Facts on global road safety

About 1.3 million people die each year on the world's roads and between 20 and 50 million sustain non-fatal injuries. Road traffic crashes are a major cause of death among all age groups and the leading cause of death among those aged 15–29 years.

This fact file presents data from WHO's most recent Global health estimates and the Global status report on road safety, published in 2015. The reports show that road traffic injuries remain an important public health problem. To reduce the number of road traffic deaths and injuries, a holistic framework such as the Safe System approach needs to be adopted to ensure a safe transport system for all road users.

More than 1.2 million people die in road traffic crashes every year

As many as 50 million people are injured or disabled by road traffic crashes every year

Half of all crash victims are vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists

Road traffic crashes cost countries up to 4% of their Gross National Product

Correctly used seat-belts reduce the risk of death in a crash by 61%

Mandatory use of child restraints can reduce child deaths by 35%

Helmets reduce fatal and serious head injuries by up to 45%

Enforcing a drinking and driving law around the world could reduce alcohol-related crashes by 20%

Enforcing a drinking and driving law around the world could reduce alcohol-related crashes by 20%

Simple low-cost engineering measures are saving thousands of lives