The population of major cities in African and Latin American countries has more than doubled over the last twenty years. The population growth has brought with it a corresponding increase in vehicle ownership. Despite the increase in vehicle ownership, developing countries have not embarked upon any meaningful and sustainable transport management programs. In big cities of developing countries, congestion created by illegal parking, hawkers, and street vendors trying to make a living in the face of harsh economic reforms have all contributed to transportation safety problems. Accident rates in developing countries have been estimated to be 20 - 30 times higher than in European countries. The escalating vehicle accident rates have created a heavy drain on the economies of the developing countries, which continue to import transportation components using their scarce foreign exchange reserves. The need for effective transportation management backed by research cannot therefore be overemphasised. The paper discusses the accident rates for some developed and developing countries and attempts to identify areas for research. Accident fatality rates in developing countries have been compared with those in developed countries. (Author/publisher).
Abstract