Road Safety (and Lack thereof) Case Studies from around the World

An inordinate amount of traffic fatalities occur in developing parts of the world. In some countries, road deaths have surpassed diseases like AIDS and Tuberculosis as a public health threat.

2 minute read

January 14, 2014, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


The Washington Post has collected testimonies and data from writers in countries like Nigeria, Indonesia, Colombia, and Mali in a large “Roads Kill” feature. Despite efforts like the U.N. General Assembly’s 2010 resolution proclaiming a “Decade of Action for Road Safety,” donor funding has fallen well below targets and road deaths are increasing: a global death toll of 1.24 million per year is expected to triple by 2030.

Some of the key statistics reported by Tom Hundley and Dan McCarey at the beginning of the "Roads Kill" feature:

  • “Poor countries account for 50 percent of the world’s road traffic but 90 percent of the traffic fatalities.”
  • “The costs associated with these deaths are a ‘poverty-inducing problem,’ according to Jose Luis Irigoyen, a traffic safety specialist at the World Bank. ‘It’s costing on average between 1 and 3 percent of GDP’ in low- and middle-income countries, he said, an amount that can offset the billions of dollars in aid money that these countries currently receive.”

The “Roads Kill” feature also includes an interactive map that surveys the world for case studies, including success stories such as Australia, described as the “poster boy” for reform: “In the mid-1970s, Aussies were among the world’s most reckless drivers, with a death rate of more than 30 per 100,000 in population. But strict enforcement of safe driving laws resulted in an 80 percent decline in road fatalities over the next six decades.”

Monday, January 13, 2014 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

April 28 - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

April 28 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

April 28 - The Sacramento Bee