Fatalities due to Road Traffic Accidents in Greece: A follow-up report during the Financial Crisis
According to the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study, road traffic injuries are the eighth leading cause of death globally, and the leading cause of death among young people aged 15–29.1 Two years ago, we presented data showing that deaths from road traffic accidents have fallen in Greece as drivers have switched to less expensive means of transport or reduced their overall travel, mainly due to the unprecedented economic crisis (since the final quarter of 2008), which has brought an almost 100% increase in gas prices.2
Herein, I present data showing that this trend continues and has led to an astonishing 47.5% relative decrease in road traffic death rates for the country as a whole fell, from 13.9 road fatalities/ 100.000 inhabitants in 2008 to 7.3 in 2014 (Table 1).
Public health measures need to be strengthened, in order to sustain the positive effect of the Greek financial crisis on road safety in the long term, when the economy will start growing and vehicles will start moving on the road again.2
References
1. Lozano R, Naghavi M, Foreman K, Lim S, Shibuya K, Aboyans V, et al. Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet 2012;380:2095-128.
2. Michas G, Micha R. Road traffic accidents in Greece: have we benefited from the financial crisis? J Epidemiol Community Health 2013;67:894.
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Fatalities due to Road Traffic Accidents in Greece: A follow-up report during the Financial Crisis
According to the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study, road traffic injuries are the eighth leading cause of death globally, and the leading cause of death among young people aged 15–29.1 Two years ago, we presented data showing that deaths from road traffic accidents have fallen in Greece as drivers have switched to less expensive means of transport or reduced their overall travel, mainly due to the unprecedented economic crisis (since the final quarter of 2008), which has brought an almost 100% increase in gas prices.2
Herein, I present data showing that this trend continues and has led to an astonishing 47.5% relative decrease in road traffic death rates for the country as a whole fell, from 13.9 road fatalities/ 100.000 inhabitants in 2008 to 7.3 in 2014 (Table 1).
Public health measures need to be strengthened, in order to sustain the positive effect of the Greek financial crisis on road safety in the long term, when the economy will start growing and vehicles will start moving on the road again.2
References
1. Lozano R, Naghavi M, Foreman K, Lim S, Shibuya K, Aboyans V, et al. Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet 2012;380:2095-128.
2. Michas G, Micha R. Road traffic accidents in Greece: have we benefited from the financial crisis? J Epidemiol Community Health 2013;67:894.
Competing interests: No competing interests