New Delhi: The World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) recently released Global Status Report on Road Safety revealed that while there has been a 5% reduction in global road crash deaths from 2011 to 2021, India’s recorded fatalities increased in the same period.The total number of deaths in road crashes across the globe dropped from 1.25 million to 1.19 million in the ten-year period. However, India’s road safety record deteriorated, with fatalities increasing from 1.34 lakh in 2010 to 1.54 lakh in 2021. India’s share in global road fatalities also rose from 11% to 13%.The global reduction in death has come despite a doubling of the global vehicle fleet, expanding road networks, and a rising global population, the Times of India reported.The WHO report suggests that efforts to improve road safety are making progress but fall short of meeting the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 target to halve deaths by 2030. Road traffic deaths and injuries remain the leading cause of death for individuals aged 5-29 years and the 12th leading cause of death globally.Vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, account for over 50% of global fatalities, with occupants of 4-wheel vehicles contributing to one-third. The report emphasises the need for better infrastructure, stating that nearly 80% of all assessed roads do not meet a minimum 3-star rating for pedestrian safety.Low- and middle-income countries face the highest risk, with 92% of global deaths occurring in these nations. Regionally, 28% of all fatalities occur in the WHO 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, and 5% in the European Region, the report said.Meanwhile, the European region reported the most significant drop in deaths since 2010, at 36%, attributed to a “safe system approach.” The Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions reported declines of 16% and 2%, respectively.Reductions in deaths were observed in 108 countries. Notably, ten countries—Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Denmark, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Russian Federation, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela—successfully achieved the target reduction of at least 50% in their fatality numbers. However, 66 countries, including 28 in the African region, experienced a rise in the number of deaths since 2010, the WHO report said.
