This paper argues that road safety improvement can have a positive impact on poverty alleviation in developing countries as well as lead to economic prosperity more generally. It further shows how road safety can be fitted into this context and how aid agencies may fit road safety into their development projects and programs. This paper demonstrates the links between road trauma and poverty. Moreover it shows how road injury can harm the general economy of a nation. Firstly, the size of the problem of road injury will be examined. Then, the paper will look at how the problem affects poor countries relative to wealthier countries. After this the paper addresses questions of how road trauma disproportionately affects poor families, including why poor people are more at risk of injury why the long term affects are more socially and economically more devastating. Finally the paper will look at the reasons why road injury risks in developing countries are not seen as important contributors to poverty, and what can be done to change this and achieve poverty reduction through road safety measures. (Author/publisher) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E208431.
Abstract