Americas did not meet the target of the first Global Plan 2011-2020, which was to halve the number of deaths¹ from road traffic injuries. This was also Target 6 of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3)(1, 2). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 145,090 people died as a result of road traffic crashes in 2021.² This equates to a mortality rate of 14.09 per 100,000 inhabitants and represents 12% of all deaths worldwide (1.19 million deaths) (3). As Figure 1 shows, the number of deaths and mortality rate per 100,000 inhabitants have not significantly fallen since 2010.

Figure 1. Estimated number of deaths from road traffic injuries in the Region of the Americas, 2010-2021

According to the projected mortality trend (Figure 2), it will be difficult to meet the targets of the Global Plan 2021-2030 if its recommendations are not expedited (4).

Figure 2. Projected road traffic mortality rate in the Region of the Americas

Around 37% of deaths were in high-income countries, despite them having a higher percentage of the population (41%), registered motor vehicles (57%), and territory (49%). Low- to middle-income countries accounted for 7% of deaths, but occupy 3% of the territory, represent 5% of the regional population, and have 1% of registered motor vehicles (Figure 3).

Figure 4 shows that road traffic mortality rates in high-income countries significantly increased from 11.23 (95% CI: 10.58-11.89) in 2010, to 12.97 (95% CI: 12.09-13.85) in 2021, while they remained stable in low- to middle-income countries, and decreased in high- to middle-income countries.

Figure 4. World Health Organization-estimated trend in road traffic mortality rates, by country income category, in the Region of the Americas, 2010-2021

Figure 5 shows the relationship between gross domestic product per capita and mortality rate in 2021, in the countries of the Region. Although higher income tends to result in a lower mortality rate, several countries had a lower mortality rate than the United States, which has the highest per capita income in the Region. Countries with similar incomes also have vastly different mortality rates.

Figure 5. Relationship between estimated road traffic mortality rate and per capita gross domestic product, in the Region of the Americas, 2021

Antigua and Barbuda:
GDP: 15,781
Rate: 7.51

Argentina:
GDP: 10,636
Rate: 8.80

Bahamas:
GDP: 27,478
Rate: 16.18

Barbados:
GDP: 17,226
Rate: 9.96

Belize:
GDP: 6,228
Rate: 17.50

Bolivia (Plurinational State of):
GDP: 3,345
Rate: 17.61

Brazil:
GDP: 7,507
Rate: 15.67

Canada:
GDP: 51,988
Rate: 4.73

Chile:
GDP: 16,265
Rate: 10.31

Colombia:
GDP: 6,104
Rate: 16.19

Costa Rica:
GDP: 12,472
Rate: 15.48

Cuba:
GDP: 9,500
Rate: 5.45

Dominica:
GDP: 7,653
Rate: 11.05

Dominican Republic:
GDP: 8,477
Rate: 27.42

Ecuador:
GDP: 5,965
Rate: 23.45

El Salvador:
GDP: 4,551
Rate: 21.51

Grenada:
GDP: 9,011
Rate: 6.42

Guatemala:
GDP: 5,026
Rate: 12.61

Guyana:
GDP: 9,999
Rate: 15.16

Haiti:
GDP: 1,830
Rate: 31.26

Honduras:
GDP: 2,772
Rate: 18.52

Jamaica:
GDP: 5,184
Rate: 17.75

Mexico:
GDP: 10,046
Rate: 12.05

Nicaragua:
GDP: 2,046
Rate: 13.60

Panama:
GDP: 14,618
Rate: 7.26

Paraguay:
GDP: 5,892
Rate: 20.96

Peru:
GDP: 6,622
Rate: 12.71

Puerto Rico:
GDP: 32,641
Rate: 12.50

Saint Kitts and Nevis:
GDP: 18,083
Rate: 23.11

Saint Lucia:
GDP: 9,414
Rate: 8.91

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
GDP: 8,666
Rate: 4.79

Suriname:
GDP: 4,869
Rate: 16.15

Trinidad and Tobago:
GDP: 16,033
Rate: 5.05

United States of America:
GDP: 70,249
Rate: 14.17

Uruguay:
GDP: 17,313
Rate: 13.05

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of):
GDP: 15,976
Rate: 13.18

On first glance, there appears to be no relationship between motorization rate and road traffic injury mortality rate (Figure 6a). However, when analyzing the number of registered motorcycles and the mortality rate among their riders, the number of motorcyclist deaths increases significantly as the number of registered motorcycles per 1,000 inhabitants rises (Figure 6b). This highlights the importance of implementing proven prevention measures for motorcyclists and moving towards more sustainable and safer modes of transport that help improve the health of the population.

