Monday, July 6, 2009

W.H.O. Examines Traffic as Health Hazard

New York Times, June 15
Author: Sarah Arnquist

A vast majority of the world’s countries — 85 percent — lack adequate laws to address the growing problem of traffic deaths and injuries, according to the World Health Organization’s first global report on road safety, released Monday.

The 287-page report is based on data from a 2008 survey of 178 countries, representing 98 percent of the world’s population. It builds on a 2004 report that estimated that 1.27 million people die and that 20 million to 50 million were injured annually in traffic accidents.

Among the new findings: pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycle riders make up almost half of the deaths.

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