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

  • Australia has lowest road deaths since 1946
    April 18, 2012
    In 2011, Australia registered 1,292 road deaths, which is the lowest road toll since 1946. In the same year, for crash protection, 72 per cent of cars tested under the Australian New Car Assessment Programme have been rated five stars. In 2004, the top score was only earned by 14 per cent of the cars tested under the programme. Mahindra car, which is made in India, has earned a 'marginal' rating of three stars. Of any Australian-made vehicles, the latest sedan of Toyota Aurion, which will be available in Ma
  • New legal basis brings EU wide cross border enforcement
    February 25, 2015
    Pan-EU enforcement is set to become a reality after legislation is revised. In May 2014 the European Court of Justice ruled that European Directive 2011/82/EU, which came into force in November 2013 to facilitate the exchange of information between member states in relation to eight road traffic offences, had been set up on an incorrect legal basis. The regulations had been introduced under police cooperation rules on the prevention of crime, but the Court decided that the measures in the Directive do not c
  • Traffic congestion rise in Europe a ‘sign of economic recovery’
    March 4, 2014
    A new report from leading traffic information and driver services provider Inrix shows traffic congestion in Europe rose in 2013 for the first time in two years. According to the 2013 annual Inrix Traffic Scorecard, traffic congestion across Europe increased approximately six per cent in the last three quarters of the year. The amount of time British drivers spent in traffic throughout the year has risen slightly, from 29 hours in 2012 to 30 hours in 2013. This puts the UK in sixth place in Europe, behi
  • Safe-driver training reduces costs, increases safety
    February 3, 2012
    Hermes, one of Europe's leading home delivery specialists, and part of the Otto group's European logistics division, estimates that introducing a range of safe-driving measures in its UK operations have contributed to a US$1.5 million cost saving to the business in the 12 months to April 2010.