The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that every year, there are 1.25 million people who lose their lives to car crashes, with an average of 3,287 deaths every single day.
The statistics also show that around 20-50 million people have been injured or disabled due to road accidents. Personal injury attorneys Virginia Beach are aware that road crashes are among the major cause of deaths for people aged 15-29 and the second global cause of deaths among young people aged 5-14 years old.
Road accidents have become a major global concern
Road crashes and incidents have become a major health problem not only in the United States but throughout the rest of the world. Road crash disabilities and casualties have become a global epidemic that is currently recognized as a global health issue that needs to be addressed.
The first major step to ensure awareness of this growing problem on road safety is to be updated about the latest statistics and figures related to road accidents. This, in turn, is valuable in developing effective road safety intervention programs and strategies to be able to reduce further accidents and save lives in the process.
Road safety in the United States
According to a personal injury attorney Virginia Beach VA, there are more than 37,000 casualties as a result of road crashes each year, with an additional 2.35 million people who are injured or disabled.
One of the disturbing realities of these incidents involve children, where no less than 1,600 kids aged 15 years and below die from car crashes each year and nearly 8,000 drivers aged 16-20 get killed.
The economic impact of such incidents is so great, which costs no less than $230.6 billion every year and is also the highest cause of death every year for American citizens traveling abroad.
Personal injury attorneys Virginia Beach emphasize that road safety is a shared responsibility for everyone. Reducing these dangerous risks on the world’s road traffic systems demand strong commitment and smart decision-making actions from governments, industry partners, non-government organizations, and other international stakeholders and partners.
Preventable and predictable
In reality, road crashes are mostly predictable and preventable.
A lot of countries that resolved to address road safety issues have seen the effects of informed and smart actions from all stakeholders in greatly reducing car crashes and fatalities in their territories.
Laws have been passed regulating and strictly enforcing speed limits, driving under the influence, seat belt use, safety helmets, and child restraints.
Vehicles are strictly made more visible and protective for both occupants, approaching traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians. Requiring the use of daytime lights, high-mounted brake lights, as well as installing reflective materials on non-motorized forms of transport, such as cycles, rickshaws, carts, etc. have significantly reduced road crashes and accidents.
These also include removing road obstructions, regular monitoring, and maintenance of road networks.
With these actions and measures in place, the issue of road safety may soon become less of a problem throughout the world.