Figure 6. Relationship between estimated road traffic mortality rate and motorization rate, in the Region of the Americas, 2021

Antigua and Barbuda:
Motorization rate: 501
Mortality rate: 7.51

Argentina:
Motorization rate: 583
Mortality rate: 8.80

Barbados:
Motorization rate: 468
Mortality rate: 9.96

Bolivia (Plurinational State of):
Motorization rate: 184
Mortality rate: 17.61

Brazil:
Motorization rate: 520
Mortality rate: 15.67

Canada:
Motorization rate: 687
Mortality rate: 4.73

Chile:
Motorization rate: 307
Mortality rate: 10.31

Colombia:
Motorization rate: 326
Mortality rate: 16.19

Costa Rica:
Motorization rate: 511
Mortality rate: 15.48

Cuba:
Motorization rate: 59
Mortality rate: 5.45

Dominica:
Motorization rate: 544
Mortality rate: 11.05

Ecuador:
Motorization rate: 142
Mortality rate: 23.45

El Salvador:
Motorization rate: 234
Mortality rate: 21.51

United States of America:
Motorization rate: 819
Mortality rate: 14.17

Guatemala:
Motorization rate: 254
Mortality rate: 12.61

Guyana:
Motorization rate: 18
Mortality rate: 15.16

Honduras:
Motorization rate: 219
Mortality rate: 18.52

Jamaica:
Motorization rate: 277
Mortality rate: 17.75

Mexico:
Motorization rate: 419
Mortality rate: 12.05

Nicaragua:
Motorization rate: 11
Mortality rate: 13.60

Panama:
Motorization rate: 210
Mortality rate: 7.26

Paraguay:
Motorization rate: 400
Mortality rate: 20.96

Peru:
Motorization rate: 228
Mortality rate: 12.71

Dominican Republic:
Motorization rate: 463
Mortality rate: 27.42

Saint Lucia:
Motorization rate: 419
Mortality rate: 8.91

Suriname:
Motorization rate: 398
Mortality rate: 16.15

Trinidad and Tobago:
Motorization rate: 614
Mortality rate: 5.05

Uruguay:
Motorization rate: 772
Mortality rate: 13.05

Trinidad and Tobago:
Mortality rate: 0.56
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 2

Guyana:
Mortality rate: 3.99
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 4

Jamaica:
Mortality rate: 6.56
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 8

Chile:
Mortality rate: 1.36
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 12

Canada:
Mortality rate: 0.56
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 21

Cuba
Mortality rate: 1.46
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 23

United States of America:
Mortality rate: 2.04
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 25

Mexico:
Mortality rate: 1.83
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 47

El Salvador:
Mortality rate: 6.99
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 68

Guatemala:
Mortality rate: 6.05
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 111

Peru:
Mortality rate: 4.19
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 134

Brazil:
Mortality rate: 5.33
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 141

Paraguay:
Mortality rate: 12.76
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 145

Costa Rica:
Mortality rate: 6.93
Number of motorcycles per 100,000 inhabitants: 147

Colombia:
Mortality rate: 9.67
Number of
motorcycles per
100,000 inhabitants: 199

Argentina:
Mortality
rate: 4.07
Number of
motorcycles per
100,000 inhabitants: 203

Dominican Republic:
Mortality
rate: 19.46
Number of
motorcycles per
100,000 inhabitants: 259

Deaths from road traffic injuries continue to be higher among vulnerable road users: 27% of individuals who died in the Region in 2021 were motorcyclists, 17% were pedestrians³, and 3% were cyclists (Figure 7). The proportion of deaths among these three types of vulnerable road user increased from 39% in 2009 to 47% in 2023, due to the rise in motorcyclist fatalities (Figure 8);⁴ this does not include deaths where the type of road user is unknown, which accounted for almost 10% in 2021 (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Percentage of estimated road traffic deaths, by type of road user and subregion, in the Region of the Americas, 2021

Figure 8. Change in the percentage of recorded road traffic deaths, by type of road user and subregion, in the Region of the Americas, 2009-2023

As Figure 9 shows (panels a and b), road traffic deaths are more common in men (79%) and young adult populations aged 18 to 44 years (54%).

