Road safety in 2018

Road traffic accidents remain a real scourge. Despite improved road safety, particularly in developed countries, every year, road accidents claim the lives of 1.3 million people worldwide.

Low-income and middle-income countries account for 93% of the number of deaths, while the same countries account for only 54% of the global fleet.

Road Safety in 2018: the World Health Organization report

@Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0

According to data from the World Health Organization published in July 2017, lack of road safety in the world :

  • is the leading cause of mortality in low-income and middle-income countries,
  • causes between 20 and 50 million injuries every year,
  • is the leading cause of death among the 15-29 year-olds,
  • causes the death of vulnerable road users: half of the people killed on the road are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists,
  • is costly to economy. It includes nearly 3% of the countries’ GDP,
  • is likely to be the seventh leading cause of death by 2030. In 2009, road accidents were ranked ninth in deaths.

Road Safety in 2018: main risk factors

Among the risk factors identified by WHO are the following ones in descending order :

  • speeding,
  • driving while intoxicated or under the influence of psychoactive substances,
  • non-compliance or absence of safety provisions (helmet, seat belt, car seat for children ...),
  • distracted driving due to the use of mobile phones,
  • dangerous road infrastructure,
  • failure to comply with the Highway Traffic Act.

Road safety: ranking of countries according to the mortality rate (statistics)

Below is the 2015 ranking of countries according to the road mortality rate. This is the number of fatalities per 100 000 inhabitants.

The average mortality rate is highest in middle-income countries, that is 20.1, compared to 18.3 for low-income countries and 8.7 for high-income countries.

Average mortality rate on roads per 100 000 inhabitants

mortality rate per turnover

Road safety in Africa: number of deaths and road mortality rate

RankingCountryPopulation 2015GDP/ capita 2015Number of vehicles 2015Reported number of deaths1Adjusted number of deaths2Mortality rate 20153Mortality rate 2010
1Libya6 278 44012 930*2 740 0004 3984 55472.5-
2Rwanda11 609 6701 762-5263 78232.5719.9
3Tanzania53 470 4208531 509 0003 88516 21130.322.7
4Mozambique27 977 8601 192400 0001 7448 17329.2118.5
5Togo7 304 5801 460198 0001 0442 12329.0617.2
6D R Congo77 266 8107841 900 00049822 4192920.9
7Burkina Faso18 105 5705901 500 0001 4615 0722827.7
8Gambia1 990 9201 680-15554427.3218.8
9Madagascar24 235 3901 465660 0007916 50626.8418.4
10Uganda39 032 380541490 0002 85110 28026.3328.9
11Cameroon23 344 1803 115347 0001 0636 13626.2820.1
12Benin10 879 830761252 0007082 85526.2423.9
13Sierra Leone6 453 18065268 802220166125.722.6
14Senegal14 900 000913660 0003563 84425.719.5
15Zimbabwe15 602 7501 786.6940 0001 7873 98525.5414.6
16Congo4 620 3306 381120 0002061 17425.417.1
17Guinea-Bissau1 844 33057562 00011746825.331.2
18Ghana27 409 8904 210890 0002 2406 78924.7622.2
19South Africa54 956 00013 1959 600 00013 80213 27324.1531.9
20Tunisia11 107 80011 4671 921 9401 5052 67924.1118.8
21Niger19 899 120955315 6001 0474 70623.623.7
22Algeria39 666 52014 7175 683 0004 5409 33723.53-
23Mauritania4 067 5601 337416 00020495223.428
24Angola25 021 9704 100880 00055915 7692323.1
25Sudan40 234 8802 414111 0002 2819 22122.925.1
26Namibia2 458 83010 411-40055122.425
27Mali17 599 690724203 0005293 92022.223.1
28Gabon1 725 29020 081-4538322.1922.5
29Zambia16 211 7701360534 0001 7973 58622.123.8
30Chad14 037 470775622 0001 5273 08922-
31Cote d Ivoire22 701 5603 514900 0008444 92421.6920.9
32Botswana2 262 49015 839392 00039947721.0820.8
33Morocco34 803 0007 7573 570 0003 8326 87019.7318
34Mauritius1 262 61020 085237 00013615212.0312.2
* Data 2013

Road safety in the Middle East: number of deaths and road mortality rate

RankingCountryPopulation 2015GDP/capita 2015Number of vehicles 2015Reported number of deaths1Adjusted number of deaths2Mortality rate 20153Mortality rate 2010
1Jordan7 594 55010 9021 130 0007681 91325.122.9
2Saudi Arabia31 540 37053 5396 600 0007 6617 8982524.8
3Oman4 490 54039 971980 00091392420.5730.4
4Yemen26 832 2202 8211 000 0003 2395 24819.5523.7
5Iraq36 423 39015 3953 900 0005 7896 82618.744.7
6Lebanon5 850 74013 936683 0006301 08818.5922.3
7Kuwait3 892 11074 6451 876 00047362916.1616.5
8Qatar2 235 360141 5481 020 00020433014.7614
9Egypt91 508 08010 9135 734 0008 70110 46611.4313.2
10United Arab Emirates9 156 96069 9712 140 0006511 02111.1412.7
11Bahrain1 377 24046 586578 000831077.7710.5

Road safety in Asia: number of deaths and road mortality rate

RankingCountryPopulation 2015GDP/capita 2015Number of vehicles 2015Reported number of deaths1Adjusted number of deaths2Mortality rate 20153Mortality rate 2010
1Thailand67 959 36016 34015 490 00013 65024 23735.6638.1
2Iran79 109 270-14 130 00017 99424 89631.4734.1
3Vietnam91 703 8006 0342 170 0009 84522 41924.4424.7
4Malaysia30 331 01026 95013 300 0006 9157 12923.525
5China1 371 220 00014 450162 845 00062 945261 36719.0620.5
6Sri Lanka20 966 00011 7631 470 0002 3623 69117.613.7
7India1 311 050 5306 10028 860 000137 572207 55115.8318.9
8Indonesia257 563 82011 05722 500 00026 41638 27914.8617.7
9Pakistan188 924 8705 0103 220 0009 91725 78113.6417.4
10South korea50 617 04034 64720 990 0005 0925 93111.7114.1
11Philippines100 699 4007 3873 823 0001 46910 37910.39.1
12Japan126 958 47040 76377 404 0005 6795 9714.75.2
13Singapore5 535 00085 382813 0001591973.555.1

Road safety in the rest of the World: number of deaths and road mortality rate

RankingCountryPopulation 2015GDP/capita 2015Number of vehicles 2015Reported number of deaths1Adjusted number of deaths2Mortality rate 20153Mortality rate 2010
1Brazil207 847 53015 39042 743 00041 05946 93522.5822.5
2Ecuador16 144 36011 4742 267 0002 9833 16419.5927
3Russia144 096 81024 45151 355 00027 02527 02518.7518.6
4Argentina43 416 75020 36413 736 0005 2095 61912.9412.6
5Chile17 948 14023 3674 445 0002 1082 17912.1412.3
6Mexico127 017 22016 98837 354 00017 13915 06211.8514.7
7United States321 418 82056 116264 194 00032 71935 09210.9111.4
8Greece10 823 73026 3796 205 00086510139.3512.2
9Croatia4 224 40022 5141 663 0003683959.3510.4
10Turkey78 665 83020 00815 360 0004 7866 6878.512
11Czech Republic10 551 22033 7705 890 0006547086.77.6
12Belgium11 285 72045 7576 426 0007247326.488.1
13New Zeland4 595 70037 5763 708 0002532725.99.1
14Slovenia2 063 77031 9901 188 0001251205.817.2
15Canada35 851 77044 19723 215 0002 0772 1145.86.8
16Portugal10 348 65029 6895 872 0006375935.7311.8
17Italy60 802 08037 21742 242 0003 3853 4285.637.2
18Australia23 781 17046 27117 200 0001 1921 2525.26.1
19France66 808 38041 01738 652 0003 2683 4615.186.4
20Germany81 413 15048 04248 427 0003 3393 5404.344.7
21Spain46 418 27034 90627 463 0001 6801 6893.65.4
22Switzerland8 286 98062 5574 924 0002692693.244.3
23Netherlands16 936 52049 5879 395 0005705313.133.9
24Denmark5 676 00048 0092 838 0001911783.14.7
25United kingdom65 138 23041 75638 220 0001 7701 8062.773.7
26Sweden9 798 87047 8555 279 0002602722.73
27Malta431 33033 995325 00018112.553.8
Source: World Road Safety Report, World Health Organization (WHO), International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) 1 Data obtained directly from the country
2 Data modelled according to WHO assessment. Data from countries with a reliable civil registration system have not been adjusted
3 Mortality rate per 100 000 inhabitants
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