Global Road Traffic Fatalities Have Fallen By Up To 50% Since The Year 2010

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The global trend in road crash fatalities is showing a promising decline, according to the latest 2023 report on road safety from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Over the past decade, since 2010, road traffic deaths have decreased by 5%. When factoring in the rise in global population, this reduction translates to a significant 16% drop. This positive trajectory indicates progress in improving road safety measures worldwide.

An encouraging sign highlighted in the report is that 108 countries have reported a decrease in road traffic-related deaths between 2010 and 2021. Among these, ten countries have achieved noteworthy success in reducing road traffic fatalities by over 50%. These countries include Belarus, Brunei, Darussalam, Denmark, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Russia Federation, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. Additionally, 35 more countries have made notable strides in decreasing deaths by 30% to 50%.


However, it is essential to note that low-income countries remain disproportionately affected by road traffic fatalities. The majority of these deaths occur in Asia and Africa, which collectively report the highest number of fatalities. The Americas follow with 12%, while the Eastern Mediterranean region accounts for 11% and Europe for 5% of road traffic fatalities. This disparity highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions and resources to address road safety challenges in low-income regions.

The report also sheds light on the demographics of road traffic fatalities, revealing that over half of all deaths involve vulnerable road users. Pedestrians account for 23% of fatalities, followed by motorcycles (21%), cyclists (6%), and scooters (3%). These statistics emphasize the importance of safeguarding vulnerable road users through comprehensive road safety measures and infrastructure improvements.


This comprehensive report, spanning a decade of progress, was made possible with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The organization has committed $500 million to support road safety interventions in low-and middle-income countries, as well as cities across the globe. This substantial investment highlights the critical importance of collaborative efforts and financial support in advancing road safety initiatives on a global scale.

Bloomberg founder Michael Bloomberg, the WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, who also wrote a foreword for the report, said, “Our mission at Bloomberg Philanthropies is to save and improve as many lives as possible, and one of the best ways to do that is to make more of the world’s roads safe for all.”

“For more than a decade now, we’ve made encouraging progress together with the World Health Organization and our partners. Still, as this new report makes clear, road safety demands stronger commitments from governments worldwide—and we’ll continue to urge more leaders to take lifesaving action.”

 

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