The crash helmet deficit in Thailand is just one element in a wider crisis. Economic growth in developing countries has seen the use of cars and motorcycles spiral. On one estimate, the global vehicle fleet will double by 2030, putting another one billion vehicles on the road. Billions of dollars are being pumped into new roads. Transport policy success is measured increasingly in terms of speed and metal roads, rather than through what really counts — the safety of road users and the quality of life.