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SDG Target 3.6 Road traffic injuries 

SDG Target 3.6 Halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents

There were 1.35 million road traffic deaths globally in 2016, with millions more sustaining serious injuries and living with long-term adverse health consequences. Globally, road traffic crashes are a leading cause of death among young people, and the main cause of death among those aged 15–29 years. Road traffic injuries are currently estimated to be the 8th leading cause of death across all age groups globally, and are predicted to become the seventh leading cause of death by 2030.

 

"Road traffic injuries can be prevented. Governments need to take action to address road safety in a holistic manner. This requires involvement from multiple sectors such as transport, police, health, education, and actions that address the safety of roads, vehicles, and road users."

"Effective interventions include designing safer infrastructure and incorporating road safety features into land-use and transport planning, improving the safety features of vehicles, improving post-crash care for victims of road crashes, setting and enforcing laws relating to key risks, and raising public awareness."

Road traffic injuries fact sheet

Summary findings

Road traffic deaths
1.35 million
people die each year on the world’s roads
Vulnerable road users
54%
of those dying on the world’s roads are vulnerable road users
Legislation
22
Countries have amended their laws to bring them into line with best practice on one or more key risk factors for road traffic injuries over the past three years

Estimated road traffic death rate (per 100 000 population)

GHO RS_198 Estimated road traffic death rate (per 100 000 population) REGIONAL DOT PLOT TEMPLATE

Gathering global data
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Road safety estimates

Table
Indicator name:
Estimated number of road traffic deaths
Data type:
Count
Indicator Id:
196
Definition:
Estimated number of deaths due to road trafficfatal injuryin the specified year
Method of estimation:
We classified the countries into fourgroups as follows: Countries with death registration data completeness of at least 80% . For this category we used one of the following data: death registration, projection of the most recent death registration, reported death or projected reported deaths. Countries with other sources of information on cause of death. This group includes India, Iran, Thailand and Viet Nam. For these countries a regression method was used to project forward the most recent yearfor which an estimate of total road traffic deaths were available. Countries with population less than 150 000 and did not have eligible death registration data. For these countries the death reported in the survey were used directly, without adjustment. Countries without eligible death registration data. For these countries a negative binomial regression model was used. For more information about this process, see the report Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015 (pp. 70:73).
Indicator Metadata Registry List

The top ten causes of death worldwide (by country)

Related links

Global status report on road safety 2018
17 June 2018

Global status report on road safety 2018

The Global status report on road safety 2018, launched by WHO in December 2018, highlights that the number of annual road traffic deaths has reached 1.35...

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