Skip to main content

2012 was record road death low in most OECD-IRTAD countries, says report

The year 2012 is said to have seen the lowest road deaths on record within most OECD (Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development) and IRTAD (International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group) countries. However, the IRTAD Annual Road Safety Report 2013, published yesterday by the International Transport Forum at the OECD, also claims road safety performance in terms of fatalities per 100,000 of population varies considerably among OECD-IRTAD countries. The difference between the best and the w
May 23, 2013 Read time: 3 mins
The year 2012 is said to have seen the lowest road deaths on record within most OECD (Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development) and 3444 IRTAD (International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group) countries.

However, the IRTAD Annual Road Safety Report 2013, published yesterday by the 1102 International Transport Forum at the OECD, also claims road safety performance in terms of fatalities per 100,000 of population varies considerably among OECD-IRTAD countries. The difference between the best and the worst road safety performers is said to be three-fold.

The disparity is said by the IRTAD report to reflect the divide between developed countries with effective road safety policies and emerging economies facing rapid motorisation that outpaces the implementation of safety measures.

The bulk of reductions in fatalities is said to have benefitted car occupants. Largely due to increased passive safety features of cars, deaths among car passengers have halved in the past decade.

Results have been less positive for vulnerable road users. Between 2000 and 2010, in OECD-IRTAD countries pedestrian and cyclist deaths fell by only one third, and those of moped and motorcycle riders by only 14%.

The safety of vulnerable road users continues to be a core road safety issue, not least in lower income countries. Also, with many countries seeking to encourage active mobility, improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists is said by the IRTAD report to be a priority.

Another core challenge is the reduction of serious injuries caused by road crashes. Such injuries often result in lifelong disabilities associated with considerable economic as well as emotional costs.

The impact of serious road injuries is often greatly underestimated, partly because of gaps in the data recording injury crashes. Currently, only a limited number of countries are able to provide sound road injury data.

An internationally accepted definition of a serious injury did not exist until recently. A proposal made by an IRTAD expert group has now been adopted by the 2465 European Commission, which is expected to issue a reduction target on serious injuries for the year 2020. The challenge for IRTAD members now is to implement the recommendations.

IRTAD is an international expert network and database on road safety data. A permanent working group of the International Transport Forum, IRTAD is composed of road safety experts and statisticians from safety research institutes, national road and transport administrations, international organisations, universities, automobile associations, the automobile industry, and others from OECD and non-OECD countries.

More than 70 organisations from 34 countries are currently IRTAD members, representing a wide range of public and private bodies with an interest in road safety.

The most visible product of the IRTAD Group is the International Road Traffic and Accident Database. The database includes aggregated data on injury accidents, road fatalities, injured and hospitalised road users, as well as relevant exposure data.

The ambition of IRTAD is to include new countries and to build and maintain a high-quality database on road safety information.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Analysing intelligent speed adaptation benefits
    April 12, 2012
    Oliver Carsten, Professor of Transport Safety at the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of Leeds, UK, discusses Intelligent Speed Adaptation, looking at its safety potential
  • Malaysia road dangers highlighted by fatalities
    November 1, 2016
    Malaysia’s road safety record is worsening with an increase in road fatalities in 2015. There were 6,706 road deaths in Malaysia during 2015, compared with 6,674 in 2014. The country has been taking some measures to reduce the casualty toll but has not managed to halt the increase in road deaths/year. In 2015 the number of road crashes reached 489,606, growing by 2.8% compared with 2014. Of the road deaths in 2015, 62% (3,816) were of powered two wheeler riders (387 deaths were of pillion riders). The in
  • The industry’s most trusted brand in continuing education
    September 4, 2019
    With the release of an update catalogue of training and credential programmes available to road professionals worldwide, IRF has affirmed its role at the road industry’s most trusted brand in continuing education. For 70 years, an essential part of IRF’s mission has been the organisation and delivery of continuing education services that help strengthen human skills and contribute to the dissemination of knowledge and field expertise. Today, IRF’s curriculum of 40 certified courses provides technica
  • Europe’s road safety is not improving as previously
    April 3, 2012
    The latest official figures on road safety in Europe are giving cause for concern, with data showing casualty reduction has slowed. EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas recently announced a disappointing progress on casualty reduction on Europe's roads. The joint European police association, TISPOL, has added that it is also concerned that improvements in cutting fatalities on Europe’s roads significantly slowed in 2011.