Traffic As a Global Health Problem: 5 Things to Know

Published May 14, 2009 @ 04:35PM PT

1. 1.2 million people die from road accidents every year worldwide. That's almost as much mortality as is caused by malaria. More people die from traffic accidents than in wars. Young people are especially at risk; 700 children die a day.

2. Nearly half of all road fatalities occur in Asia, and 86% of road fatalities occur in the developing world. The connection between traffic fatalities and the developing world is clear. Poor medical care, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of legal control over drivers all contribute. I'm not sure about the connection to Asia; it's probably pure population numbers and the number of Indian cars on the road. reference

3. The World Bank has a Global Road Safety Facility, dedicated to supporting road safety and infrastructure projects. It includes a global multi-donor trust fund and an African multi-donor trust fund to receive donor funds.

4. In addition to the injuries and deaths caused by road accidents, there is economic impact. It has been estimated that up to 5% of the GDP of developing countries is lost to traffic accidents. reference

5. The problem of road accidents just keeps getting worse. Urbanization contributes to the increase in road accidents. So do growing populations and the increasing number of cars on the road. By 2030, if things continue at the current rate, researchers predict that road accidents could be a more serious global health problem than tuberculosis and malaria. By 2015, road accidents will be the leading cause of injury or death among children 5 to 14.

And my own two cents: one of the best way to reduce traffic fatalities would be through support for public transport. It's not buses or subways causing traffic jams. It's cars, usually cars with only one person in them. If we can get cars off the road, we can make things safer for everyone.

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Comments (1)

Also, walk or cycle whenever possible! The whole world really needs to reduce its dependence on cars.

Posted by Lianne Lavoie on 05/15/2009 @ 02:37PM PT
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Author

Alanna Shaikh has spent the last ten years immersed in global health; she has worked for NGOs, companies, universities, and the US government on projects that ranged from preventing antibacterial resistance to improving maternal and child health.