Better legislation and its enforcement are needed to reduce the number of deaths and injuries associated with road traffic crashes in young people throughout Europe, a report published by the World Health Organization warns this week. Almost 32 000 people younger than 25 years in the WHO European region die after injuries caused by road traffic every year, making it the third leading cause of death in this age group. About half of the children younger than 15 years old who are killed die as pedestrians, whereas people aged 15-24 years are most likely to die while driving a car or motorcycle. The policy briefing says that children and young adults need special consideration because they may not have the necessary skills and experience to handle road environments that have been designed for adults. Some of the factors that put them at more risk include speed; alcohol; not being conspicuous; not using crash helmets, seatbelts, and child restraints; and design of roads and vehicles that lack inherent safety features. Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Portugal, and Greece are the countries with the greatest mortality caused by road traffic among 0-24 year old people. The policy briefing, Youth and Road Safety in Europe, is available at http://www.who.org (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting