A road traffic injury is a fatal or non-fatal injury incurred as a result of a collision on a public road involving at least one moving vehicle. In 2013, an estimated 122 695 people died from road traffic injuries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, constituting approximately 9.79% of the world’s estimated deaths.
The road traffic fatality rate in the Region has decreased from 21.3 to 19.9 per 100 000 population between 2010 and 2013. Yet with this rate, the Region still ranks second in terms of the highest road traffic fatality rates in the world, after the African Region (26.6 per 100 000 population).
The Region is the only region where high-income countries have an overall road traffic death rate that is higher than that of the less affluent countries (22.4 compared to 19. 8 and 18.02 per 100 000 population in middle- and low-income countries, respectively) and is more than double the average global rate of high-income countries.
The road traffic death rate in the Region is highest among men in the age group between 15 and 29 years, and disproportionately affects the vulnerable road users as they account for 41% of the regional deaths.
Related links
Fact sheet on road traffic injuries
Infographics on global road safety 2015
Injuries, Traffic health topic page
Publications
Regional publications
Global publications
Full list of road traffic injury publications and resources
Data/statistics
Death on the roads: a data visualization of the Global status report on road safety 2015
The Region's country profiles from the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015
The Region's country profiles from the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013
Regional data and analysis on road safety 2013
Global Health Observatory data on road safety
Declarations and conventions
Brasilia Declaration (2015)
Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020: Saving millions of lives (2011)
Moscow Declaration (2009)
Resolutions
WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean resolutions
Road Traffic Injuries: a growing public health concern, EM/RC56/R.7 -Resolution of WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, 56th session, October 2009 [pdf 17.6Kb]
World Health Assembly resolutions
Road safety and health, WHA57.10 - Resolution of the World Health Assembly, 57th session, 22 May 2004 [pdf 23Kb]
Prevention of road traffic accidents, EB57.R30 - Resolution of the Executive Board of the WHO, 57th Session, 30 January 1976 [pdf 54Kb]
Prevention of road traffic accidents, WHA27.59 - Resolution of the World Health Assembly, 27th session, 23 May 1974 [pdf 24Kb]
Prevention of traffic accidents, EB43.R22 - Resolution of the Executive Board of the WHO, 43rd Session, 28 February 1969 [pdf 55Kb]
Prevention of traffic accidents, WHA19.36 - Resolution of the World Health Assembly, 19th session, 20 May 1966 [pdf 19Kb]
UN General Assembly resolutions
Improving global road safety, A/RES/64/255 - Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, 64th session, 10 May 2010 [pdf 122Kb]
Improving global road safety, A/RES/62/244 - Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, 62nd session, 31 March 2008 [pdf 36Kb]
Improving global road safety, A/60/5 - Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, 60th session, 1 December 2005 [pdf 113Kb]
Improving global road safety, A/RES/58/289 - Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, 58th session, 11 May 2004 [pdf 26Kb]
Global road safety crisis - Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, 58th session, 19 November 2003
UN Secretary-General's reports
Improving global road safety, A/66/389 - Report for the United Nations General Assembly, 66th session, 30 September 2011 [pdf 110Kb]
Improving global road safety, A/RES/64/266 - Report for the United Nations General Assembly, 64th session, 15 September 2009 [pdf 84Kb]
Improving global road safety, A/RES/A/62/257 - Report for the United Nations General Assembly, 62nd session, 14 August 2007 [pdf 68Kb]
