Preventing road traffic injury: a public health ...

1 Preventing road traffic injury :A public health PERSPECTIVE FOR EUROPE Francesca RacioppiLars ErikssonClaes TingvallAndres VillavecesWorld health OrganizationRegional Office for EuropeScherfigsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen , DenmarkTel.: +45 39 17 17 17 Fax: +45 39 17 18 18E-mail: site: 92 890 1093 2 Preventing road traffic injury : A public health PERSPECTIVE FOR EUROPEF rancesca RacioppiAccidents, Transport and HealthEuropean Centre for Environment and HealthRome Operational DivisionWHO Regional Office for EuropeLars ErikssonAdvisory Aid Service LimitedBorl nge, SwedenClaes TingvallSwedish National road Administration (SNRA)Borl nge, SwedenAndres VillavecesConsultant in public health and EpidemiologyGeneva, SwitzerlandPREVENTING road traffic injury .

2 A public health PERSPECTIVE FOR EUROPERoad traffic injuries in the WHO European Regionrepresent a major public health problem. About 127thousand people are killed and about million injuredevery year. The cost of road traffic injuries to society is anestimated 2% of a country s gross domestic one third of the victims are aged 15 29 , effective preventive strategies exist and needto be applied through multisectoral approaches, and thehealth sector has a unique role to play. This publicationhas been prepared for World health Day 2004 to raiseawareness among the general public and enhancecommitment among policy-makers to take immediateaction towards Preventing road traffic injury .

3 Thepublication builds on and complements the World reporton road traffic injury prevention, analysing in depth theburden of disease from road traffic injury in the EuropeanRegion, framing the issue in the context of sustainablemobility, presenting a comprehensive systems approach toroad safety based on successful experiences developed bysome Member States in the Region and highlightingopportunities for the health sector to play a broader publication calls for a multisectoral and evidence-based approach to Preventing road traffic injuries, withpublic health playing an important role, emphasizes theimportance of a strong political commitment at all levelsof government and makes recommendations for action.

4 By e-mail (for copies of (for permission to reproduce (for permission to translate them) by postPublicationsWHO Regional Office for EuropeScherfigsvej 8DK-2100 Copenhagen , DenmarkKeywordsACCIDENTS, traffic - mortality - prevention and controlWOUNDS AND INJURIES - prevention and controlTRANSPORTATIONSUSTAINABILITYSAFET Y - standardsPOLICY MAKINGINTERSECTORAL COOPERATIONEUROPE World health Organization 2004 All rights reserved. The Regional Office for Europe of the World health Organization welcomes requests for permission to reproduce or trans-late its publications, in part or in full. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever onthe part of the World health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerningthe delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.))

5 Where the designation country or area appears in the headings of tables, it covers countries,territories, cities, or areas. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the WorldHealth Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of propri-etary products are distinguished by initial capital World health Organization does not warrant that the information contained in this publication is complete and correct and shall not beliable for any damages incurred as a result of its use.

6 The views expressed by authors or editors do not necessarily represent the decisions orthe stated policy of the World health Credits Cover: Left: European Commission Audiovisual Library,Centre: C. Piza LopezRight: V. Shkarubo, WHO/EuropeText editing: David J BreuerDesign and layout: Emilio Dotto EDB&RDBA ddress requests about publications of the WHO Regional Office to:ContentsForewordAcknowledgementsCHAPT ER 1 IntroductionCHAPTER 2 road safety in Europe in the context of sustainabletransportCHAPTER 3 New thinking on road safety in EuropeCHAPTER 4A broader perspective on road safety in EuropeCHAPTER 5 From knowing what is effective to making it work: atoolkit for road safetyCHAPTER 6 The health sector and road safety in Europe.

7 Embracing a broader roleCHAPTER 7 Conclusions, research needs and recommendationsANNEX 1 Overview of highly effective measures for road safetyfrom the recommendations of the World report onroad traffic injury preventionANNEX 2 Statistical information569112733395969777945 road traffic injuries in the European Region are amajor public health issue, claiming about 127thousand lives per year. This is equivalent to theentire population of Grenoble, France; Perugia,Italy; or Norilsk, Russian to this intolerably high number of lives lost,about million people per year are injured in roadtraffic crashes. As a result, our societies bear a hugecost that is estimated to be about 2% of grossdomestic product in several countries.

8 road trafficinjuries are the leading cause of death among youngpeople in the Region and are predicted to increase incountries with low or medium income as theybecome more highly fact that effective preventive strategies do existmakes this situation all the more unacceptable. Thesuccess of some Member States in reducing the tollof deaths and injuries on their roads clearlydemonstrates that strong political commitment andcomprehensive measures provide substantialbenefits in health gains for the resources can be learned from these experiences andinnovative approaches and be reapplied and adaptedto various situations across the traffic injuries pose a global threat to healthand the development of societies.

9 The dedication ofWorld health Day 2004 to the theme of road safetyis an opportunity to be reminded of this and tobecome aware of the burden of disease on ourcommunities and of the existence of successfulapproaches and policies to tackle the health Day also provides an opportunity forthe health sector to rethink its role andresponsibilities and to become a more active playerand partner of other sectors involved, such astransport, finance, the judiciary and publication has been developed for the purposeof building on and complementing theWorld reporton road traffic injury preventionWHO and theWorld Bank launched for World health Day aim is to provide the European public healthsector, policy-makers across different sectors andlevels of government, decision-makers in the privatesector and other readers with an in-depth analysis ofthe situation in the European Region, so that therecommendations and strategies advocated in theWorld report on road traffic injury preventioncanbe framed in the context of this Region and adaptedto its specific political.

10 Economic and socialconditions. This publication also explores thesynergy that can be obtained by linking road safetyto other political processes underway in the Regionaiming at attaining healthier and more sustainablepatterns of transport, such as the implementation ofthe Transport, health and Environment Pan-European hope that this publication can contribute toraising awareness about the importance of roadtraffic injuries from a public health viewpoint andabout the still largely untapped opportunities to actto reduce the burden of death and injury to oursocieties and the distinctive role the health sectorcan play in this. We also hope that this publicationcan stimulate a broad debate at the regional andnational levels on how multisectoral and evidence-based approaches can be used to improve roadsafety.