Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Published : October 13, 2014 6:43 PM IST
According to the 2013 statistical report by the World Health Organization, road accidents rank ninth among the top 10 leading causes of death worldwide. While in India, road traffic injuries are the sixth leading cause of death, mainly affecting the young and middle-aged population. More than 1.3 million people die in road accidents every year and approximately 50 million people suffer from severe injuries. In addition to this, road accidents also put a huge burden on the healthcare sector in terms of hospitalization and rehabilitation.
The 2013 global status report on road safety revealed that more than 2,31,000 people die in road accidents every year in India. Furthermore, approximately 50% of all deaths are of vulnerable road users namely pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. Of the many reasons that contribute to the high rate of fatality on roads, here are some of the most common ones
In addition to following tips to drive safely, officials should impose strict laws and regulations to address the top five risk factors of road deaths namely drunk-driving, speed control, use of helmets, restraining teenagers from driving and use of seat-belts. Apart from these, policies on safety and injury prevention with better and quick healthcare facilities are need of the hour to lower the death rate caused duet o road accidents. With active commitment from health professionals, officials and local public, road accidents can be lowered by a significant margin in the coming years.
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