A decade Road Safety
Each year nearly 1.3 million people and between 20 and 50 million more are injured as a result of road accidents. Over 90 percent of these deaths are concentrated in low income countries and middle, which accounts for less than half the worldwide fleet of vehicles.
Fifth leading cause of death in 2030
It is expected that the injuries caused by traffic accidents are the fifth leading cause of death worldwide by 2030 unless immediate action is taken. In fact, in some areas, deaths from traffic accidents are now the leading cause of death in the most economically productive age, ie the group between 15 and 44, and the second leading cause of death group between 5 and 14 years.
Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, the most vulnerable
Almost half of those who die as a result of traffic accidents are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, which highlights the need to pay more attention to those road users on road safety programs.
Brake on economic development
Injuries from traffic accidents are threatening to prevent some of the achievements of economic and human development. It has been estimated that global costs of injuries caused by traffic accidents amounted to 518,000 million dollars and cost the government between 1 percent and 3 percent of gross national product. In some countries of low and middle income, the loss is greater than the total budget they receive in development assistance.
World of Work Plan
To combat these data, the UN has developed a Global Plan of Work in the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, from the suggestions made at meetings and consultations over the Internet. This Global Plan is primarily aimed at creating a larger network of transport, development of vehicle safety and improving road safety on the roads, the behavior of road users and care to victims after accident.
Accident injuries can be prevented
Economic losses, social and health due to injuries caused by traffic accidents are not inevitable. According to the latest report by the United Nations Organization, in collaboration with the UN, identified several factors that increase the risk of injury as:
* The inappropriate and excessive speed.
* Failure to use safety belts and protective seats for children.
* Driving while intoxicated
* The non-use of helmets by motor vehicles driving on two wheels.
* A road infrastructure is poorly designed or poorly maintained.
* Vehicles old and poorly maintained or that do not have adequate safety devices
Lead agencies for road safety
The report stresses that the rules and other actions to address these risk factors have resulted in a drastic decrease in traffic accidents in many countries. Notes that the creation of an adequately funded lead agency for road safety and accurate assessment of security conditions of the roads in a country are the measures to be taken in all countries, to address effectively the problem of injuries caused by traffic accidents.