The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Drinking and driving increases both the risk of a crash and the likelihood that death or serious injury will result.The risk of being involved in a crash increases significantly above a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04 g/dl.
Motorcycle helmets
Wearing a motorcycle helmet correctly can reduce the risk of death by almost 40% and the risk of severe injury by over 70%.When motorcycle helmet laws are enforced effectively, helmet wearing rates can increase to over 90%.
Seat-belts and child restraints
Wearing a seat-belt reduces the risk of a fatality among front-seat passengers by 40–50% and of rear-seat passengers by between 25–75%.Mandatory seat-belt laws and their enforcement have been shown to be very effective at increasing seat-belt wearing rates.If correctly installed and used, child restraints reduce deaths among infants by approximately 70% and deaths among small children by between 54% and 80%.
Distracted driving (SMS driving)
There are many types of distractions that can lead to impaired driving, but recently there has been a marked increase around the world in the use of mobile phones by drivers that is becoming a growing concern for road safety. Text messaging also results in considerably reduced driving performance, with young drivers at particular risk of the effects of distraction resulting from this use.
Cost of the accidents
WHO estimates car crashes cost the global economy up to $500 billion annually. Without action, road traffic crashes are predicted to rise to become the 7th leading cause of death by 2030.Road traffic injuries cause considerable economic losses to victims, their families, and to nations as a whole. These losses arise from the cost of treatment (including rehabilitation and incident investigation) as well as reduced/lost productivity (e.g. in wages) for those killed or disabled by their injuries, and for family members who need to take time off work (or school) to care for the injured.
According to WHO, the newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’s has set an ambitious road safety target of halving the global number of deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes by 2020.
“Road traffic fatalities take an unacceptable toll – particularly on poor people in poor countries,” says Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO at the launch of the 2015 Road Safety report. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE (Click here)
Countries that have had the most success in reducing the number of road traffic deaths have achieved this by improving legislation, enforcement, and making roads and vehicles safer.“We’re moving in the right direction,” adds Dr Chan. “The report shows that road safety strategies are saving lives. But it also tells us that the pace of change is too slow.”
Bloomberg leads action to improve situation
According to Michael R. Bloomberg, “Without action, road traffic crashes will become the seventh leading cause of death by 2030.”
“We can prevent millions of road traffic fatalities and injuries through stronger laws, more effective enforcement and better infrastructure,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New York City.“Road traffic deaths will become increasingly common in the years ahead, unless we take decisive action now to prevent them.”
Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety has dedicated $250 million over 12 years to implement interventions. WHO are partnering with Bloomberg Initiative to improve Global Road Safety 2015 – 2019.
Five countries have been selected to receive technical support to review and strengthen road safety legislation include China, India, Philippines, Thailand and Tanzania.
Ten cities have also been identified, in which proven road safety interventions will be implemented. They are Accra, Ghana; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Bandung, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Bogota, Colombia; Fortaleza, Brazil; Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam; Mumbai, India; Sao Paolo, Brazil; and Shanghai, China.
The selected cities will receive Senior-level, full-time staff to work within city governments on their road safety initiatives for up to 5 years. They will also receive comprehensive technical assistance from the world’s leading road safety organizations, training for police officers and other relevant city staff plus support to create hard-hitting mass media campaigns.
Success stories
“For example, in an unprecedented shift, China instituted stronger penalties for drinking and driving in 2011, and in 2013, Vietnam penalties were established for motorcyclists wearing helmets that failed to meet safety standards,” said a report from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“Similarly, in Cambodia, a strong road safety bill was passed in January 2015. Part of the law now requires all motorcyclists, including drivers and passengers, wear a helmet. Additionally, the interventions have had a notable impact on the ground. In Ivanovo, Russia, in 2014 88% of car riders wear seatbelts, a sharp contrast to 2011, when less than half wore life-saving seat-belts.”
