Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents aged between five and 19 years globally, a new report has revealed.

Dubbed Protecting Young Lives: Global Status Report on Child and Adolescent Road Safety by Unice, the report reveals that annually, an estimated 181,453 children aged 0–19 years die from road traffic injuries, with more than 90 per cent of the burden affecting low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

“Of the estimated 1.19 million road traffic deaths reported in 2021, 181,453 deaths occurred among children and youth aged 0 to 19 years of age. Rates of road traffic death among children and adolescents are up to three times higher in LMICs than in high-income countries,” reads part of the report.

According to the report, the reason is that LMICs often lack adequate infrastructural and safety measures, such as road markings, raised intersections, sidewalks, and traffic lights, as well as enforced road safety policies that are needed to protect young road users.

Apart from that, Africa and South-East Asia face the highest burden of child and adolescent road traffic deaths. The African Region reports 46 per cent of all child fatalities as pedestrian-related, reflecting the predominant mode of travel of children in these regions.

By contrast, in the European Region, 50 per cent of road deaths among this age group occur among vehicle occupants, showcasing regional differences in exposure and protective measures.

High income settings

“The fatality rate varies significantly across income levels, with low-income countries reporting a rate of 14.3 per 100,000 children, much higher than the rate in high-income settings. This trend illustrates the urgent need for global equitable access to road safety interventions,” reads another part of the report.

These injuries according to the report result in immense suffering and impose a substantial societal cost on affected communities, limiting the educational and economic potential of young people.

The World Bank estimates that countries that fail to invest in road safety lose between seven per cent and 22 per cent of their potential per capita GDP growth. On average, a 10 per cent reduction in road traffic injury deaths increases per capita real GDP by 3.6 per cent.

Another study by Unicef shows that the socioeconomic impact of life years lost from road traffic injuries with child victims aged 0–17 years across eight countries was $21.8 billion a year.

The same study found that applying best practices to improving the road infrastructure, educational campaigns aimed at children and communities, and regulation could save an annual $1 billion in the overall socioeconomic costs due to road traffic crashes in just eight countries.

“The economic benefits of improving road safety in this age group are potentially longer lasting, with gains in productivity of future adults evident throughout their lifespan. Preventing injuries and fatalities in this demographic protects future human capital with a potential demographic dividend from preservation in the share of the working-age population and maximizing their ability to work without disability,” says George Laryea-Adjei Director Programme Group, Unicef.