By Joke Kujenya
LIVES ARE being lost on roads at an alarming rate, with 1.19 million people dying every year from road traffic crashes, while between 20 million and 50 million more suffer non-fatal injuries, many resulting in disability.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the United Nations Road Safety Week (UNRSW), scheduled for 8 to 12 May, highlights the scale of the crisis, with more than 3000 lives lost daily.
Road traffic injuries are also said to remain the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5 to 29 years.
Road Safety watchers also say that the figures show that most of these deaths are preventable and then suggested simple actions such as slowing down, wearing seatbelts, using helmets, avoiding mobile phone use while driving and never driving under the influence can significantly reduce risks.
Further data still indicate that a 1% increase in average speed produces a 4% increase in the fatal crash risk and a 3% increase in the serious crash risk.
Additionally, wearing a seatbelt would reduce the risk of death among vehicle occupants by up to 50%, while correct helmet use can reduce the risk of death in a crash by more than six times and lower the risk of brain injury by up to 74%.
They note that mobile phone use while driving is identified as a major risk, with drivers approximately four times more likely to be involved in a crash compared to those not using a phone, adding that the distraction slows reaction times and affects lane discipline and following distances.
More than half of all road traffic deaths occur among vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, they said noting that these groups account for over 50% of global fatalities, underscoring the shared responsibility among all road users.
Moreover, the burden of road traffic deaths falls heavily on low- and middle-income countries, where 92% of fatalities occur despite these countries having around 60% of the world’s vehicles.
Road traffic death rates are highest in the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region and lowest in the European Region.
However, within high income countries, individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to be involved in road traffic crashes.
Another thrust is age and gender patterns which show that two thirds of road traffic fatalities occur among people aged 18 to 59 years, while males are three times more likely to be killed in road crashes than females.
Yet, road traffic crashes also impose significant economic costs, with most countries losing about 3% of their gross domestic product due to treatment expenses and lost productivity.
These losses extend to families who must take time off work or school to care for injured relatives.
The safe system approach to road safety focuses on designing transport systems that accommodate human error as it emphasises safe roads and roadsides, safe speeds, safe vehicles and safe road users to reduce fatal crashes and serious injuries.
Unsafe infrastructure, including lack of pedestrian facilities, cycling lanes and safe crossings, increases risks for vulnerable users.
Vehicle safety also plays a critical role, with regulations requiring features such as airbags, seatbelts and electronic stability control identified as essential to reducing injuries.
Another factor is post-crash care remains a critical factor, as delays in detecting and treating injuries can increase their severity.
Access to timely prehospital care and improved hospital response are also identified as key to saving lives.
Weak enforcement of traffic laws on speed limits, drink driving, seatbelt use, helmets and child restraints reduces their effectiveness.
Authorities note that laws must be established, updated and enforced at national, municipal and local levels to influence behaviour.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has set a target of reducing global road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% by 2030.
This forms part of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021 to 2030.
They noted that efforts to achieve this goal require coordinated action across sectors including transport, health, police, education and civil society.
Measures include safer infrastructure design, improved vehicle safety, enhanced post-crash care, stronger law enforcement and public awareness campaigns.
WHO says in it all, it is serving as the lead agency for road safety within the UN system by supporting countries through evaluation, implementation and planning by working with partners to provide technical assistance and track progress through global status reports.
Conclusively, the advocacy teams said the efforts of organs such as the UNRSW and the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDRRTV) continue to raise awareness and promote action aimed at saving lives on the world’s roads.
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