Traffic injuries

Why do they matter?

Around 1.3 million people die from road traffic accidents each year, with up to 50 million more injured or permanently disabled. 90% of these deaths and injuries occur in developing countries, at a direct cost of $65 billion each year – more than all foreign aid combined. In South Africa and Malawi, the annual cost of traffic accidents is nearly 5% of GNP. By 2015 road crashes are predicted by the WHO to be the leading cause of premature death and disability for children aged 5 and above. Without urgent action the human and monetary costs are only going to increase. 

What about in developing countries?

Deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents are a major and worsening problem in developing countries as growing car numbers combine with poor traffic safety regulations and enforcement – with lethal results. Slow-moving road users, like pedestrians, cyclists, and animal-pulled carts, are a dangerous mix with faster cars, lorries and buses, and overloaded older vehicles. Drink-driving and excessive speed are also major causes of accidents, as everywhere in the world.

To make matters worse, it is poor people in developing countries that are most affected by traffic accidents. Poor people tend to be pedestrians, cyclists, scooter-riders, and minibus passengers, who are statistically the most vulnerable road users. On top of this, health systems in developing countries are generally poorly equipped to deal with crash injuries, and those most likely to be in an accident have the least money to pay for health care. The costs of a traffic injury or death can easily put a family into poverty or destitution.

What is the impact and what can be done?

Traffic accidents are already the ninth biggest global cause of disability, and are expected to rise to third place by 2020, with road traffic deaths in developing countries increasing by 80%. The importance of tackling the issue has gained profile in recent years as the human costs have grown. The World Health Organization focused its World Health Day in 2004 on road safety, while the United Nations held a global road safety week in 2007.

Simple solutions could save many lives:

• using seat belts correctly reduces the risk of death in a crash by 61%
• wearing a helmet reduces serious and fatal head injuries by up to 45%
• simple low-cost engineering solutions like speed bumps, pavements and roundabouts all reduce accidents.   

In Colombia there was a 50% drop in traffic fatalities between 1995 and 2002 after a successful programme of national and local road safety initiatives.

Health Poverty Action says:

• Simple, low-cost road safety programmes could improve millions of lives across the developing world.
• Programmes must focus on protecting the most vulnerable road users, who are usually also the poorest people with least access to health care.