""This 2019 edition of the Regional Road Safety report presents the latest available data covering a range of road safety issues. Key data from WHO's global report informs the comprehensive survey results gathered from 30 of the 35 countries of the Americas. The results indicate that current trends will prohibit the Region from meeting the SDG target to halve the number of road deaths. To reduce road traffic injuries and meet the global goals, road safety must be prioritized as a key policy issue in each country of the Americas, as road traffic deaths in the Region account for 11% of global ro.

The Global status report on road safety 2023 shows that the number of annual road traffic deaths has fallen slightly to 1.19 million. The report shows that efforts to improve road safety are having an impact, and that significant reductions in road traffic deaths can be made if proven measures are applied. Despite this, the price paid for mobility remains too high. Road traffic injuries remain the leading killer of children and young people aged 5-29 years. More than half of fatalities occur among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, in particular those living in low and middle-income countries. Urgent action is needed if the global goal of at least halving road traffic deaths and injuries by the year 2030 is to be achieved.

"The Global status report on road safety 2015, reflecting information from 180 countries, indicates that worldwide the total number of road traffic deaths has plateaued at 1.25 million per year, with the highest road traffic fatality rates in low-income countries. In the last three years, 17 countries have aligned at least one of their laws with best practice on seat-belts, drink-driving, speed, motorcycle helmets or child restraints. While there has been progress towards improving road safety legislation and in making vehicles safer, the report shows that the pace of change is too slow. Urgent action is needed to achieve the ambitious target for road safety reflected in the newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: halving the global number of deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes by 2020. Made possible through funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, this report is the third in the series, and provides a snapshot of the road safety situation globally, highlighting the gaps and the measures needed to best drive progress."--Publisher's description.

The Inter-American Development Bank assigns high priority to this problem and consequently has launched its road safety strategy which aspires to minimize human, social and economic losses resulting from inadequate road safety practices. The strategy is directed at providing support to member countries in the development and execution of plans and actions that strengthen road safety. The Bank is promoting initiatives that encourage coordinated policies and programs that incentivize the participation of all sectors, to prevent and reduce road fatalities and injuries within the region.

Approximately 1.3 million people die each year on the world's roads, and between 20 and 50 million sustain non-fatal injuries. The Global status report on road safety is the first broad assessment of the road safety situation in 178 countries, using data drawn from a standardized survey. The results show that road traffic injuries remain an important public health problem, particularly for low-income and middle-income countries. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists make up almost half of those killed on the roads, highlighting the need for these road users to be given more attention in road safety programmes. The results suggest that in many countries road safety laws need to be made more comprehensive while enforcement should be strengthened. The Global status report on road safety results clearly show that significantly more action is needed to make the world's roads safer. [Ed.]

This report provides legislation data last updated in 2011 and fatality data updated for 2010.