1.3 Million People Die in a Car Accident Every Year

posted in: Car Crash 4

 

According to the World Health Organization, every year about 1.3 million people die globally in a car accident, and another 50 million people are injured on the world’s roads. A disproportionate 93% of all fatal car accident are in low and middle-income countries, which have only slightly more than half of the world’s vehicles. As the world’s population grows, particularly in emerging economies, challenges like road safety and mobility must be addressed to ensure people across the globe can lead safe, healthy, and prosperous lives.

3M has pledged support as a founding donor to a newly established United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund to combat the car accident rate. The company committed $US250,000 to the UN Road Safety Trust Fund which aims to accelerate progress in improving global road safety by bridging the gaps in the mobilization of resources for effective action at all levels.

The Fund will support concrete actions to reduce the car accident rate that are aligned with the five pillars of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety:

  • Strengthened road safety management capacities
  • Improved safety of road infrastructure and broader transport networks
  • Enhanced safety of vehicles
  • Improved behaviour of road users
  • Improved post-crash care

 

By working with leading global organizations, including the United Nations, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, and the International Road Federation, 3M says it hopes to improve road safety and realize zero fatalities through the deployment of advanced technologies – ie eliminate every car accident.  Good luck with that 3M – it’s a noble goal though probably a little aspirational – even Tesla can’t stop it’s ultra high-tech fully-autonomous cars having accidents including some very high profile fatalities. See more at https://www.nationalcollisionrepairer.com.au/us-consumers-union-calls-on-tesla-to-improve-autopilot-safety/?utm_source=The+National+Collision+Repairer+E-Newsletter&utm_campaign=ca04966d2a-E_NEWSLETTER_CAMPAIGN_2018_4_24&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_01bfeaeb33-ca04966d2a-169236685&ct=t(E_NEWSLETTER_CAMPAIGN_24_4_2018)&mc_cid=ca04966d2a&mc_eid=3d2fb294a1

We suspect there will always be a need for quality panelbeaters, and for Crash Management – especially on Auckland roads!

4 Responses

  1. Tui
    | Reply

    Terrible statistics from a health & safety point of view but thanks for keeping the spotlight on the problem. New Zealand has little to be proud about in this area with about 300 car accident fatalities again last year. This week has been a shocker with fatal crashes in the media almost every day, most involving criminal behaviour like excessive speeding and stolen cars. Employers need to be more aware of these road hazards and the possible affects on their staff. Its also good to see SafeGuard magazine’s coverage of the driving hazard over the past year or so . I think a significant culture change is needed for kiwi drivers and employers to recognise vehicle use as a health and safety issue, and H&S professionals must take the lead on this.

  2. Reg
    | Reply

    To right Tui. We don’t want anyone getting hurt. Nothing wrong with the smaller car accident claims though got to have some work to keep the panelbeaters busy!

    • Mike
      | Reply

      No one wants to drive good quality panel & paint shops out of business Reg but its hard to argue that reducing car accidents is not a positive. Our road statistics are bad and this also shows in our loss ratios. Autonomous cars may not quite be here yet but will be soon and will have a beneficial affect for everyone including insurers and customers.

  3. Tui Kane
    | Reply

    Are we not learning anything Kiwis? More bad news in the Herald this morning re the road toll with 159 dead on our roads already this year, and many of those will be professional drivers and company cars and trucks. Is it time to change the way we think about ‘accidents’? Car crashes are not accidents they happen for a reason including recklessness, carelessness etc. Cars don’t have ‘accidents’ people do. This behaviour has to stop and the Health & Safety sector needs to face up to the problem!

    Here’s the grim news from the Herald today https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12059517

    Five people have died and multiple others have been injured in crashes on New Zealand roads this weekend. The fatalities take the road toll to 159 – well ahead of 146 at the same time last year. A cyclist was killed in a collision with a vehicle on Washdyke Flat Rd, Timaru, about 2.30pm yesterday. This incident follows four other crashes in the North Island, the most recent of which claimed a life in Puwera, south of Whangārei this morning. The collision between two vehicles occurred on State Highway 1 at about 3am. The driver, the sole occupant, of one car died at the scene. Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter respond to a two-car crash in Maungatawhiri. Photo / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust. There were eight people in the other vehicle, five of whom received serious to moderate injuries, and were taken to hospital by ambulance. Three other occupants had minor injuries, and were taken to hospital for medical assessment.
    This came after a shocking Saturday afternoon of fatal crashes in Auckland and Waikato. One person died in a two-vehicle collision in Māngere East, at the intersection of Massey and Bucklands Rds, about 6pm. A member of the public at the scene told the Herald that one car was on its roof on Massey Rd and the other car was in the middle of the intersection.
    About an hour and a half earlier, another person died after a two-vehicle collision on Mangatawhiri Rd. Another person, a female, was injured in the crash and transported in a moderate condition to Middlemore Hospital. Intensive care paramedic Chris Deacon described the scene when they arrived. “It appears that it was a head-on collision on an open road,” he said. “One vehicle had left the road and was upturned. Its occupant unfortunately died despite emergency services attempts to save them.” He said local fire crew did an excellent job trying to revive them but were unsuccessful.
    One person was also killed after a two-car crash in Karaka, Auckland, on Friday night. Police were called to the crash on Karaka Rd, near Whangapouri and Blackbridge Rds, about 6.15pm. One person died at the scene.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *