Safety measures can cut road deaths – and here’s the proof

Johns Hopkins report using iRAP methodology shows 700,000 fatalities prevented
By David Arminas May 14, 2024 Read time: 2 mins
Paper says that, by 2044, existing road treatments will prevent almost 3.2 million fatalities and serious injuries - helping to avoid scenes such as this (© Nebasin | Dreamstime.com)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says road traffic crashes cause 1.19 million deaths and millions more injuries every year.

But changes to road infrastructure and implementing safer vehicle speeds have prevented almost 700,000 deaths and serious injuries in 74 countries, according to a new report.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the US used the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) methodology to assess the success of road safety projects.

Statistical estimation of fatal and serious injuries saved by iRAP protocols in 74 countries modelled the year-by-year impact of the changes over the last eight years and estimates the likely impact of road improvements in 1,039 infrastructure projects - from England and Australia to India and Colombia - where the iRAP methodology and tools were used. It shows the application of the iRAP model will have prevented an estimated 699,768 deaths and serious injuries between January 2016 and the end of 2024.

Further, the paper projects that, by 2044, the existing road treatments will prevent almost 3.2 million fatalities and serious injuries, given the average effective lifespan of 20 years.

The iRAP Star Rating Methodology provides an objective measure of road safety levels built into the road for vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. It presents an evidence-based measure of the likelihood of a crash occurring and its severity. A 1-star-rated road is the least safe while a 5-star road is the safest.

Globally, road deaths and injuries have declined for the first time on record, according to the latest data from WHO, which identified improving standards of roads as an important factor. The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 set targets for most journeys to be made on 3-star or better roads by 2030 and all new roads to be built to those standards.

“The Safe System approach emphasises safe road infrastructure as an essential component of its framework, said Abdulgafoor Bachani, report co-author and director of Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. 

“Consequently, prioritising its integration into urban planning and development initiatives should become imperative in every city, country and region. We are optimistic that this study will serve to amplify the importance of safe infrastructure and inject renewed vigour into global road safety efforts.”

Enforcement Classification & Data Collection

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New York City sees reduction in pedestrian and cyclist fatalities
    July 21, 2017
    New York City has ended the first six months of 2017 with the fewest traffic fatalities ever measured, according to figures released by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Under the Vision Zero program, as of 30 June, the city had recorded 93 fatalities, the first time ever that fewer than 100 lives had been lost in such a period. The full fiscal year ending 30 June recorded 210 fatalities, 31 fewer than the prior fiscal year. The reductions come as the City is increasing traffic enforcement against dangerous violations
    Read More
  • Deadlines approach for Europe’s automatic crash alert system
    September 15, 2016
    The EU-co-funded I_ HeERO (Infrastructure_ Harmonised eCall European Pilot) project is working to ensure the readiness of national networks of call centres - known as public safety answering posts (PSAPs) - to deal with automated crash alerts arriving via the continent-wide 112 emergency phone number. Following on from its HeERO and HeERO2 pre-deployment predecessors, which enjoyed €16m (US$17.76m) in EU funding, the new initiative runs from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017. It has €30.9 million (US$34.
    Read More
  • Dignity should be key measure of MaaS success
    December 4, 2020
    Money isn’t everything: what if we made dignity into the key measure of success for MaaS? Crissy Ditmore sets out her vision statement for the industry’s developers
    Read More
  • Gearing up for the global electric vehicle revolution
    May 3, 2019
    As transport, communications and energy networks become inextricably linked, policy makers are recognising the implications for our built environment – and the growing electric vehicle market will have a major impact on the world’s infrastructure, says Rolton Group’s Chris Evans
    Read More

Highlighted Content