Road traffic injuries : Facts

in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Almost 10%
of global road traffic deaths in 2013
4 out of 5
road deaths are
were in the Region
among men

st

A leading cause of death among

those aged 15-29 years
,
85% of the Region s road traffic deaths High-income countries in the Region have a road
occur in middle-income countries traffic fatality rate that is more than double the
average rate of high-income countries globally
6%
Eastern
9% Africa
25 Mediterranean
20
15 Western
Americas
Europe Pacific World
High-income 10
Middle-income 5
85% 22.9 10.3 22.4 8.3 7.0 9.2
Low-income 0
Deaths
Road traffic fatality rates per 100 000 population
Road traffic deaths by country income status in high-income countries

The Region has the second highest road traffic fatality

rate in the world, after the African Region

9.3
Europe
3%
19.9 11%
15.9 Eastern Mediterranean 17.0 27%

41%
WHO-EM/HLP/101/E

Americas South East Asia

26.6
Africa 17.3 of all road traffic deaths are
among vulnerable road users:
Western Pacific
pedestrians, motorcyclists and
Road traffic fatality per 100 000 population cyclists

Source: Global status report on road safety 2015

www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/en/
Speed: Facts
from the Eastern Mediterranean Region
A 5 % cut in average When motorized traffic
speed can result in a mixes with pedestrians
and cyclists, the speed

30%
reduction in the
limit should be under
30 km/hour

number of fatal
5% crashes

30km/h

6
have implemented an
urban speed limit of
50 km/h or less and
allow local authorities
to reduce these limits
countries

Only 19% of countries rate

enforcement of speed laws as good

19%
Djibouti
Lebanon
Somalia
WHO-EM/HLP/102/E

Sudan
Tunisia
West Bank and Gaza Strip

Countries with a national urban speed limit of ≤ 50km/h that can be modified locally

Percentages are calculated based on the 21 countries of the Region that participated in the survey for the Global status report on road safety 2015

Source: Global status report on road safety 2015

www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/en/
Motorcycle helmets: Facts
from the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Wearing a motorcycle helmet correctly can result in

reduction in reduction in risk
risk of death of severe injuries

Most motorcycle
deaths are a

3
result of head
injuries
countries have
a good helmet
law covering:

all users
all roads and engine types
requirement for helmet to
be fastened
helmet standards

Only about 24% of countries rate

enforcement of helmet laws as
good

Lebanon
24%
WHO-EM/HLP/103/E

Morocco
West Bank and Gaza Strip

Countries with a national law in line with best practice

Percentages are calculated based on the 21 countries of the Region that participated in the survey for the Global status report on road safety 2015

Source: Global status report on road safety 2015

www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/en/
Seat-belts: Facts
from the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Wearing a seat-belt reduces the risk of a fatal injury by:

Up to Up to

50% 75%
for front seat for rear seat
occupants occupants

Seat-belt laws should cover both This covers

front and rear seat occupants
126 million

7
countries have comprehensive seat-belt
people
laws covering all car occupants

Only 19% of countries rate

enforcement of their seat belt
law as good

Djibouti
Islamic Republic of Iran
Lebanon 19%
Libya
WHO-EM/HLP/104/E

Oman
Saudi Arabia
West Bank and Gaza Strip

Countries with a national seat-belt law covering all car-occupants

Percentages are calculated based on the 21 countries of the Region that participated in the survey for the Global status report on road safety 2015

Source: Global status report on road safety 2015

www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/en/
Drink–driving: Facts
from the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Drinking alcohol and driving increases
the risk of a road traffic crash
Above a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 g/dl,
the risk of road traffic crash increases dramatically
Drink–driving laws should
be based on a BAC limit of
Road crash risk
no more than:

0.05 g/dl
0.05 0.1 for the general population

0.02 g/dl

3
Blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) g/dl for young or novice drivers

Strictly enforcing a drink–driving law can

reduce the number of road deaths by 20%

countries have a drink–driving

law in line with best practice

Only 29% of countries report

enforcement of their drink–
driving laws as good

29%
WHO-EM/HLP/105/E

Lebanon
Morocco
United Arab Emirates

Countries with a national drink–driving law in line with best practice

Percentages are calculated based on the 21 countries of the Region that participated in the survey for the Global status report on road safety 2015

Source: Global status report on road safety 2015

www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/en/
Child restraints: Facts
from the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Childhood restraints reduce the likelihood of a fatal crash by

Approximately Between

70% 54% and 80%

among infants among young children

1
country has a
child restraint
law that:

is based on age, This covers

weight, height
4.8 million
people
restricts children
from sitting in the
front seat

None of the countries report

good enforcement of child
restraint laws
WHO-EM/HLP/106/E

Lebanon

Countries with a national child restraint law in line with best practice

Percentages are calculated based on the 21 countries of the Region that participated in the survey for the Global status report on road safety 2015

Source: Global status report on road safety 2015

www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/en/