Poverty There are a number of indirect factors, including socioeconomic factors, that contribute to and worsen RTIs in developing countries. Whereas walking and use of public transportation systems provide benefits to health and the environment in industrialized nations, these modes of transport place the poor at risk of RTIs in developing countries owing to the [...]

Continue reading " Road Traffic Injuries: Hidden Epidemic in Less Developed Countries. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS "

Despite the bleak outlook, there are examples of effective measures being taken to reduce mortality and morbidity from RTIs in less developed countries. A low-income country that has implemented an effective intervention to decrease speeding and resulting crashes is Ghana. Rumble strips were installed at intervals at the Suhum Junction, a frequent crash site on [...]

Continue reading " Road Traffic Injuries: Hidden Epidemic in Less Developed Countries. CURRENT INTERVENTIONS: SUCCESS STORIES "

RTIs are a cause of public health concern in virtually every country of the world. However, the distribution of mortality and morbidity is highly uneven, with developing countries incurring 85% of all deaths due to traffic crashes, 90% of lost disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and 96% of all child deaths due to RTIs. Estimates of [...]

Continue reading " Road Traffic Injuries: Hidden Epidemic in Less Developed Countries. MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM "

Alcohol Although alcohol is a known risk factor for traffic crashes, reliable data on the prevalence of driving under the influence of alcohol in developing countries are sparse. In Kenya, a survey of hospitalized patients revealed that of those being treated for traffic-related injuries, 40% of drivers and 20% of pedestrians reported being under the [...]

Continue reading " Road Traffic Injuries: Hidden Epidemic in Less Developed Countries. KEY DETERMINANTS OF RTIS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – Part 2 "

KEY DETERMINANTS OF RTIS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Numerous factors play a significant role in traffic crashes and resulting injuries. Some involve human behavior while others are system-related. Risk factors for the majority of RTIs around the world are the same, although they may differ in magnitude depending on the region. Some of the major factors [...]

Continue reading " Road Traffic Injuries: Hidden Epidemic in Less Developed Countries. KEY DETERMINANTS OF RTIS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES "

Pedestrians The physical separation of pedestrians from traffic has been shown to reduce pedestrian injuries and deaths. Despite this, sidewalks are primarily limited to urban areas, even in developed countries, leaving semiurban and rural inhabitants to walk along roadways. Urban sidewalks may be crowded with ven dors, in disrepair or simply not used. In Karachi, [...]

Continue reading " Road Traffic Injuries: Hidden Epidemic in Less Developed Countries. INTERVENTIONS – Part 2 "

In this section, we discuss interventions that have been proven effective in reducing RTI morbidity and mortality in HICs (Table 3) and examine their potential applicability to developing countries. Current interventions, barriers to implementation, intervention effectiveness and good practice examples in some developing countries are also highlighted to demonstrate what can be achieved even in [...]

Continue reading " Road Traffic Injuries: Hidden Epidemic in Less Developed Countries. INTERVENTIONS "