A new report has been published to highlight the ‘devastating impact’ road crashes have on the lives of victims, their families, and the wider community.
Authored by the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, the report paints a picture of the complex ways that road crashes affect lives, exploring issues such as health, finance, relationships and justice.
The report, which is based on a survey of 5,606 people from 132 countries, concludes that those with lower educational levels, often corresponding to lower income, are the worst affected.
Nearly three quarters (71%) of crash survivors who had not completed formal schooling lost their job or source of income – compared to just 10% of university-educated respondents.
In terms of the emotional effect, 66% of crash survivors said they live in fear that they, or their loved ones, might be involved in a crash again. 43% reported experiencing problems such as depression, nightmares or panic attacks.
In total, 57% of respondents had been involved in a crash themselves, while 87% knew someone who had been killed in a crash.
The Global Alliance of NGOs says the report shows that road crashes have a serious negative impact on the daily lives of those affected, both directly and indirectly.
Lotte Brondum, executive director of the Alliance, said: “Road crashes are affecting a lot of people multiple times and in many ways.
“The report brings forth the voices of real people who testify to the disastrous long-lasting consequences that crashes cause: the never-ending pain, grief, loss, and fear of losing family members, the difficulties of living with the impacts of a crash, and the anger that these deaths and injuries could have been prevented.
“This is a human rights issue, and people’s rights are being violated every day as they navigate dangerous roads around the world.
“Our leaders must show that they hear and understand what is happening on the streets in their countries and value their citizens’ lives by taking action now.”
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