Road traffic deaths in China have soared almost 100 percent in 20 years

The pattern was not restricted to areas of major urbanisation and development, but was also seen in rural locations and sparsely populated areas, the findings show.

In 1990, road traffic injuries became the ninth leading cause of death and disability worldwide. They are set to shoot up to third place by 2020.

In China, the largest developing country in the world, road traffic injuries are already the leading cause of death in people up to the age of 45.

The authors used national statistics on transport and deaths police reports, and data on regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP), road quality, and the number of vehicles in each of the 31 provinces to inform their analysis and map the geographic distribution of road deaths between 1985 and 2005.

The findings showed that road traffic deaths increased 95% from 3.9 to 7.6 per 100 000 of the population between 1985 and 2005.

During this time, the number of cars on the road increased 9-fold, and the number of other vehicles, principally motorcycles, jumped by a factor of 54.

There was no link between the rate of deaths and regional GDP, road quality, or the average number of road vehicles in the province.

In general, the regions with the lowest population density had the highest overall death rates per 100 000 motor vehicles.

But the largest increases in death rates occurred in economically well developed provinces, but also in under developed and rural provinces.

Deaths in well developed areas can be explained by higher numbers of road vehicles, say the authors.

In less developed areas, the toll is likely to be explained by poor quality roads, making it difficult to access prompt medical care, a lesser degree of medical expertise, and greater vulnerability to injury as pedestrians and cyclists.

The authors note that the death rate levelled off slightly in 2002 and 2003, after having risen sharply in previous years, but this is not likely to be sustained as China's economic development continues at a rapid pace, and vehicle ownership grows, they say.

China's GDP increased by almost 11% in 2005, and road traffic deaths are expected to rise a further 92% between 2000 and 2020, especially as half of drivers don't wear seat belts.

Source: British Medical Journal

AMA acts against trans fats, texting while driving
(AP) -- The American Medical Association on Monday took a stand against two unhealthy habits - eating foods made with artificial trans fats and text-messaging while driving.
Should companies with unhealthy products be regulated to protect health?
Should businesses that sell products which are responsible for a huge numbers of deaths, illness and injury, such as tobacco and junk food, be held accountable and made to improve public health? Two experts debate the issue on bmj.com today.
Air pollution can hinder heart's electrical functioning
Microscopic particles in polluted air can adversely affect the heart's ability to conduct electrical signals in people with serious coronary artery disease, researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Western Transportation Institute to study drowsy and distracted teen driving
Over the next year, researchers at Montana State University's Western Transportation Institute will use state-of-the-art video cameras to help teenage drivers stay safe on the state's rural roads.
Surgical conditions in Africa are given low priority despite causing death and disability
Two surgeons are calling on the international health community to recognize that surgical conditions account for a huge burden of disease in the developing world, and that the human right to health must include access to essential surgical care.
Overtaking assistant could help prevent many traffic-related deaths
Overtaking on two-lane roads is easier if drivers use what is known as an overtaking assistant, a system which indicates when it is safe to overtake. This system prevents reckless drivers overtaking when it is not safe and can also aid cautious drivers in overtaking slower vehicles. This is the proposition of researcher ir. Geertje Hegeman, who will receive her PhD on this subject from TU Delft in the Netherlands on Thursday 28 February.
Motorcycle helmets keep riders alive, review confirms
Fewer than half of U.S. states require every motorcycle rider — drivers and passengers — to wear a helmet; and four states have no helmet requirements whatsoever. Around the world, the same patchwork legal pattern exists.
Marathons cut risk of fatal vehicle crashes
Organised marathons are not associated with an increased risk of sudden death, despite the media attention they attract. In fact, marathons lower the risk of fatal motor vehicle crashes that might otherwise have taken place if the roads had not been closed, finds a study in this week’s Christmas issue of the BMJ.

Road traffic deaths in China have soared almost 100 percent in 20 years

Related stories:

News discussion: