Road crashes: a preventable epidemic around the world
Every year, more than 1.35 million people die on the world's roads and millions more are seriously injured. This preventable epidemic hits the poorest hardest and is killing the next generation.
In this fact page we will cover:
- global road death and serious injury statistics
- the link between road danger and sustainable development
- what action is being taken to end this preventable epidemic
- how Brake is working to improve global road safety
Every
24 seconds
someone is killed on a road
World Health Organisation, 2018
How global road safety statistics are collated
The World Health Organisation (WHO) collates and publishes global road safety statistics.
The most recent Global Status Report on Road Safety is from 2018 (the WHO have also produced a data visualisation, based on the findings of this report). Additionally, information by country can be viewed on the Global Health Repository's interactive map.
#
Global road death and casualty statistics
Road death and injury causes devastation to millions of people around the world, every year. Every road death and injury is a preventable tragedy but sadly the number of incidents around the globe continues to climb.
Road deaths
- There are 1.35 million road deaths every year
- Road deaths are the eighth highest cause of death for people of all ages
- Road deaths are the number one killer of those between the ages of 5-29.
- Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists make up more than half of all road deaths (these road users are collectively known as vulnerable road users).
- Road deaths affect the poorest hardest. 93% of all road deaths are in low or middle income countries and there has been no reduction in the number of road deaths in any low-income country since 2013.
- Africa has, by far, the highest rate of road deaths of any WHO region.
Road death statistics
1,350,000
road deaths every year
#1
killer of people aged between 5-29
1 in 2
road deaths are pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists
#
Deaths on the world's roads - WHO data visualisation
Road casualties
Road crashes cause between 20 - 50 million non-fatal injuries around the world, every year. At the highest estimate, this is just below the population of England.
Road traffic crashes now represent the eighth leading cause of death globally. They claim more than 1.35 million lives each year and cause up to 50 million injuries. And, the fact is, every one of those deaths and injuries ispreventable.
Michael Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries
