Why are so many young people involved in road traffic crashes?
Young road users are at risk for road traffic injuries for a number of reasons: • roads are planned without sufficient consideration of their specific needs; • their physical and developmental characteristics (for example, the small size of children) increase their risk; • risk taking behaviour and peer pressure, particularly among adolescents; and • other risk factors such as speeding, drink-driving, not using helmets or not wearing seat-belts. Globally, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among young people aged 10-24 years. Each year nearly 400 000 people under 25 die on the world’s roads – an average of 1049 a day. Most of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries and among vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and those using public transport.
