Title: Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015<br/>Author: Jon Mark Hirshon<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/96/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
        The World Health Organization (WHO) has just released a report on the current status of road traffic safety globally.</p>
<ul>
        <li>
                1.25 million people die each year from road traffic crashes</li>
        <li>
                90% of road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle- income countries
                <ul>
                        <li>
                                Only 54% of the world vehicles are in these countries</li>
                </ul>
        </li>
        <li>
                Countries in Africa have the highest death rates per capita</li>
        <li>
                Vulneable groups include:
                <ul>
                        <li>
                                Motorcyclists (23% of global deaths)</li>
                        <li>
                                Pedestrians (22% of global deaths)</li>
                        <li>
                                Cyclists (4% of global deaths)</li>
                </ul>
        </li>
</ul>
<p>
        From a postive perspective, road traffic deaths are stabilzing even though the number of motor vehicles are rapidly increasing.</p>
<p>
         </p>
<p>
        The bottom line- injuries are preventable.  Continued policy efforts, laws with enforncement, can save lives. Specific life saving legislation includes:</p>
<ul>
        <li>
                seat belt laws that apply to all occupants</li>
        <li>
                maximum speed, such as urban speed limits of 50 Km/h (31 mph)</li>
        <li>
                child restraint, based upon age, height or weight</li>
        <li>
                helmet laws that apply to all drivers, passengers and road types</li>
        <li>
                drink-driving laws with specific blood alcohol concentrations (e.g.: 0.05 g/dl or less)</li>
</ul>
<fieldset><legend>References</legend>

                <p>
        http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/road-safety-report/en/</p>
</fieldset>