Why is it in the News?

Road traffic deaths fell by 5% to 1.19 million fatalities annually worldwide between 2010 and 2021, with 108 UN member nations reporting a drop, a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) said. India, however, registered a 15% increase in fatalities.

News Summary:

• The fifth edition of the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety, released in 2023, serves as a comprehensive assessment of progress in mitigating road traffic deaths.
  • This report evaluates advancements made between 2010 and 2021, establishing a foundation for meeting the ambitious target of the United Nations Decade of Action 2021–2030—to cut road traffic fatalities in half by 2030.
• Declared by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2020, the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 strives to achieve a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
  • Generous support from Bloomberg Philanthropies has played a crucial role in producing this report.
  • Since 2007, Bloomberg Philanthropies has committed $500 million to facilitate road safety initiatives in low- and middle-income countries and cities worldwide

Key Insights from the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023:

• Countries Achieving Over 50% Reduction in Road Traffic Deaths: Ten countries, including Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Denmark, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Russian Federation, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela, have successfully reduced road traffic deaths by more than 50%.
  • Additionally, 35 more countries have made commendable progress, achieving a reduction in road traffic deaths ranging from 30% to 50%.
• Leading Cause of Death for Children and Youth: As of 2019, road traffic crashes have become the primary cause of death for children and youth aged five to 29 years.
  • Globally, these crashes rank as the 12th leading cause of death across all age groups.
• 5% Reduction in Road Traffic Fatalities in the Last Decade: Despite a population growth of nearly 14 billion over the last decade, there has been a 5% reduction in the absolute number of road traffic fatalities.
  • The road fatality rate has declined from 18 per 1 lakh people in 2010 to 15 per 1 lakh in 2021, marking a 16% decrease in the road traffic death rate since 2010.
• Regional Distribution of Traffic Deaths: The regional breakdown indicates that:
  • 28% of global road traffic deaths occurred in the WHO’s South-East Asia Region
  • 25% in the Western Pacific Region
  • 19% in the African Region
  • 12% in the Region of the Americas
  • 11% in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and
  • 5% in the European Region.
• The situation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Nine out of 10 road traffic deaths transpire in low- and middle-income countries, with fatalities in these nations being disproportionately higher (three times) in comparison to the number of vehicles and roads they possess.
• Countries Meeting WHO Best Practices for Risk Factors: Only six countries have legislation aligning with WHO best practices for all risk factors (speeding, drunk driving, and the use of motorcycle helmets, seatbelts, and child restraints).
  • Meanwhile, 140 countries, constituting two-thirds of UN Member States, have such laws governing at least one of these risk factors.
• India-Specific Observation: In India, the reported deaths due to road crashes increased from 1,50,785 in 2018 to 1,53,792 in 2021.
  • Notably, the number stood at 1.3 lakh in 2010.