WHO Reports 21% Drop In Global Road Deaths, Africa Records Rise

Road traffic deaths have declined by 21 per cent globally over the past 15 years despite a significant increase in the number of vehicles on the world’s roads, according to a new report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The report, released on Tuesday, showed that road traffic fatalities dropped between 2011 and 2025, even as more than one billion additional vehicles were added worldwide. However, road crashes still claimed an estimated 1.16 million lives in 2025, underscoring the continued public health challenge posed by unsafe roads.

The findings were released as United Nations member states adopted a new General Assembly declaration committing countries to intensify efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent by 2030, using 2021 as the baseline.

Despite the global progress, the WHO African Region recorded a 17 per cent increase in road traffic deaths, making it the only region where fatalities rose significantly during the review period. Road traffic injuries also remain the leading cause of death among children and young people aged between five and 29 years.

WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the decline in global fatalities as evidence that investments in safer transport systems yield measurable results, but stressed that greater action is needed.

He said countries must continue to prioritise safer road systems, noting that all road traffic deaths are preventable and unacceptable.

The report highlighted rapid urbanisation, the growing use of motorcycles and the emergence of new mobility options as key factors reshaping transportation systems globally. It noted that the number of motorcycles worldwide more than tripled between 2011 and 2025, largely driven by the expansion of ride-hailing and delivery services. Motorcyclists now account for nearly one-third of all road traffic deaths globally.

According to the WHO, the use of approved motorcycle helmets can reduce the risk of death in a crash by more than six times.

The organisation also expressed concern over the increasing adoption of e-bikes, e-scooters and autonomous vehicles, urging governments to strengthen regulations and safety standards to keep pace with evolving transport technologies.

Director of WHO’s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention, Dr. Etienne Krug, said vulnerable road users—including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists—continue to account for more than half of global road traffic deaths.

He called for stronger traffic laws, effective enforcement, safer road infrastructure, improved vehicle safety standards, lower speed limits and tougher measures against impaired driving.

Under the new UN declaration, countries pledged to establish dedicated road safety agencies, strengthen crash data collection, improve road infrastructure, enforce stricter traffic laws and adopt the Safe System approach, which focuses on designing roads and transport systems that minimise fatalities even when human error occurs.

Regionally, Europe recorded the highest improvement with a 36 per cent reduction in road deaths, followed by the Western Pacific with a 15 per cent decline. South-East Asia recorded a modest two per cent reduction, while the Americas reported no significant improvement.

Overall, 10 countries succeeded in halving road traffic deaths during the decade to 2021, while more than half of all countries recorded declining fatality rates.

The WHO said improving road safety would not only save lives but also reduce air pollution, ease traffic congestion, encourage walking and cycling, and contribute to healthier and more sustainable cities.