Skip to main content

Traffic accidents ‘number one worldwide cause of death among the young’

A new study released by the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) found that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for youths, regardless of a country’s economic well-being. Thirty-one percent of all traffic-related deaths in the world are youth and young adults aged between 15 and 29 years. This translates to more than 400,000 lives lost per year, which exceeds youth deaths caused by diseases, drug use, suicide, violence or war-related events. Whether a traffic-related death of a youth occurs i
October 31, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
A new study released by the 6027 Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) found that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for youths, regardless of a country’s economic well-being. Thirty-one percent of all traffic-related deaths in the world are youth and young adults aged between 15 and 29 years. This translates to more than 400,000 lives lost per year, which exceeds youth deaths caused by diseases, drug use, suicide, violence or war-related events.

Whether a traffic-related death of a youth occurs in a low-, middle- or high-income country plays an insignificant role. According to AZT, youth traffic deaths vary only slightly between 31.5 per cent in low-income countries, 32.0 per cent in middle-income countries and 28.5 per cent in high-income countries.

Every year, nearly 1.3 million people die due to traffic accidents, and more than 50 million are injured, making road safety a major global issue. Per 100,000 inhabitants, 18 lose their lives in traffic accidents. This places traffic-related deaths eighth on the list of leading causes of death, according to the latest Global Status Report on Road Safety from the 1819 World Health Organisation (WHO). Recent developments, however, suggest that it will become the world's fifth-leading cause of death in 2030 if no appropriate countermeasures against traffic accidents are taken.

Germany is in the top five for lowest death rates in EU, with a road death rate of 4.7 per 100,000 inhabitants. That places Germany fifth among the 28 EU member states in deaths resulting from traffic accidents. Sweden has the lowest rate in the EU with 3.0 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, while Greece has the highest at 12.2 deaths. The highest death rates globally are found in the Dominican Republic (41.7), Thailand (38.1) and Venezuela (37.2). In the United States, the death rate is 11.4.

The AZT takes such numbers and forecasts seriously in its efforts to further road safety measures.

“For more than 40 years, AZT has taken an active role in the development of traffic safety, and through research and prevention campaigns aims to make roads safer for all,” says Christoph Lauterwasser, director of the AZT. “Whether we are dealing with distracted driving, pedestrian and cyclist safety, the safety issues and standards surrounding assistant driving systems and automated driving, or how to properly secure cargo in the car, AZT experts have always made important contributions to the automotive industry, traffic regulations and all other aspects of traffic safety.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • The many benefits of Parson’s iNET
    August 25, 2022
    Parsons Intelligent NETworks (iNET) smart mobility platform is industry-leading software that cities, states, and municipalities use to improve the livability of their communities. As visitors to the company’s stand will learn, by applying state-of-the-art operational solutions, iNET helps improve the management, efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of transportation networks – whether freeway, highway, toll road, transit route, tunnel, or arterial road. 
  • Project EDWARD release figures for second European day without a road death
    September 26, 2017
    Initial finding from the second Project EDWARD (European Day Without A Road Death) on 21 September have revealed that 37 people lost their lives in 25 countries – five have yet to report. Of the fatalities reported so far, 10 were in Poland, six in Greece and six in Romania.
  • THINK! launches radio motor cycle safety campaign
    July 22, 2014
    A THINK! radio campaign has been launched to encourage drivers to take longer to look for motorcyclists after figures revealed that 30 bikers are killed or injured every day at junctions, Road Safety minister Robert Goodwill has announced. The ‘Didn’t See’ campaign will run for four weeks on national radio with the aim of reducing the number of motorcyclist and driver collisions on our roads. Research for THINK! has shown that drivers believe the majority of motorcycle accidents happen because of bike
  • Shailen Bhatt: 'We want to save lives with connectivity by accelerating V2X deployment'
    December 11, 2023
    US government money is available for Vehicle to Everything roll-outs. FHWA's Shailen Bhatt talks to Adam Hill about changing the narrative on road safety - and the importance of deploying technology at scale