O2: The 4th Roads Safety and the 2nd Neurotrauma Congresses in Khatam Alanbia Hospital

Every 6 seconds someone is killed or seriously injured on the world's roads. With 1.3 million road deaths each year this is a global epidemic comparable to malaria or Tuberculosis. Nine in ten road deaths and injuries are in developing countries. By comparison to other global killers, road injury is neglected. Road crashes are the leading global cause of death for young people under 25 years, and by 2015 are predicted to be the leading cause of premature death and disability for children in developing countries aged five and above. Already, according to UNICEF and the WHO, 260,000 children die and another 10 million are injured in road crashes every year. The international community has failed to respond to this epidemic. Road safety needs more attention from all governments in the World. This neglect means that developing countries are not received the financial support and technical advice they need to improve road safety. While road deaths in the industrial countries are falling, fatalities in the developing world are rising sharply. Improved road design and a focus on pedestrian safety, safer vehicles, motorcycle helmets, seat belts, driver training and licensing, and tackling speed is how road deaths can be decreased. Immediate actions are necessary to prevent these casualties.