Safe road laws protect just 7%

Comprehensive road safety law protects only 7% of the world’s population – a statistic that has to change quickly if the number of road deaths are to be significantly cut.

That is the call of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the wake of new data revealing that there were 1.24 million road fatalities in 2010.

The WHO says that key to reducing road traffic mortality will be ensuring that as many countries as possible have all-embracing legislation in place covering all five key risk factors. Currently, only 28 countries do.

These key factors are: drinking and driving; speeding; failure to use motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and child restraints. WHO’s Global Status Report On Road Safety 2013: Supporting A Decade Of Action highlights that only: – 59 countries, covering 39% of the world’s population, have implemented urban speed limits of 50 km/h or less – 89 countries (covering 66% of the global population) have comprehensive drink-driving laws, with blood alcohol concentration limits of 0.05 g/dl or less; – 90 countries (77%) have motorcycle helmet laws requiring a motorcycle helmet as standard – 111 countries (69%) have thorough seat-belt legislation covering all occupants – 96 countries (32%) have a law requiring child restraints WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said: “Political will is needed at the highest level of government to ensure appropriate road safety legislation and stringent enforcement of laws by which we all need to abide.” IBB Solicitors has built a reputation for quality of service in pursuing compensation in cases involving accident, illness or death, including road traffic accidents and accidents abroad. If you would like advice on personal injury issues, you can contact a member of IBB’s Personal Injury team, call us on 08456 381381 or email pi@ibblaw.co.uk.