Global Road Deaths Decline, But Not for All

Global road injury and death rates have decreased by more than 30% from 1990 to 2025, according to a recent study. While this represents significant progress, the improvements have not been experienced uniformly across all nations. Lower-income countries, where 90% of road deaths occur, have not seen comparable safety advancements. This disparity is linked to inadequate safety measures failing to keep pace with rapid urbanization and increased vehicle use in these regions.

In contrast, some high-income countries, including the United States, have witnessed conflicting trends. Although pedestrian and vehicle occupant deaths rose in the U.S. over certain periods, more recent data from 2024 and 2025 shows a decline. This decline includes a significant reduction in pedestrian fatalities. Despite these improvements, road traffic crashes globally still claimed over 1.1 million lives in the past year, and remain the leading cause of death for young people aged 5 to 29.