Figure 9. Reported percentage of deaths by sex, age group, and subregion of the Americas, 2021

The road users most affected differ across various age groups. Figure 10 shows information reported by 20 countries that provided this breakdown. It shows a higher percentage of pedestrian deaths among individuals under 15 and over 60 years old, but a higher relative proportion of motorcyclist deaths among younger populations.

Figure 10. Percentage of road traffic deaths, by type of road user and age group, in the Region of the Americas, 2021

It is important to note that aggregated data hide significant variations in the Region.⁵ A subregional mortality analysis⁶ shows that 34% of deaths in the Region were in North America, 29% in the Southern Cone, 16% in Mesoamerica and the Andean Region, 5% in the Latin Caribbean, and 1% in the non-Latin Caribbean (Figure 11). Figure 12 clearly shows that, while the mortality rate rose significantly in North America and the Latin Caribbean, it fell considerably in the Southern Cone, the Andean Region, and, to a lesser extent, in Mesoamerica.

Figure 11. Percentage of estimated road traffic deaths, by subregion of the Americas, 2021

Figure 12. Estimated road traffic mortality rate trend, by subregion of the Americas, 2010-2021

WHO estimates showed that nine countries participating in this report managed to cut the number of road traffic deaths between 2010 and 2021.⁷ Deaths fell by 67% in Trinidad and Tobago, 33% in Cuba, 28% in Canada and Panama, 24% in Argentina, 23% in Brazil, and 22% in Uruguay. Chile and Mexico had a slightly smaller decrease (6% and 8%, respectively). The mortality rate per 100,000 inhabitants also fell in 13 participating countries. Trinidad and Tobago saw a 70% decrease, while it was between 30% and 49% in five countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, and Panama), between 10% and 29% in three countries (Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay), and between 5% and 9% in four more countries (Bolivia [Plurinational State of], Guatemala, Paraguay, and Saint Lucia). Figure 13 analyzes this progress by region, subregion, and income level.

Figure 13. Number of countries in the Region of the Americas with changes in road traffic mortality, 2010-2021

Trinidad and Tobago stands out in the Region for having achieved the target of the Global Plan 2011-2020, having consistently reduced the number of deaths and mortality rate during this period (Figure 14). Box 1 presents some of the key actions taken in Trinidad and Tobago to achieve this significant milestone.

Figure 14. Trinidad and Tobago’s road traffic mortality trend, 2010-2021

These countries’ progress contrasts with a significantly larger rise in both the number of deaths (21%) and mortality rate (12%). Between 2010 and 2021, the number of deaths rose by 63% in Haiti, 56% in Belize, and 53% in Jamaica. Meanwhile, they increased by between 30% and 49% in the Bahamas, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and the United States. The number of deaths rose by between 10% and 29% in Barbados, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, and Suriname. In Guyana, it rose by 5% to 9%.

Figure 15 shows the estimated mortality rate in the different participating countries in 2021. The analysis reveals significant variations in the extent (number of deaths in the country) and the risk of dying from this cause (mortality rate per 100,000 inhabitants). By way of example, the difference between Haiti’s mortality rate and the estimated average in the Region is twofold, and it is almost sevenfold when compared to the estimated rate for Canada. However, the significant number of deaths in Brazil, Colombia, the United States, and Mexico must be reduced to achieve the regional target of the Global Plan 2021-2030. These four countries account for 72% of all deaths in the Region.

Figure 15. Number of road traffic deaths and mortality rate (per 100,000 inhabitants), estimated by country, Region of the Americas, 2021

Source: Prepared by the authors, based on United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs materials. World Population Prospects 2022. New York: United Nations; 2022 [Accessed 15 June 2023]; at World Health Organization. Global status report on road safety 2023. Geneva: WHO; 2023 [Accessed 1 May 2024].

