One of the major transport issues today is that of death on the road. In 2010, over 1.24 million people were killed in traffic accidents. That is an amount equal to the population of Bahrain. Of these 1.24 million people, the majority were young; in many countries, car accidents are the most common cause of death for the 18–24 age group. We look at the situations that lead to traffic accidents and propose some solutions to these problems, and suggest some of the most useful actions that can be taken to reduce deaths on the road.
Although there are many reasons for the high number of deaths on the road, 90% of accidents are caused by human error. This major cause includes activities such as speeding, not wearing a motorcycle helmet – which protects against head injuries – and not wearing a seat belt. Additionally, accidents can be caused by people not paying attention to other road users, being distracted by things such as mobile phones, and driving without care. Other causes of accidents can be the condition of the roads and of the cars on them. The number of cars in a country and the drivers’ attitude to road safety both have an effect on the number of people killed in road accidents. However, there are actions that can be taken to reduce the number of road deaths.
Most solutions to improve road safety are about changing the behaviour of drivers. One of the most obvious actions that can be taken is to introduce speed limits. People who go faster than the speed limit should be punished with a heavy financial penalty. In areas where road accidents are common, cameras can be put on the sides of the road to watch the speed of the traffic. Laws should be introduced to make it compulsory for all drivers and passengers to wear a seat belt, with financial penalties if they do not. In areas where people live, speed bumps, which encourage drivers to go slower, should be introduced. Finally, drivers should be made aware of the dangers of driving too fast or without care.
There is no doubt that road accidents are one of the major causes of death in the world today and it is an issue that affects all of us. Unless governments take action, more people will be killed on the roads. However, if everyone drove more slowly and carefully, fewer people would die.