Road fatalities rise in India, despite global drop: WHO
- The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a 5% reduction in global road traffic deaths, totaling 1.19 million annually between 2010 and 2021.
- This positive trend is attributed to a decrease in 108 United Nations member countries.
India's Situation
- In India, road traffic fatalities rose from 1.34 lakh in 2010 to 1.54 lakh in 2021 according to the ‘Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023’.
- This indicates a 15% surge, in contrast to the global trend, raising concerns about road safety measures in the country.
Global Success Stories
- Ten countries, including Belarus, Denmark, Japan and the UAE, achieved over a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths.
- Additionally, 35 countries demonstrated notable progress, reducing fatalities by 30% to 50%.
Age Group Impact
- Road crashes were the leading cause of deaths among individuals aged five to 29 years in 2019.
- Overall, road traffic accidents were the 12th leading cause of deaths when all ages are considered, with two-thirds occurring among people of working age.
Population Growth vs Fatality Rate
- Despite a global population growth of nearly 14 billion (13%) in the past decade, the road traffic fatalities reduced by 5%.
- This resulted in a decline in the road fatality rate from 18 per 1 lakh people in 2010 to 15 per 1 lakh in 2021, marking a 16% reduction.
Vehicle Growth Impact
- The global motor vehicle fleet expanded by 160% during the same period.
- Therefore, annual fatality rates per 1 lakh vehicles fell from 79 deaths to 47 deaths, which is a 41% reduction.
Regional Distribution
- 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
- 5% in the European Region
Inequality in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
- Nine out of 10 road traffic deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries, where the risk of death is three times higher than in high-income countries.
- Despite having just 1% of the world's motor vehicles, low-income countries bear a disproportionate share of fatalities.
Prelims Takeaway
- Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023
- World Health Organization