Road Traffic Injuries & Deaths in Africa
Scope of the Problem
As the use of motorized transport continues to accelerate globally, road traffic crashes have become an increasing cause of injury, disability and death. Each year, an estimated 1.2 million people are killed while an additional 20 to 50 million people are injured or disabled by road traffic crashes worldwide.
However, the distribution of this public health problem is not uniform:
· Low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) account for almost 90% of all road traffic deaths worldwide;
· Over 50% of those killed are young adults between the ages of 15 and 44;
· The mortality rate for males is almost 3 times as high as it is for females;
· Pedestrians, public transport users, motorcyclists and cyclists are the most vulnerable in LMICs whereas car occupants are more vulnerable in high-income countries.
In Africa, road traffic crashes:
· Cause 28 deaths per 100,000 population — the highest road traffic death rate in the world even though motor vehicle ownership in Africa remains low.
· Kill nearly 200,000 people per year — 4 times more than are killed in the USA & Canada.
· Claim more than 90,000 lives per year of those in their economically productive years.
· Cost Africa more than US $3.7 billion (1% of GNP) — more than the continent receives in development assistance.
World report on road traffic injury prevention, 2004 |
Without effective interventions, this problem is projected to worsen: the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 1990 and 2020, road traffic injuries will rise from being the ninth leading cause of disease burden in the world to the third.
Tackling the Problem
In recent years, there have been increasing efforts to bring this epidemic to international attention.
Major Milestones:
· May 1998
The Injury Prevention Initiative for Africa (IPIFA) was formed for the purposes of research, advocacy, health promotion and training in injury control and facilitation of the exchange of injury control knowledge within and outside of Africa.
· April 2001
WHO convened a consultation of international experts to develop A 5-year WHO Strategy for Road Traffic Injury Prevention.
· April 2002
The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies (HCPDS) held an international conference to review the available data on the epidemiology and prevention of road traffic injuries.
· July 2002
Road Traffic Injuries Network was formed to facilitate the establishment of partnerships between road traffic injury researchers and institutions that will support the development and strengthening of research agendas and research capacity in LMICs.
· May 2003
UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to encourage governments and civil society to raise awareness about the preventable nature of road traffic injuries.
· August 2003
UN Secretary General issued a report on the global road safety crisis which urged Member States, particularly developing countries, to stimulate a new level of commitment to preventing road traffic injuries and deaths.
· April 2004
WHO dedicated World Health Day (April 7th) to road traffic safety, the theme of which was Road Safety is No Accident.
WHO, in collaboration with the World Bank, issued the World report on road traffic injury prevention on April 7th.
HASAN launched the Philippe E. Wamba Memorial Fund for the Improvement of Road Traffic Safety in Africa on April 9th.
UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which underlined the need for further strengthening of international cooperation to deal with issues of road safegy on April 14th.
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The Wamba Memorial Fund will be administered by HCPDS, a research and policy institute that is actively involved in road traffic safety in Africa. HCPDS faculty will review proposals for merit and appropriateness to the terms of the Fund.
Recipients of the Fund will be required to demonstrate the ability to disseminate results and partner effectively with governmental and nongovernmental agencies for advocacy, evidence-based policy design, program development and implementation in their country. This strategy will ensure that the Fund has a tangible and lasting impact on road traffic safety in several sub-Saharan African countries.
More Information on Road Traffic Injuries & Safety
WHO Fact Sheet
World Health Day: Road Safety is No Accident
Road Traffic Injuries and Health Equity Conference at Harvard University
Africa’s Epidemic of Road Traffic Injury and Death: Interventions and Strategies for Improvement
New York Times Article - Driving in Kenya can be Harzadous to your Health
World report on road traffic injury prevention
