Road traffic injuries in the WHO European Region: the population groups and countries most affected

Owing to their vulnerability, children and elderly people are more likely to die from road traffic injuries, says a new study from the WHO Regional Office for Europe: Preventing road traffic injury: a public health perspective for Europe. The study examines the main health risks from traffic and tracks how they affect different countries and population groups in the WHO European Region. It shows that about 34 000 of the people involved in road traffic crashes are aged 0–14 years or over 60. Pedestrians and cyclists have a high risk of being hit by motor vehicles: they represent 33% of victims of road crashes, which lead to about 40 000 deaths per year. Tourists, professional drivers and commuters are also vulnerable to risks from traffic, particularly in the European Union (EU).