Traffic Accidents Are a Leading Cause of Death

June 2009

Eighty-five percent of the world's countries lack sufficient laws to address traffic deaths and injuries, and traffic deaths are the ninth leading cause of death in the world. If there is no intervention, they could surpass AIDS and tuberculosis deaths in 20 years. These are just a few of the facts compiled by The World Health Organization in their first global report on road safety.

The report is based on data from a 2008 survey of 178 countries, representing 98 percent of the world's population. It says that about 1.2 million people are killed each year in traffic accidents, and that almost half of the victims aren't in cars, they are on motorcycles, bicycles, or are pedestrians. In the United States, 51 percent of deaths involve car drivers, 21 percent are car passengers, 11 percent are motorcyclists, 11 percent are pedestrians, and two percent are bicyclists.

The risks to people outside cars are especially significant in some Asian countries, where motorcycles and motorbikes are the leading forms of transportation. Experts say that creating and enforcing laws that require seat belts and helmets and that punish drunk driving is a proven way to reduce injuries and deaths.