BMJ 2002;324:1107-1108 ( 11 May )

Editorials

War on the roads

The public health community must intervene

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The last thing the world needs is another war. Nevertheless, this week the BMJ exposes one more---the war on the world's roads. But to what extent can the global road trauma epidemic be likened to war?

War is often waged by the powerful on the weak. In this case, the interests of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users are pitted against the powers that stand to profit from increasing global motorisation. And there are many millions of casualties. Every day about 3000 people die and 30 000 people are seriously injured on the world's roads.1 In this issue Nantulya and Reich point out that over 85% of the deaths and 90% of disability adjusted life years lost from road traffic injuries are in low and middle income countries, with pedestrians, cyclists, and bus passengers bearing most of the burden.2 Most of the victims will never own a car, and many . . . [Full text of this article]


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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

How depressing
Paul Kinnersley
bmj.com, 10 May 2002 [Full text]
The war on the world's roads.
Sergio Stagnaro
bmj.com, 10 May 2002 [Full text]
UK roads are the safest in the world.
Alwyn Davies
bmj.com, 10 May 2002 [Full text]
Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics
Brian H Worboys
bmj.com, 10 May 2002 [Full text]
Priorities of War
Bernard C Abrams
bmj.com, 10 May 2002 [Full text]
Education against road traffic-induced injuries: a neglected subject
Carlos K. B. Ferrari, et al.
bmj.com, 10 May 2002 [Full text]
The public health community should LEAD the way
David G Hammond
bmj.com, 11 May 2002 [Full text]
Treating the disease, not the symptoms
Ben Lovejoy
bmj.com, 11 May 2002 [Full text]
Shared-use paths are BAD!
Guy Chapman
bmj.com, 11 May 2002 [Full text]
Re: UK roads are the safest in the world.
Guy Chapman
bmj.com, 11 May 2002 [Full text]
Deterrence of walking and cycling is an issue too
Paul F Docherty
bmj.com, 11 May 2002 [Full text]
Worth of Speed Cameras Queried
Bogush J Mann
bmj.com, 12 May 2002 [Full text]
rail Road Speed Limits
Bogush J Mann
bmj.com, 12 May 2002 [Full text]
People machine divorce.
Niharika Varma
bmj.com, 12 May 2002 [Full text]
Speed cameras
David Potterton
bmj.com, 12 May 2002 [Full text]
BEYOND YOUR BRIEF, BMJ!
Tristram J Torrance
bmj.com, 13 May 2002 [Full text]
More on war on the roads
Bogush J Mann
bmj.com, 13 May 2002 [Full text]
Training
Lyn M Holman
bmj.com, 13 May 2002 [Full text]
Comment on road safety for all
Alan R
bmj.com, 13 May 2002 [Full text]
Unnecessary and unethical?
Giles N Cattermole
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Imprisoned in our own bodies
Mel Bartley
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
We must all change
Kuan J Lee
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Catch a train instead?
nj brooker
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Fair Dos
Mike Sales
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
You can do better than that!
Anthony Papagiannis
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Air Bags
Bruce C McG Williamson, et al.
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Anti-Road-Deaths Device?
James P Moore-Smith
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Re: Deterrence of walking and cycling is an issue too
Emilie van de Graaff
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Re: Unnecessary and unethical?
Irvine S.L. Loudon
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Re: More on war on the roads
john Nottingham
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Protection
clancy mcquigg
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
We can never win the war on roads
Rajesh Moholkar, et al.
bmj.com, 14 May 2002 [Full text]
Shock tactics and consent
Roderick Mackenzie
bmj.com, 15 May 2002 [Full text]
War on the roads
J Gordon Avery, et al.
bmj.com, 16 May 2002 [Full text]
Don't listen to the cyclists
Donald Kent
bmj.com, 15 May 2002 [Full text]
Cycling, Road Safety and the Medical Profession
Dawn M Luxton
bmj.com, 16 May 2002 [Full text]
Purleez
Bogush J Mann
bmj.com, 16 May 2002 [Full text]
The BMJ's legitimate double standards
Richard Smith
bmj.com, 16 May 2002 [Full text]
The neglected epidemic: new efforts.
Renato Seligman
bmj.com, 17 May 2002 [Full text]
Go Dutch!
Richard M Keatinge
bmj.com, 21 May 2002 [Full text]
Pedestrians – get off your knees
John T Dwyer
bmj.com, 21 May 2002 [Full text]
Re: UK roads are the safest in the world.
Anthony J Cartmell
bmj.com, 21 May 2002 [Full text]
Transport Research Laboratory report 323
Bogush J Mann
bmj.com, 23 May 2002 [Full text]
Re: Pedestrians – get off your knees
Sophie A Evans, et al.
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Re: BEYOND YOUR BRIEF, BMJ!
Norman Armstrong
bmj.com, 30 Oct 2002 [Full text]



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