Road accidents claiming two lives every minute, says WHO

GENEVA: Road traffic incidents still stand as the leading death cause among individuals aged 5–29, claiming over two lives per minute and exceeding 3,200 lives daily, says the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, though mentioning a 5pc reduction in road traffic fatalities since 2010, bringing the current annual toll to 1.19 million lives lost.

The WHO, in its most recent report on road safety, underscored that the road safety issue persists as a pressing global concern, especially for vulnerable road users.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, noted that the decrease in road crash deaths is positive, but the progress is not sufficient. Stressing that preventing road tragedies is entirely feasible, he added, “We urge all nations to prioritise the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users ahead of cars in their transportation systems."

Among United Nations Member States, 108 countries reported a decline in road traffic-related deaths from 2010 to 2021. Notably, ten countries achieved a reduction of over 50pc in road traffic deaths, including Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Denmark, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Russian Federation, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. An additional 35 countries made substantial progress, reducing fatalities by 30pc to 50pc.

The report underscores that 28pc of global road traffic deaths occurred in the WHO South-East Asia Region, with 25pc in the Western Pacific Region, 19pc in the African Region, 12pc in the Region of the Americas, 11pc in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and 5pc in the European Region.

Disturbingly, nine out of ten road traffic deaths transpire in low- and middle-income countries, where fatalities disproportionately surpass available vehicles and road infrastructure. The risk of death in these low-income countries is three times higher compared to high-income countries, despite having only 1pc of the world's motor vehicles.

A staggering 53pc of all road traffic fatalities involve vulnerable road users, including pedestrians (23pc), riders of powered two- and three-wheelers such as motorcycles (21pc), cyclists (6pc), and users of micro-mobility devices like e-scooters (3pc). Deaths among car occupants and other 4-wheeled light vehicles slightly decreased to 30pc of global fatalities.

Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, as well as WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, commented, "Our mission at Bloomberg Philanthropies is to save and enhance as many lives as possible, and one of the most effective ways to achieve this is to make the world's roads safer for everyone."

Pedestrian deaths increased by 3pc to 274,000 between 2010 and 2021, constituting 23pc of global fatalities. Cyclist fatalities surged by nearly 20pc to 71,000, accounting for 6pc of global deaths. Shockingly, research reveals that 80pc of the world's roads do not meet pedestrian safety standards, and only 0.2pc have designated cycle lanes, leaving these road users extremely vulnerable. While 9 out of 10 people surveyed identify as pedestrians, only a quarter of countries have policies in place to promote walking, cycling, and the use of public transport.

The WHO calls for immediate action from governments and global stakeholders to address these critical road safety issues, prioritizing the protection of vulnerable road users and the implementation of stricter safety standards. Road safety must remain a global priority to ensure a safer and more sustainable future for all.