Road safety: More than transport, it’s a global child health problem
Approximately 1.35 million lives are lost to road traffic crashes yearly, and another 35 million are left with lifelong disabilities. The poor are most affected by road accidents, with more than 90 percent of road deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Even in high-income countries, poorer communities are more likely to be involved in such accidents.
Road traffic injuries are a global child health problem. They are among the top causes of death and years lived with disability for children, which put them among the most vulnerable road users. An estimated 200,000 children die each year as a result of road traffic injuries, which is about 600 deaths a day, or one every two minutes, as reported by the World Health Organization.
So, how are our roads unsafe for children? Roads are made for adults and motorized transport, not for kids. As a result, road infrastructure, traffic planning, and policy fail to address the needs of children using roads. Additionally, there is insufficient disaggregated data on child road accidents, most of which are often underreported, especially in LMICs. This data gap makes it harder to address the specific risks children face on the road.
In the Philippines, road crashes are ranked 12th among the top causes of fatalities. In 2021, at least 11,000 people died due to road crashes, representing more than 2 percent of the nation’s total deaths. Road accidents have resulted in the loss of more than P600 billion to the government, equivalent to over 3 percent or P180 billion of the nation’s gross domestic product.
According to the Department of Health, road accidents are among the leading causes of death for children in the country, with children living in informal settlements and congested urban areas more at risk. In particular, they are the leading cause of death among children aged 15 to 19. Alarmingly, over 40 children lose their lives every day in the Philippines due to road accidents.
Most child road accidents are preventable. Yet these are routinely ignored, as road planning focuses more on motorized transport and the economy than the safety of children. This is unfortunate, given that studies worldwide have shown that policies and plans for road safety that emphasize the safety of children are cost-saving and lead to improved overall road safety outcomes.
The United Nations takes the lead in this initiative, setting targets through the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, aiming to reduce road injuries and fatalities by 50 percent by 2030.
In the Philippines, the Department of Transportation has released the Philippine Road Safety Action 2023-2028 to inform national policies and planning, and to cut road traffic fatalities and injuries by 80 percent by 2028. This will be accomplished through facilitating active mobility, promoting a transition toward more sustainable modes of transport, and enhancing travel times for both public and private transport users, among other measures.
Road safety is not only a transport issue, but also a matter of children’s rights. Unsafe roads affect the health and well-being of children and undermine their education and capacity to engage in decisions that impact their lives. This child road safety crisis calls for policymakers, leaders, and stakeholders to engage children actively in road planning, creating spaces that protect their safety and interests.
Nina D. Resurreccion,
nina.d.resurreccion@gmail.com
