Road safety continues to be a major concern of countries around the world. Initiatives to cut the number of road deaths and injuries are led by the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety which aims to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50 percent by 2030.
The UN global status report on road safety shows the alarming figures – approximately 1.19 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged five to 29 years. More than half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
A traffic accident changes the lives of many people, not only the victim. If the victim who is a breadwinner dies, the family deals with grief and the loss of a source of income. If the victim is injured, family members give up time from work to take care of an injured parent or sibling.
For victims who are at the peak of their careers, there is not only loss of income during the time of healing, but also the loss of a productive member of the team at the workplace. According to the UN report, road traffic crashes cost most countries three percent of their gross domestic product.
Every Nov. 17, the UN marks World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, a time to remember the stories of “that day” – when a traffic collision stopped or changed the course of victims’ lives forever.
“The day has become an important tool in global efforts to reduce road casualties. It offers an opportunity for drawing attention to the scale of emotional and economic devastation caused by road crashes and for giving recognition to the suffering of road crash victims and the work of support and rescue services,” the UN statement said.
“That Day aims to remember all people killed and seriously injured on the roads; acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services; draw attention to the generally trivial legal response to culpable road deaths and injuries; and advocate for better support for road traffic victims and victim families.”
One of the objectives that has become a major burden for those involved is the legal process of getting action for a victim – for medical treatment, damage to property, compensation for loss of income or sanction to the erring parties. This is where government can make a difference. Studying the processes of getting legal action faster to compensate the victims and their families will contribute to getting people back to being productive citizens.
Stricter implementation of traffic ordinances and laws is a major factor in keeping our roads safe. An example is the implementation of the Anti-Distracted Driving Law which prohibits the use of mobile gadgets while driving. Today, not only are gadgets used as navigation tools but also for communication. When a vehicle is moving unusually slow, or is swerving, the driver is most likely on the phone. Studies have shown that distracted driving causes accidents. Drivers using mobile phones are approximately four times more likely to be involved in a crash. It slows braking reaction time and reaction to traffic signals, a UN report said.
Each road user – the motorist and pedestrian – has a role to play to prevent road injuries or death. The stories of That Day will tell of how a road accident could have been prevented, if only one of the parties was more aware of the situation.