A new study published in The Lancet Public Health found that global rates of road traffic injuries and fatalities have declined by more than 30 percent since 1990, reflecting decades of progress in vehicle safety, roadway design, emergency medical care, and traffic safety policies. Despite these gains, more than 1.1 million people still die in roadway crashes each year, and improvements have been uneven across the world. While many high income countries have achieved significant reductions in traffic fatalities, pedestrian and vehicle occupant deaths increased during the study period in a small number of countries, including the United States, although recent data indicates U.S. fatalities have begun to decline again following a pandemic era surge.

The study also highlights the persistent disparity facing lower income nations, where approximately 90 percent of the world’s road traffic deaths occur despite lower levels of vehicle ownership. Researchers point to limited roadway infrastructure, weaker enforcement of traffic safety laws, slower adoption of proven vehicle safety technologies, and rapidly growing urban populations as major contributors to these higher fatality rates. The findings were released alongside a United Nations high level meeting on global road safety and reinforce the need for continued investment in evidence based strategies that improve infrastructure, strengthen policy, and protect vulnerable road users around the world.

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