It is essential that deaths be properly registered, and regional death registries still have much room for improvement. One issue is the difference between country-reported data and WHO mortality estimates. Differences are primarily due to the data sources and definitions used. WHO estimates are based on civil registration data and vital statistics that combine data from multiple sources. They include road traffic deaths in a given year, regardless of the amount of time between the road traffic crash and death. Many countries report data from a single source and only include deaths that occur at the scene or within a limited time frame therefrom. The WHO adjustment also involves proportionally redistributing deaths classified under non-specific codes (3,5).

Figure 16 shows that, since the previous report, this underestimation has improved in Argentina (from 4% to 3%), Mexico (from 5% to 4%), Canada (from 5% to 3%), the United States (from 17% to 11%), Honduras (from 22% to 9%), Chile (from 23% to 19%), Costa Rica (from 29% to 11%), Cuba (from 34% to 4%), Peru (from 50% to 41%), and Barbados (from 78% to 75%). However, underestimation worsened in Brazil (from 0% to 7%), Guyana (from 5% to 23%), Saint Lucia (from 7% to 14%), Colombia (from 9% to 15%), Panama (from 20% to 30%), Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (from 52% to 61%), and Ecuador (from -2% to 96%). It remained unchanged in Dominica, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, El Salvador, Paraguay, Suriname, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Guatemala, and Jamaica.

Figure 16 Percentage difference between the number of country-reported deaths in the Region of the Americas and World Health Organization estimates: a comparison between 2016 and 2021

An analysis of the information sources used to compile mortality data shows that, in 18 of the participating countries, mortality data comes exclusively from police records. These records are known to significantly underestimate the number of deaths (6). The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has highlighted the need for process mapping using multiple sources to compile and systematize vital statistics information (5). This would not only consolidate the major role of regional road safety observatories —particularly those involved in the Ibero-American Road Safety Program, developed by the Ibero-American Road Safety Observatory— but would provide quality and comparable mortality statistics, to better understand and study the causes of death with a view to improving public health.

Improving vital statistics has numerous benefits. In particular, it allows better quantification of deaths attributable to road safety. In turn, problems can be pinpointed and the impact of actions taken to promote healthier, safer, and more sustainable mobility assessed. Box 2 presents work carried out in the Dominican Republic, with PAHO technical support.

At the time of writing this report, one territory (the British Virgin Islands) continues to define road traffic death as death that occurs at the scene of the crash. Two countries (Guatemala and Haiti) define it as death within the first 24 hours. One country (Chile) defines it as death within 48 hours, and another (Santa Lucia) as within the first seven days. Meanwhile, 14 countries⁸ compile records of deaths occurring within 30 days of a road traffic crash. Although an adjustment factor can be used, defining road traffic deaths in this way may underestimate the total number of deaths (7). A better approach, therefore, is to implement high-quality civil registration and vital statistics systems that include deaths within an unlimited period of time. For this, the WHO and PAHO ICD-10 and ICD-11 classification systems should be used (5).

Finally, the recording of key variables for mortality analysis must be improved. One country in this report (Belize) did not provide a breakdown by sex. Four countries (the Bahamas, Belize, Nicaragua, and Panama) did not provide a breakdown by age group. Eight countries⁹ did not document the type of road user, and in four countries (the Bahamas, Jamaica, Mexico, and Suriname), where this data was documented, the affected road user was not known in over 30% of cases. Finally, 12 countries¹⁰ had no data on type of road user by age group. This is the minimum information required to implement locally adapted prevention strategies.

However, other important data, not explored in this report, are also needed and have huge potential to guide decision-making. These include georeferencing road traffic crashes (or deaths) and exposure to risk factors of interest (type and characteristics of vehicles involved, road characteristics, use of alcohol and other drugs, use of safety systems, etc.).

Non-fatal road traffic injuries

Road traffic injuries not only lead to death. An even greater number of people suffer non-fatal injuries, many of which are serious and have permanent after-effects. Although it is important to calculate the public health burden of these injuries, only 28 countries participating in this report reported the total number of people injured, and 16 reported the number of people seriously injured. The exact coverage of this data is unknown, and it must be documented in each country. It is also clear that some countries may be significantly underestimating the extent of this indicator. Bolivia (Plurinational State of) may be one such example. It reported only 11 injured individuals in 2021, equating to a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 inhabitants (Figure 17).

