UAE among top 10 countries to cut road fatalities by 50%: Report

Road crashes continue to be a leading cause of death among younger, working-age populations, significantly impacting health and development

Nandini Sircar

Published: Mon 25 Nov 2024, 5:27 PM

Last updated: Mon 25 Nov 2024, 5:50 PM

The UAE is among ten countries worldwide that has achieved the target reduction of at least 50 per cent in road fatality rates. Other countries include Belarus, Brunei, Denmark, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Russia, Trinidad, Tobago and Venezuela.

However, UAE has the second highest death rate affecting younger populations. Road traffic injuries remain a significant public health problem in the region, with “second highest death rate among six WHO regions*”, experts at the launch of the Regional Road Safety Report in the Eastern Mediterranean Region in Abu Dhabi on Monday explained.

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In 2021, 1.19 million people lost their lives in road traffic accidents worldwide, equating to 15 deaths per 100,000 people. Road crashes continue to be a leading cause of death among younger, working-age populations, significantly impacting health and development.

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“The main findings of the report show that the region has the second highest death rate among all six WHO regions in terms of deaths due to road accidents per 100,000 population," Dr Hala Sakr, regional advisor for violence and injury prevention at WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, said.

"There has been some progress since the last report that shows the data in 2018. However, we are still ranking second, which means more is needed. We have a decade for road safety action for 2021-2030. The global target for this decade is to reduce road traffic deaths and serious injuries by at least 50 per cent by 2030, and the UAE is among ten countries across the globe that have achieved this target in terms of the number of deaths due to road traffic injuries. So, it has reduced the number of deaths and has reached the target already.”

Injuries and deaths is less than 45 years

She added, “The second important finding is that similar to the global trend, road traffic injuries continue to kill our younger generations. They are the hardest hit and bear the main brunt of road traffic deaths. The UAE has the second highest death rate, affecting younger populations less than 45 years of age. This is the productive population. This is a very serious problem from a public health and development perspective.”

“The male population bears almost 90 per cent of the burden of deaths through traffic injuries in our region. This disproportionate trend among men is similar to the global trend. However, this does not mean that the female population is not affected. The factors that underlie injuries and deaths are different from males and need to be taken into account in the case of women as well.”

Another important finding of the report highlighted that global traffic injuries remain a concern, not just in low—and middle-income countries and the Middle Eastern region but also in high-income countries.

“So, it continues to be a problem for all countries in the region regardless of their income level. It heavily impacts vulnerable road users like bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians, but also, there is a heavy burden borne by car drivers and occupants,” she added.

Experts emphasised that a “systems approach” is imperative to improve road safety. Different components contribute to the reduction of injuries and fatalities. “There are multiple factors from governance and coordination to working on safer vehicles, safer roads, safer road users, strengthening legislation, and enforcement and post-crash care, emergency care, rehabilitation and so on.” She reiterated that all these factors work together in the road safety system.

Technological advancements also play a seminal role in road safety. “So, the field is evolving. Different issues need to be addressed…due to the incoming factors that didn’t exist before.

“These include electric cars or using digitalisation in terms of monitoring, surveillance or enforcement of legislation. There are advancements in medicine and healthcare, which also need to be factored in,” added Sakr.

*WHO regions include the African Region (AFRO), the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO), the South-East Asia Region (SEARO), the Region of the Americas (AMRO), the Western Pacific Region (WPRO), and the European Region (EURO).

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