Publication: The Cost of Inaction: Can We Afford Not to Invest in Road Safety?
Date
2018-05
ISSN
Published
2018-05
Author(s)
Bose, Dipan
Marquez, Patricio V.
Job, Soames
Abstract
Road crashes are among the most
significant public health issues of the century; they
account for 97 percent of deaths across all modes of
transport. The latest WHO estimate of 1.34 million road
crash deaths and up to 50 million injuries per year reflects
a slight increase in deaths over previous years, with 90
percent of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income
countries. Further road injury disproportionately affects
young adults 15–29 years old: it is the lead cause of death
during their most productive years. Along with the
unquantifiable loss of life, and pain,grief and suffering,
there is a direct burden to society from disabilities,
deaths, and the economic hardships they bring. The
devastating impact is not only felt by the victim’s family,
where the disability or death of a breadwinner can drive a
household into poverty; it also affects the overall economy.
Overall productivity and quality of life is affected when
otherwise healthy individuals are disabled or die. Crashes
also place a burden on emergency response, medical
treatment, and rehabilitation services in addition to loss
of labor productivity, affecting the quality of life of the
overall population.
Citation
“Bose, Dipan; Marquez, Patricio V.; Job, Soames. 2018. The Cost of Inaction: Can We Afford Not to Invest in Road Safety?. Connections;Note 2018 - 1. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/30488 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”