Figure 17. Rate of non-fatal road traffic injuries per 100,000 inhabitants, by country, Region of the Americas, 2021

Note: Data on the total number of injured individuals (a) and the number of seriously injured individuals (b) was the same in Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Guyana, and Panama.
Source: Prepared by the authors, based on United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs materials. World Population Prospects 2022. New York: United Nations; 2022 [Accessed 15 June 2023]; World Health Organization. Global status report on road safety 2023. Geneva: WHO; 2023 [Accessed 1 May 2024].

This information shows that, for each fatality, there are, on average, 28 individuals with non-fatal injuries and 4.4 individuals with serious injuries (although the same number was reported for both indicators in Bolivia [Plurinational State of], Brazil, Guyana, and Panama). Based on the averages reported in these countries, an estimated 4,134,297 injuries and at least 638,620 serious injuries may have occurred in the Region of the Americas in 2021.

Excluding data from Bolivia (Plurinational State of), the variation observed among countries reporting these indicators ranged from a total of 86 people with non-fatal injuries for each fatality in Colombia, to 1.6 in Honduras. Meanwhile, 21 serious injuries were recorded for every death in Panama, compared to 0.6 in El Salvador (Figure 18).

Figure 18. Number of people suffering non-fatal road traffic injuries (any injury and serious injuries) per estimated death, by country, Region of the Americas, 2021

Note: Data on the total number of injured individuals (a) and the number of seriously injured individuals (b) was the same in Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Guyana, and Panama.
Source: Prepared by the authors, based on World Health Organization materials. Global status report on road safety 2023. Geneva: WHO; 2023 [Accessed 1 May 2024].

In 15 of the 19 countries that reported having a system for documenting serious injuries, this definition includes or refers to hospital admission. In seven countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Haiti, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Suriname) it includes time off work (normally three days, but over 30 days in Chile). In El Salvador, it includes people treated in hospital emergency units for six hours or more. In Colombia, it includes individuals suffering some kind of disability directly related to the road traffic injury. In Uruguay, the medical professional attending the scene determines the injury’s severity. Antigua and

Barbuda was the only country using a standardized injury severity score to define serious injuries.

There is less information to calculate (or at least estimate) the percentage of injured individuals suffering permanent damage or disabilities due to road traffic crashes (Figure 19). Only four countries reported this indicator. The percentage ranged from 1.9% in Costa Rica to 90% in the British Virgin Islands, which recorded only one death in 2021. This would mean around 1.4 people suffered road traffic injury-related disabilities annually for each fatality in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Uruguay (24,716 in total). While individuals in other countries in the Region inevitably suffer disabilities due to road traffic injuries, the extent of this indicator is still not systematically documented with quality information enabling international comparison.

Figure 19. Percentage of people with road traffic injuries who suffer permanent disability (and estimated number of new disabilities), by country, Region of the Americas, 2021

Note: The British Virgin Islands provided an estimated percentage of injured individuals who suffered disability (90), but did not report the total number of people suffering road traffic injuries.

Road traffic crashes

In 2021, in the 29 countries providing information, 3.1 million road traffic crashes resulted in injury.¹¹ This equates to an average rate of 314 per 100,000 inhabitants, or 560 per 100,000 registered motor vehicles.¹² Figure 20 shows both rates by country and a significant variation across countries in the Region.

Figure 20. Rate of road traffic crashes resulting in injury, per 100,000 inhabitants and per 100,000 registered vehicles, by country, Region of the Americas, 2021

The high number of road traffic crashes reported may still be an underestimate, given that some countries did not participate or provide this information, and local statistics may not record all events. For example, the figure may be higher in Bolivia (where 1,325 deaths but only seven road traffic crashes were registered), in Panama (where only 24 road traffic crashes were reported, but 243 deaths and 6,728 non-fatal injuries occurred), and in Mexico (which did not include the number of traffic crashes on federal highways resulting in injury).

Standardizing the definition of road traffic crashes resulting in injury would allow for better data comparison between countries. Each country uses its own exact definition. Honduras even reported having no definition, and Dominica and Suriname said that they did not use a standard definition. Some countries explicitly include road traffic crashes involving at least one fatality.¹³ Three other countries exclude crashes involving fatalities (Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, and Panama). Some countries’ definition¹⁴ may also include crashes in which only property is damaged.

