Fatal toll of road crashes on the young

Road crashes are now the second leading cause of death worldwide among five to 29-year-olds and the third leading cause of death among 30 to 44-year-olds. The figures were released on World Health Day as the World Health Organisation and World Bank launched a report entitled Road Safety Is No Accident.

The report said that, without immediate action to improve road safety, road traffic deaths would increase by 80 per cent in low and middle-income countries by 2020.

Tony Blair today joined world leaders in warning of the growing global road crash toll.

Mr Blair said: "Road traffic injuries hit the most deprived communities the hardest. In the UK, the poorest children are five times more likely to die on roads than the better off. And this picture is replicated around the globe.

"Each year more than one million people die as the result of road crashes and collisions. And 50 million more are injured."

World Health Organisation director-general Dr Lee Jong-wook said: "Thousands of people die on the world's roads every day. We are not talking about random 'accidents'. We are talking about road crashes. The risks can be understood and therefore can be prevented."