WHO releases report on traffic crashes

Jul 27, 2009

Although road traffic death rates have declined in recent decades, an estimated 1.27 million pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists are killed in road traffic crashes every year, according to a report released June 15 by the Geneva-based World Health Organization.

The report, Global Status Report on Road Safety, provides the first worldwide analysis of how well countries are implementing various road safety measures, including speed limits, anti-drunk driving efforts and seat belt use regulation.

Additional findings show:

• The highest death rates are seen in the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions, while the lowest death rates are among high-income countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
 
• Less than half of countries use the recommended blood-alcohol concentration of 0.05 grams per deciliter as a measure to reduce drunk driving.
• Helmet laws exist in more than 90 percent of countries, while only 40 percent have a law that covers both riders and passengers and also requires helmets meet a specified standard.
• 57 percent of countries have laws that require all car occupants to wear seat belts.