{"id":12039,"date":"2026-07-21T10:27:50","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T00:27:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irap.org\/?p=12039"},"modified":"2026-07-21T11:23:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T01:23:57","slug":"who-new-data-road-deaths-fall-by-21-globally-but-stronger-action-is-needed-to-save-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irap.org\/es\/who-new-data-road-deaths-fall-by-21-globally-but-stronger-action-is-needed-to-save-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"WHO new data – Road deaths fall by 21% globally but stronger action is needed to save lives"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) released new global road safety data<\/a> showing that road traffic deaths fell by 21% between 2011 and 2025, despite the addition of more than one billion vehicles to the world’s roads. While this progress demonstrates that investment in safer roads and safer mobility works, WHO warns that much stronger action is needed to achieve the global target of halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n

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Read full press release from WHO below or click here<\/svg><\/a>See the Road Traffic Injuries Fact Sheet here<\/svg><\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Despite the addition of more than one billion motor-vehicles to the world\u2019s roads, road traffic deaths declined by 21% between 2011 and 2025, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The world has experienced profound changes in road traffic during this time with the emergence of new modes of transport and a sharp rise in motorcycle use. Despite this progress, however, road traffic crashes still claimed 1.16 million people’s lives in 2025. Road traffic injuries remain the leading cause of death among children and youth aged 5\u201329 years.<\/p>\n

The new WHO data comes as global leaders today adopt a new United Nations (UN) General Assembly progress declaration on road safety. The declaration aims to boost global action to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2030 compared with the levels in 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis progress shows that change is possible when countries invest in safe road systems. In the last 15 years we\u2019ve made real progress in reducing road deaths, despite surging vehicle numbers and major shifts in how people move,\u201d said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new UN declaration includes a comprehensive set of commitments by UN Member States to implement national road safety strategies with clear targets, timelines and budgets. These commitments include establishing lead road safety agencies, improving data collection and analysis, developing and enforcing stronger legislation, and ensuring that roads, infrastructure and vehicles meet key safety standards.<\/p>\n

The declaration commits countries to implementing the proven \u2018safe system\u2019 approach, which recognizes that people will always make mistakes on the road. The approach promotes safer roads, infrastructure, vehicles, speed limits and regulations that account for human error and ensure that crash impacts remain within survivable levels. It also calls on governments to provide leadership and take additional action, and urges the private sector to prioritize road safety throughout their supply chains. The declaration also highlights the important roles of civil society, academia, youth, philanthropic organizations and the UN in driving progress.<\/p>\n

Safer roads for a safer future<\/h2>\n

With nearly 60% of the world\u2019s population now living in urban areas, growing demand for mobility threatens to overwhelm transport systems that were largely designed around private motor vehicles.<\/p>\n

With the rise of ride-hailing and delivery apps, the number of motorcycles more than tripled between 2011 and 2025. Deaths among motorcyclists now account for nearly a third of the world\u2019s road fatalities. Wearing a safe motorcycle helmet reduces the risk of death in a crash by more than six times.<\/p>\n

New forms of mobility, including e-scooters, e-bikes and autonomous vehicles, present both challenges and opportunities for transport planners and policy-makers. WHO is working to close gaps in laws and rules, promote consistent safety standards and is bringing together leading experts to find new ways to ensure all new vehicles and technologies are safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than half of all road deaths are people who aren’t even in a car \u2013 they are walking, cycling or riding a motorcycle. When roads are designed as if only car drivers matter, these people are left dangerously exposed,\u201d said Dr Etienne Krug Director of the Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention at WHO. \u201cWe know what works\u00a0\u2013\u00a0 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the world, 10 countries reduced road deaths by 50% in the decade to 2021 and more than half of all countries reported falling fatalities in that period. Yet progress is uneven, with 36% drop in deaths in the WHO European Region, a 15% drop in the Western Pacific Region, a 2% drop in the WHO South-East Asian Region, no change in rates in the Americas and a 17% rise in deaths in the WHO African Region.<\/p>\n

The new UN declaration states that strengthening road safety is key to improving public health and sustainable development overall. More people choosing to walk, cycle and use public transport can reduce congestion, improving air quality, create more livable cities, and support healthier, longer lives.<\/p>\n

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How iRAP is helping save lives<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The issues highlighted by WHO, including safer infrastructure, protection of vulnerable road users and implementation of the Safe System approach, are at the heart of iRAP’s work. Through the iRAP Star Ratings methodology, Star Rating for Designs, CycleRAP, Star Rating for Schools and road safety investment planning tools, iRAP supports countries to identify road risks and prioritise investments that save lives.<\/p>\n

Supporting achievement of UN Global Road Safety Performance Targets 3 and 4 for safer 3-star or better roads and designs by 2030, is a key part of that work.<\/p>\n

Achieving Target 4 for the majority of travel to be on 3-star or better roads and streets by 2030 is estimated to save more than \u00a0400,000 lives each year and nearly 330 million deaths and injuries over the 20-year life of road treatments.<\/p>\n

Together, iRAP and our partners are creating a world free of high-risk roads.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Image credit above:\u00a0 (c) Sharingstory | Dreamstime.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Explore Policies into Practice resources<\/svg><\/a>See where iRAP is working around the world<\/svg><\/a>Discover the iRAP tools helping save lives<\/svg><\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,570,1144],"tags":[1204,1203],"class_list":["post-12039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-news","category-latest-resources","category-impact-investing","tag-commitments-in-action","tag-un-high-level-meeting"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWHO new data - Road deaths fall by 21% globally but stronger action is needed to save lives - iRAP<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n