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Traffic accidents worldwide claim 1.2 million lives a
year and injure millions more, the World Health Organization said in
a report released on Monday, as the Department of Health, leading
the observance of the First UN Global Road Safety Week (April
23-27), appealed to motorists and pedestrians to help curb
accidents.
Every day 1,000 people under the
age of 25 are killed in traffic accidents, with 90 percent of these
deaths occurring in low to middle-income countries mainly in Africa
and Asia, the WHO report said.
It said traffic accidents were
the biggest killer of young people between aged 15 and 19, killing
more than HIV/AIDS.
Many of the young people killed
are pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists or passengers on cheap
public transport.
In Asia, where the motorcycle is
often the family vehicle, helmets are rarely used, partly because of
their cost and the lack of helmets for children, the WHO said.
“Young motorcyclists make up a
significant percentage of injuries and fatalities among road users
in many Asian countries.
Factors such as speed, no
helmets, risk-taking behavior and drunk-driving contribute to the
rising trend,” it said.
WHO said that by wearing helmets
correctly, the risk of death is cut by some 40 percent and the risk
of severe injury by 72 percent.
In many low-income countries,
laws enforcing the wearing of protective helmets are rarely
enforced.
The report said millions more are
injured and often remained disabled for life.
In high-income countries, most of
those killed or injured in road accidents are drivers of
four-wheeled vehicles.
The agency proposed “simple
measures” that can be enforced to minimize injuries and deaths
from road accidents.
These include setting and
enforcing appropriate speed limits and drink driving laws, child
restraint laws and the mandatory use of seat belts and helmets.
The Department of Health (DOH)
today reminded motorists and pedestrians to take simple yet
effective measures.
“Road accidents are
preventable. We are urging road users, specially the youth, to
follow very basic rules when on the road to reduce the number of
disabilities and deaths,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd
said.
These simple and basic rules are:
Don’t drink and drive. Maintain proper speed on the road. Wear
seatbelts. Stop, look and listen.
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