New Delhi, According to the latest WHO report, sixty-six percent of road traffic deaths in Southeast Asia are among pedestrians, motorized two-wheeler drivers and cyclists, while the highest number of deaths from Road accidents in India occur between drivers of two- and three-wheeled vehicles.
The “WHO Report on the Road Safety Situation in the Southeast Asia Region” was launched during “Safety 2024”, the 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, 2024.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, 30 percent of reported traffic accident deaths involved users of two- and three-wheeled motorized vehicles.
Four-wheel vehicle occupants account for 25 percent of fatalities and pedestrians account for 21 percent. Cyclists account for 5 percent of deaths. The remaining 20 percent include occupants of large vehicles, heavy vehicles, and other unknown user types.
"In the WHO South-East Asia Region, the proportion of reported road traffic deaths is 46 percent for users of two- and three-wheeled motorized vehicles, 12 percent for occupants of four-wheeled vehicles, 17 percent for pedestrians, 3 percent for cyclists and 22 percent for others. In all these countries, vulnerable road users (pedestrians, users of motorized two-wheeled vehicles and cyclists) constitute 66 percent. percent of total traffic deaths," according to the report.
"Drivers of two- and three-wheeled vehicles constitute the highest proportion among all categories of road users in India (45.1 percent), Maldives (100 percent), Myanmar (47 percent) and Thailand (51.4 percent)," he says. aggregate.
The WHO noted that no country in the South Asian region had achieved the goal of reducing estimated road traffic deaths by 50 percent.
However, a considerable reduction in WHO estimated road traffic deaths occurred in Maldives and Thailand, where estimated road traffic deaths decreased by 46.2 percent and 41.7 percent, respectively.
On the contrary, traffic accident deaths in the region increased by 15 percent in the period 2010-2021. At the national level, no member state in the Southeast Asia region with more than 10 million inhabitants has reported a decrease in traffic deaths during this period.
"However, it is worth noting that the number of traffic deaths in Thailand decreased by 22.9 percent between 2016 and 2021. Estimated traffic deaths also increased in Bangladesh, India and Nepal during the period 2010 -2021 by 23 percent, 2 percent and 25 percent, respectively," the report says.
Etienne Krug, director of WHO's Department of Social Determinants of Health, said road traffic accidents were one of the major crises of the 21st century.
"...a large proportion of people who die in traffic accidents are those who cannot afford to buy a car. There is an urgent need to act. The report reveals that the crisis is enormous, but we must understand and act decisively that Prevention is possible and requires strict enforcement," he said.
The three-day conference will be hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi; George Institute for Global Health in collaboration with All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS), National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and co-sponsored by WHO.
"To reduce inequalities, we must recognize that injuries disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, because we are far behind in addressing real problems with real solutions. Lived experience shows how policies shape differential exposure, risk, and outcomes, underscoring the urgent need for change," said Jagnoor Jagnoor, head of the injury division at the George Institute for Global Health.
During the conference, international experts come together with the shared goal of "building a safer future for all: equitable and sustainable strategies for the prevention of injury and violence."
The conference will focus on five key themes: improving coordination and collaboration among stakeholders, strengthening research and practice capacity, integrating injury prevention with global health agendas such as sustainability and equity, empowering communities and promote informed policymaking.
The “WHO Report on the Road Safety Situation in the Southeast Asia Region” was launched during “Safety 2024”, the 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, 2024.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, 30 percent of reported traffic accident deaths involved users of two- and three-wheeled motorized vehicles.
Four-wheel vehicle occupants account for 25 percent of fatalities and pedestrians account for 21 percent. Cyclists account for 5 percent of deaths. The remaining 20 percent include occupants of large vehicles, heavy vehicles, and other unknown user types.
"In the WHO South-East Asia Region, the proportion of reported road traffic deaths is 46 percent for users of two- and three-wheeled motorized vehicles, 12 percent for occupants of four-wheeled vehicles, 17 percent for pedestrians, 3 percent for cyclists and 22 percent for others. In all these countries, vulnerable road users (pedestrians, users of motorized two-wheeled vehicles and cyclists) constitute 66 percent. percent of total traffic deaths," according to the report.
"Drivers of two- and three-wheeled vehicles constitute the highest proportion among all categories of road users in India (45.1 percent), Maldives (100 percent), Myanmar (47 percent) and Thailand (51.4 percent)," he says. aggregate.
The WHO noted that no country in the South Asian region had achieved the goal of reducing estimated road traffic deaths by 50 percent.
However, a considerable reduction in WHO estimated road traffic deaths occurred in Maldives and Thailand, where estimated road traffic deaths decreased by 46.2 percent and 41.7 percent, respectively.
On the contrary, traffic accident deaths in the region increased by 15 percent in the period 2010-2021. At the national level, no member state in the Southeast Asia region with more than 10 million inhabitants has reported a decrease in traffic deaths during this period.
"However, it is worth noting that the number of traffic deaths in Thailand decreased by 22.9 percent between 2016 and 2021. Estimated traffic deaths also increased in Bangladesh, India and Nepal during the period 2010 -2021 by 23 percent, 2 percent and 25 percent, respectively," the report says.
Etienne Krug, director of WHO's Department of Social Determinants of Health, said road traffic accidents were one of the major crises of the 21st century.
"...a large proportion of people who die in traffic accidents are those who cannot afford to buy a car. There is an urgent need to act. The report reveals that the crisis is enormous, but we must understand and act decisively that Prevention is possible and requires strict enforcement," he said.
The three-day conference will be hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi; George Institute for Global Health in collaboration with All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS), National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and co-sponsored by WHO.
"To reduce inequalities, we must recognize that injuries disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, because we are far behind in addressing real problems with real solutions. Lived experience shows how policies shape differential exposure, risk, and outcomes, underscoring the urgent need for change," said Jagnoor Jagnoor, head of the injury division at the George Institute for Global Health.
During the conference, international experts come together with the shared goal of "building a safer future for all: equitable and sustainable strategies for the prevention of injury and violence."
The conference will focus on five key themes: improving coordination and collaboration among stakeholders, strengthening research and practice capacity, integrating injury prevention with global health agendas such as sustainability and equity, empowering communities and promote informed policymaking.
