Global Road Safety Issues and Strategies
Throughout the world, roads are bustling with people operating cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, and mopeds; with pedestrians; and with other types of travelers. Travel made possible by motor vehicles supports economic and social development in many countries and makes transporting goods and people fast and easy. Despite these benefits, however, motor vehicles are involved in crashes that are responsible for millions of deaths and injuries every year worldwide.
Consider the following:
- Globally, every year, about 1.3 million people are killed in motor vehicle crashes and 20–50 million more are seriously injured.
- Half of those people killed in crashes, globally, are pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists.
- By 2020, motor vehicle crashes are expected to become the third most serious threat to human health in the world.
- Road traffic crashes are the world’s leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 15 and 29 years.
- Road traffic and transport accidents at work account for a high proportion of total roadway fatalities in the European Union—41% in 1999.
Steps for Safety At Home and Abroad
Motor vehicle crashes are a public health concern both abroad and in the United States. Crashes are a leading cause of death for Americans of all ages. More than 3 million people in the United States are treated in emergency departments for crash-related injuries each year. More than 40,000 die as a result of their injuries. These injuries and deaths are preventable.
Whether you’re a driver, passenger, cyclist, or pedestrian in the United States or abroad, take the following steps to stay safe on the road:
- Remember to always buckle up. Wearing your seat belt can reduce your risk of dying in a crash by about half.
- Make sure your young passengers are buckled into appropriate safety seats.
- Transport children in the back seat of your vehicle.
- If you have a teenage driver, sign an agreement with your teen to limit his or her risky driving, such as having multiple passengers and driving at night.
- Avoid drinking before driving, even in small amounts.
- Avoid activities that distract you from driving, like texting or talking on a cell phone.
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