Road Safety: The Tragedy

I tried to tone down the above picture as much as I could, I assure you the original picture is more horrific and I have seen worse in real life. I sincerely apologise to any reader if I have offended or shocked, I do so with the best of intentions, some times only shock can bring home the all important message, it also makes this message stay in your mind for longer.

I don't know the particulars of the above picture, but its been widely distributed among people via bluetooth. The accident most likely was in Libya, and bears a sickening resemblance to the Road Safety campaign video I posted yesterday. What are the causes of this accident? I don't know, but I can safely assume that there was 100% chance it could have been prevented. Speed, lack of attention and safety awareness are all plausible causes.

Road traffic accidents are not decreasing they are on the increase, and this is especially so in Libya. For people who have not been to Libya for years, you will not believe the bad nature of driving, the roads are an absolute death trap! The amount of cars has increased exponentially, and the roads are still the same if not worse. And the road rage, especially among the young is rife and getting worse! All of this in an almost unnoticeable traffic regulatory system. The traffic police need effective training, resources, power and protection in order to carry out their essential work. This needs to be done now.

The problem of road deaths and injuries is a global one, quoting from the world bank site on road safety (which you can access here): "Every year more than 1.17 million people die in road crashes around the world. The majority of these deaths, about 70 percent occur in developing countries. Sixty-five percent of deaths involve pedestrians and 35 percent of pedestrian deaths are children. Over 10 million are crippled or injured each year. It has been estimated that at least 6 million more will die and 60 million will be injured during the next 10 years in developing countries unless urgent action is taken." Furthermore: "The Global Burden of Disease study undertaken by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Harvard University and the World Bank showed that in 1990, traffic crashes were assessed to be the world's ninth most important health problem. The study forecasts that by the year 2020 road crashes would move up to third place in the table of leading causes of death and disability facing the world community."

The current table of leading causes of death and disability:

In Libya, the problem is that most people seem to take and accept this reality as an inevitable and unpreventable fate. Scientific proof says other wise, road traffic accidents and their often gruesome consequences can be prevented.
I believe that every one has a responsibility towards their and other peoples safety. The government has a huge role in this and I hope that they begin to adopt the modern scientific methods in counteracting this huge killer.

If any one of responsibility is reading this, I urge you to read the World bank and the WHO's advice on the matter and their guidance on how to implement an effective Road traffic safety system, any work you do will not only save others but may/can save you or your family!

Again, I apologise for posting the above picture if it has offended any one, and I hope we can learn from it and this tragic death which repeats its self more than 2500 times a year in Libya (and increasing) and more than a million times a year globally.