Some countries distinguish between minor and serious injuries. In Barbados, serious injuries are defined as those requiring hospitalization; in Antigua and Barbuda, they involve the airway, breathing, or circulation; and in the United States, they meet other criteria.¹⁵ Other countries, such as Ecuador and Guatemala, acknowledge that severity may vary. Road traffic crashes resulting in injury tend to be defined as those in which at least one person is injured.¹⁶ However, more subtle differences can be seen in country-specific definitions. Colombia’s definition, for example, includes suicides or attempted suicides that injure other road users. In Guatemala, all suicides are excluded. In Chile, emphasis is placed on the unintentional or involuntary nature of the crash. In Nicaragua, they are regarded as culpable actions (reckless or negligent omissions that give rise to liability).

The information sources also vary. In 18 countries¹⁷ , this data was taken from police crash reports. In others (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Uruguay), it came from the coordinating body, and, in Ecuador, from transport statistics. In Colombia, Costa Rica, and Saint Lucia, the data was provided by public or private insurance companies. In Paraguay and the Dominican Republic, information was also collected from emergency calls reporting a victim. Mexico, Panama, and Suriname’s National Institutes of Statistics compile this information. In most countries, the statistics reflect all national records; however, in the United States, data is estimated using a nationally representative sample (Crash Report Sampling System).

As a result, the statistics presented in this report could be affected by some of the issues limiting country comparison.

To better understand the maturity of countries’ data systems, additional information not contained in this report is needed. This includes key variables for decision-making, such as georeferencing crashes, road conditions, vehicle conditions, exposure to risky behaviors (alcohol, drugs, speed, etc.), and use of safety systems (seat belt, child restraint system, helmet). The United Nations Road Safety Fund recently provided funding to the PAHO Representative Office in Brazil, to help local authorities compile information to prevent crashes (Box 3).

Registered motor vehicles

Based on information received from 29 of the 32 participating countries,¹⁸ the Region has an estimated motorization rate of 561.7 per 1,000 inhabitants.¹⁹ Analyzing regional trends, Figure 21 shows an increase of 22.88% in the total number of registered vehicles between 2012 and 2020 (14.04% in the rate of total registered vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants). This increase is even greater in the case of motorcycles: they increased by 61.98% between 2012 and 2020 (50.32% if the number of registered motorcycles per 1,000 inhabitants is considered). The estimated rate of motorcycles per 1,000 inhabitants was 81.17 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2021.²⁰

Figure 21. Motorization rate trend reported in the Region of the Americas

An inverse correlation is observed when comparing motorization rate and mortality rate per registered vehicle: the higher the motorization, the lower the mortality rate per registered vehicle (Figure 22). However, it is important to consider that countries have no way of measuring the actual level of total vehicle registration coverage. This could be why the estimated mortality rate per registered vehicle is much higher in Nicaragua and Guyana than in other countries. The relationship between motorcycle rate per 1,000 inhabitants and number of registered motorcycle deaths is not as clear (Figure 23).

Figure 22. Comparison of motorization rate per 1,000 inhabitants and mortality rate per 100,000 registered motor vehicles, by country, Region of the Americas, 2021

Figure 23. Comparison of registered motorcycle rate per 1,000 inhabitants and motorcyclist mortality rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles, by country, Region of the Americas, 2021

Conclusions

• Road traffic injuries remain a priority public health problem due to the high number of deaths and serious injuries caused.
• The drop in mortality rate in several countries in the Region is overshadowed by significant increases in others, preventing the Region from reaching the target of the Global Plan 2011-2020.
• Seemingly fewer fatalities among occupants of vehicles with four or more wheels are offset by the increase in motorcyclist deaths.
• Further consolidation of quality data systems and standardized data collection methodologies facilitating international comparison is needed.
• The evidence generated by these reports helps identify priority areas for local, subregional, and regional intervention to implement a safe systems approach to road traffic and move towards more sustainable, safer, and healthy mobility.
• The statistics presented in this report could be affected by some of the issues limiting country comparison.
• Working with the Ibero-American Road Safety Observatory and other regional or national observatories to standardize definitions relevant to road safety (deaths, serious injuries, disabilities, road traffic crashes resulting in injury, etc.) is one way to improve statistical information.