The World Health Organization has published a study that found traffic accidents were the 10th-leading cause of death in the world in 2004 — and were growing at a rate that would place road deaths 5th by 2030.
But that's not even the surprising part.
Pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycle riders accounted for 46 percent of all worldwide traffic deaths. Most of these deaths occur in low- and moderate-income countries, where automobile registrations are much lower than in developed countries, but the rate of deaths as a percent of the population is higher. Low-income countries, including most of sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, have only 9 percent of the world's cars but almost 42 percent of the traffic deaths.
In the U.S. [Download PDF], 24 percent of deaths involve vulnerable road users — 2 percent of fatalities involve cyclists; pedestrians and riders of 2- and 3-wheel motorized vehicles account for 11 percent each. In Thailand [Download PDF], the figure is 81 percent — cyclist fatalities are 3 percent, but the 2- and 3-wheel motorized vehicles account for 70 percent of road deaths. That's about equal with the proportion of registered motor vehicles of that type (63 percent).
In the U.S., 32 percent of road traffic deaths involve alcohol; in Thailand, only 4 percent.
I haven't studied the data enough to have any brilliant insights here. But it looks like one factor in the differences between high-income and low-income countries could be the "nanny state" — which provides has stringent safety and licensing laws, greater enforcement, safer public transportation, better infrastructure and quality emergency care.
