Background

• Injury is a physical damage resulting when the human body is briefly or suddenly subjected to levels of energy exceeding its physiological tolerance or the impairment in function resulting from the lack of one or more vital elements (water, air, warmth). The energy causing the injury can be mechanical, electrical, thermal, radiant or chemical. Injury is classified as intentional and unintentional.
• All injuries account for 10% of the world’s deaths. 5.8 million People die each year as a result of different types of injuries. Of the all systems that people have to deal with on a daily basis; road transport is the most complex and the most dangerous.
• Road traffic accidents result in unintentional injury.
• A traffic collision (motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, or car crash) occurs when a road vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other geographical or architectural obstacle. Traffic collisions can result in injury, property damage, and death.
• Worldwide, the number of people killed in road traffic crashes each year is estimated at 1.2 million, while the number of injured could be as high as 50 million.
• Road traffic injuries are a major but neglected global public health problem, requiring concerted efforts for effective and sustainable prevention.
• Road traffic injuries continue to be among the leading causes of death and disability among young people aged between 5 and 44 years and the leading cause of death in the category of people between 15-29 years. The majority of such deaths are currently among “vulnerable road users”-pedestrians, pedal cyclists and motorcyclists.
• Without increased efforts and new initiatives, the total number of road traffic deaths worldwide and injuries is forecast to rise by some 67% by 2020, and in low income and middle-income countries deaths are expected to increase by as much as 83%
• The African region has the highest fatality rate for road traffic crashes at 32/100 000 population

Road traffic injuries are preventable. Very substantial reductions in juries can be achieved by implementing measures which address risk factors (excessive and inappropriate speed, driving under the influence of alcohol, non-use of seat belts and child restraints, non- use of helmets for cyclists)