National and international road safety experts agreed that speed is the main factor that not only aggravates all the other risks that affect a road accident, but also the consequences, such as loss of life, temporary and permanent injuries, and material damage.
The high number of deaths and injuries caused by accidents is unacceptable, said Ignacio Ibarra, regional advisor on Health Law of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), noting that four countries account for 72% of the total deaths that occurred in the Americas region, such as: the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia.
The Americas region had practically no percentage change in terms of road accident data reported in the GSRRS for 2023, he indicated.
In the region, 145,090 people died in 2021 in traffic accidents, which represents 12% of the deaths in the world, said Ignacio Ibarra, noting that in the last ten years only seven countries have shown progress in reducing deaths from accidents, but 19 have regressed, while in mortality rate 9 countries have advanced and 9 have regressed.
Although few, Mexico reports progress in deaths from road accidents
At the level of Latin American countries, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador and Paraguay have worsened their situation. On the other hand, Panama, Uruguay and Chile with slight advances, Argentina and Mexico are the countries with the greatest advances reported in the period 2010-2021
Pointing out that on average, for each death there are at least 28 injured people and at least 4.4 are serious injuries, Ignacio Ibarra highlighted the importance of countries moving towards safe and sustainable mobility models, from a comprehensive perspective, which includes: safe infrastructure, safe vehicles, use of road safety, post-accident response, vehicle technology, effective regulation and legislation to reduce speed, avoid the consumption of alcohol or other substances when driving, as well as the use of cell phones, among other measures.
Comfortable but unsafe! Electric bikes, an alternative for mobility, but outside the law
During the opening ceremony of the 1st Regional Meeting of the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, David Díaz, CEO of Aleatica, highlighted that the commitment of the Aleatica Foundation for Road Safety is to save lives and reduce serious injuries caused by traffic accidents.
Before authorities from the government of Mexico City, the Ministry of Communications and Transportation of the federal government, and representatives of international organizations and more than 60 civil associations from Mexico and 15 countries in the Americas region, David Díaz pointed out that traffic accidents constitute a global health emergency.
“Every year more than 1.3 million people lose their lives in road accidents. This means that every 25 seconds 1 person dies in the world. Additionally, 50 million more suffer injuries. In Latin America, the figures are alarming: the mortality rate due to road accidents amounts to 15 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants,” he said.
“If we compare these levels with the number of fatalities in the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy – the numbers are 3.2, 3.9 and 5.3 respectively – it means that the level of accidents in Latin America is three or four times higher than in Europe,” he added.
43 people die daily in Mexico due to road accidents
In the case of Mexico, he indicated that 43 lives are lost daily due to traffic accidents. “This means that every half hour, a Mexican family faces a tragedy. And these figures are not just statistics; they represent devastated people, families and communities.”
Motorcycle accidents increase by 39.6% in Edomex; Higher incidence in 10 municipalities
Additionally, he mentioned the alarming increase in mortality among vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists, who already represent more than 50% of road deaths in the region.
He also said that the economic impact of road accidents is devastating, with annual costs estimated at 4% of GDP in the region. “In Mexico, these costs are estimated at approximately 50 billion dollars, a figure very similar to the annual public spending on education,” he said.
Therefore, he stressed that this meeting represents a unique opportunity to deepen dialogue, share best practices and strengthen cooperation between governments, civil society and the private sector.
Highlighting the presence of the authorities, David Díaz stressed that their support is essential to create the necessary conditions to promote a lasting transformation in terms of safe mobility for all people.
Source: la-prensa
