Global road deaths drop 21%, but Africa records alarming rise

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…crashes still kill 1.16 million yearly as WHO urges tougher laws, safer roads

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By Chioma Obinna

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A new data released by the World Health Organisation, WHO, on Tuesday revealed that road traffic deaths have fallen by 21 per cent globally over the past 15 years despite a surge in the number of vehicles on the world’s roads even as WHO warned that the gains remain fragile as Africa continues to witness rising fatalities.

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The report showed that road traffic deaths declined between 2011 and 2025 even as more than one billion additional vehicles were added to global roads. However, road crashes still claimed an estimated 1.16 million lives in 2025, making them one of the world’s leading public health threats.

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The report comes as member states adopted new United Nations General Assembly declaration committing countries to accelerate efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of cutting road deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent by 2030, using 2021 as the baseline.

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Despite the overall global improvement, the WHO African Region recorded a worrying 17 per cent increase in road deaths, making it the only region where fatalities rose significantly during the review period.

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Road traffic injuries also remain the leading cause of death among children and young people aged between five and 29 years.

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WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the decline in global deaths as proof that investments in safer transport systems produce measurable results but stressed that much more needs to be done.

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“This progress shows that change is possible when countries invest in safe road systems. In the last 15 years we’ve made real progress in reducing road deaths, despite surging vehicle numbers and major shifts in how people move,” Tedros said.

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“I commend countries for the strong political declaration they are adopting today, which aims to accelerate action to ensure more roads are designed for people first, not motor vehicles, with safety as priority. All road deaths are preventable and none are acceptable.”

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The WHO said rapid urbanisation, the explosion in motorcycle use and the emergence of new forms of mobility are reshaping transport systems globally.

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According to the report, the number of motorcycles worldwide more than tripled between 2011 and 2025, driven largely by the expansion of ride-hailing and delivery services. Motorcyclists now account for nearly one in every three road deaths globally.

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The agency noted that wearing approved motorcycle helmets can reduce the risk of death in a crash by more than six times.

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The report also raised concerns over the growing use of e-bikes, e-scooters and autonomous vehicles, saying governments must update regulations and safety standards to keep pace with changing transport technologies.

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Director of WHO’s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention, Dr Etienne Krug, said vulnerable road users continue to bear the greatest burden of fatalities.

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“More than half of all road deaths are people who aren’t even in a car, they are walking, cycling or riding a motorcycle. When roads are designed as if only car drivers matter, these people are left dangerously exposed,” Krug said.

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“We know what works, strong laws and enforcement, safe infrastructure and vehicles with particular attention to lowering speed and addressing impaired driving. This declaration means we must all go further and faster.”

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Under the new UN declaration, countries pledged to establish dedicated road safety agencies, strengthen data collection, enforce tougher traffic laws, improve vehicle safety standards and invest in safer road infrastructure.

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The declaration also promotes the Safe System approach, which assumes that human error is inevitable and focuses on designing roads, vehicles and speed limits that minimise the risk of fatal or life-changing injuries when crashes occur.

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The WHO noted that progress has been uneven across regions. While the European Region recorded a 36 per cent reduction in road deaths and the Western Pacific achieved a 15 per cent decline, South-East Asia recorded only a two per cent drop, the Americas showed no improvement, and Africa experienced a sharp increase.

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Overall, 10 countries succeeded in halving road deaths during the decade to 2021, while more than half of all countries reported declining fatalities.

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WHO said strengthening road safety would not only save lives but also reduce air pollution, ease traffic congestion, promote walking and cycling, and contribute to healthier, more sustainable cities.

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