LIBYA IS A RICH DEVELOPING COUNTRY WHICH SUFFERS THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXPLOSIONS IN BOTH HUMAN AND VEHICLE POPULATION. THIS HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY A HEAVY TOLL OF DEATHS. IN 1977, ROAD ACCIDENTS WERE THE CAUSE OF 10% OF ALL DEATHS AND 62% OF MALE DEATHS IN THE AGE GROUP 15-25. THE RATES - PER HUNDRED MILLION VEH KM - OF FATALITIES, INJURIES AND ACCIDENTS (1980) WERE 35202 AND 416 RESPECTIVELY. THE PEDESTRIAN FATALITY AND CASUALTY RATES (1977) WERE HIGH (20134/100000 POPULATION) ESPECIALLY AMONG THE OLD MALES OVER 64 (89384/100000 POPULATION). IN THE AGE GROUP 20-24, CASUALTY RATE OF DRIVERS WAS 1256/100000 DRIVER (1977). ACCIDENTS WERE SEVERE AS WELL. BETWEEN 1970-80 ACCIDENT SEVERITY INDEX WAS INCREASING WITH TIME AND ALMOST DOUBLED BY THE END OF THE PERIOD REACHING 13. ROAD ACCIDENTS IN LIBYA DO NOT REPRESENT AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL PROBLEM BUT ALSO AN ECONOMIC ONE. IN 1978, ACCIDENTS COST THE COUNTRY ABOUT $160 MILLION. THE FACTORS WHICH AFFECT ACCIDENT RATES AND SEVERITY ARE DIVIDED INTO BEHAVIOURAL AND STRUCTURAL ONES AND INVESTIGATED. THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVING TRAFFIC SAFETY IN LIBYA. A COMPREHENSIVE TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM IS URGENTLY NEEDED.(Author/publisher).
Samenvatting