Automobiles belong to no country. Since the birth of the car, virtually every nation on the planet has embraced the open road as a means of connecting their far-flung lands. But just because so many countries have taken to the road, that doesn’t mean that their safety statistics will turn out the same. As a motor vehicle accident lawyer knows, things like road maintenance and infrastructure, legislation, and culture can all impact automobile safety. And any motor vehicle accident lawyer should also know that Canadian drivers fare quite well compared to global averages.
International Road Safety: General Information
The World Health Organization (WHO) collects data from various countries on automobile collisions. According to their statistics, there were 1.24 million automobile accident deaths in 2010 (the most recent year for aggregate data). This adds up to about one motor vehicle accident fatality every twenty-five seconds. As far as national policy is concerned, the WHO identified five key factors for road safety: speed, drinking and driving, helmets, seat belts, and child restraints. They found that only 28 of the countries for which data is available have adequate laws for each of these factors. Furthermore, less than 35 percent of non-high-income countries have laws in place to protect pedestrians and cyclists.
International Road Safety Statistics
Naturally, the WHO has amassed a wealth of data on road fatalities in order to buttress the above findings. Here are some of the most notable pieces of information:
- Highest Total Fatalities
- China and India share by far the largest proportion of total motor vehicle accident fatalities, at 275,983 (in 2010) and 238,562 (in 2013) respectively.
- Beyond those two countries, the numbers drop significantly, to about 53,000 for Nigeria, and 45,000 for Brazil and Indonesia.
- The US had the sixth highest total number of fatalities, with 36,166 in 2012.
- Highest Road Fatalities per 100,000 Inhabitants
- Though China and India had by far the highest total fatalities, their massive populations are the primary factor behind those numbers; both countries sit close to the global average for fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, at about 20 and 18, respectively.
- Eritrea has the highest figure, at a staggering 48.4, followed the Dominican Republic and Libya, both at approximately 40.
- Nigeria is notable in that the country averages near the top of total fatalities while also coming out sixth in fatalities per 100,000, at 33.7.
Canada’s Ranking
Canada falls far below the international average for fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants (which is approximately 18), at precisely 6 in 2011. We even rank below the average of 8.2 for high-income countries—of which Canada is a part. However, there remains room for improvement. Of the G8 countries, Canada only ranks above the US and Russia (though we are virtually tied with Italy). Further, we experience somewhere in the range of 2,100 motor vehicle fatalities per year. If you’ve been in a serious car accident, a motor vehicle accident lawyer can help you through the process, giving you the help you need and helping you to secure the compensation you deserve. Call a Toronto personal injury lawyer for a free consultation today.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate