The Global status report on road safety 2018, launched by WHO in December 2018, highlights that the number of annual road traffic deaths has reached 1.35 million.
Road traffic injuries are now the leading killer of people aged 5-29 years. The burden is disproportionately borne by pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, in particular those living in developing countries.
The report suggests that the price paid for mobility is too high, especially because proven measures exist. Drastic action is needed to put these measures in place to meet any future global target that might be set and save lives.
As per WHO 2018 report, the number of road traffic deaths continues to rise steadily, reaching 1.35 million in 2016.
However, the rate of death relative to the size of the world’s population has remained constant.
When considered in the context of the increasing global population and rapid motorization that has taken place over the same period, this suggests that existing road safety efforts may have mitigated the situation from getting worse.
Number and rate of road traffic death per 100,000 population: 2000–2016 [Source: WHO]
A number of countries have seen success in reducing road traffic deaths over the last few years, but progress varies significantly between the different regions and countries of the world.
There continues to be a strong association between the risk of road traffic death and the income level of countries.
With an average rate of 27.5 deaths per 100,000 population, the risk of road traffic deaths are increasing.
Distribution of deaths by road user type, by WHO Region [Source: Mortality indicators by cause of death. Supplement to the WHO European health for all database]
Motor accidents can cause severe debilitating injuries resulting in thousands of dollars in medical bills and lengthy recovery time for victims.
This can occur even when you are a safe driver but victimized by the negligence of others.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of common auto accident injuries can linger for months and in some cases cause chronic pain that lasts for years.
The most common injuries of those in motor accidents are:
- Neck Injuries.
Neck pain is probably the most common complaint of those in motor accidents.
This ‘whiplash’ effect is where the neck experiences a quick jerk forward and then back.
This unnatural jerking motion can result in severe neck pain, headaches, and dizziness.
The victim may require medical treatment for a strain or sprain of the muscles, tendons, or ligaments of the neck.
Pinched nerves and herniated discs are not uncommon and the pain can last for years.
- Head and Brain Injuries.
Head injuries are also quite common in motor accidents.
Drivers and passengers can hit their heads on the steering wheel, windows, and dashboard causing cuts, bruises, concussions, and brain injuries.
It’s important to remember that not all head injuries show external indicators; therefore, passengers should always seek medical attention.
Head injuries can be severe and life-changing.
- Back and Spinal Cord Injuries.
Back pain is another very common complaint from victims of motor accidents.
The force of an motor accident can cause one or more of your spinal discs to rupture and irritate nearby nerves.
Back pain, numbness, or tingling in your back or lower body following a motor accident can lead to surgery and even paralysis.
- Bone Fractures.
Bone fractures are common in high-impact traffic accidents.
- Internal Bleeding and Injuries.
Motor collisions can result in many internal injuries such as bleeding and damage to vital organs.
Internal bleeding can be life-threatening.
Although it is difficult to implement a total safety of motor vehicles, we can develop measures that would reduce the mortality rate, if an accident should occur.
In this project, I plan to develop an accident and jerk detector system, based on Arduino Nano 33 IoT module.