Table of contentsRisk factors leading to road accidentsSpeedDrunk drivingDistracted drivingUse of helmet and seat beltAnalysis of road accidents road by incomeLow incomeMiddle incomeHigh incomeHow to reduce road accidents: proposed approachRoad engineering measuresApplication MeasuresConclusionReferencesRoad traffic accidents (RTA) are the number of deaths or injuries caused on an open street or lane of traffic; one or more people are killed or injured, at least one moving vehicle was involved (OECD, 2018). Around 1.35 million deaths occur due to road accidents. It is the 8th leading cause of death at all ages. Children, pedestrians, the elderly and cyclists are among the people most at risk of death worldwide. A large share of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, even though they have half of the world's car fleet. Most injuries caused in accidents result in disability. Socio-economic classes are most affected, due to higher treatment costs and loss of productivity, the same is true in high-income countries. This essay on “How to Reduce Road Accidents” explores various strategies and interventions to minimize the frequency and severity of road collisions in Uganda and identifies the causes of the most common road accidents. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get Original Essay The relationship between road accidents and economic development, as the mortality rate increases, economic growth decreases, this has an impact on the growth development of the country. Road accidents cost 3% of the country's GDP. Low- and middle-income countries have the highest number of road traffic deaths; these may be due to rapid urbanization and motorization. Countries in Africa and Southeast Asia have the highest mortality rate compared to the global rate, with 26.6 and 20.7 deaths per 100,000 people. There is an observable difference between middle-income countries in Africa, where the road fatality rate is 23.6 per 100,000 population, and the fatality rate in low-income countries, which is approximately 29.3 per 100,000 inhabitants. The variation in a country's death rate also corresponds to the type of road. user concerned. Global deaths of pedestrians and cyclists represent 26%, two-three wheelers 28%, car owners 29% and the remaining 17% are unidentified road users. In African countries, pedestrian and cyclist deaths account for around 44% and similarly, in South East Asia, 2 and 3 wheelers account for up to 43% and 36% of all deaths. road accidents. The World Health Organization's (WHO) report on progress in reducing road crashes varies by country. There is a strong link between road accidents and the income level of the country. Even though only 1% of vehicles are in low-income countries, they account for 13% of accidental deaths. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.6 aimed to reduce road accidents by half by 2020. There has been a positive outcome in reducing deaths caused by road accidents in middle-income countries and pupil. While there is no reduction in deaths caused in low-income countries. In order to achieve these goals, drastic changes must be implemented toachieve the desired results. Risk factors leading to rapid accidents. Speed. Vehicle speed is directly linked to the increase in the number of accidents. Vehicle speed also influences the severity of injuries. Effective speed management is necessary to reduce road accidents. Compliance with speed limits is one of the protective measures to control the number of deaths. The definition of the speed limit depends on the class and quality of the road. Reducing a small number of speeds has enormous consequences, notably by reducing the intensity of the accident. Implement the national speed limit and implement a speed limit in urban areas of 50 km/h to control vehicle speed. 95% of countries have implemented it because it is considered a good practice. Impaired DrivingThe use of alcohol or drugs has serious consequences on a person's driving behavior. It represents 5 to 35% of road accidents. People aged 19 to 30 are responsible for most accidents. Reducing the blood alcohol level to a much lower value could reduce the number of accidents. Distracted drivingThe use of cell phones while driving has increased among young drivers, resulting in accidents. When drivers use phones, they are more likely to break the rules (missing red lights). Controlling the vehicle with one hand and driving the car with the other hand decreases the response time to react to current traffic and thus increases the accident rate. Use of helmets and seat belts In recent years, the number of uses of two- and three-wheeled vehicles has increased by 10% on the roads. More than 70% of them; are these vehicles, in comparison with other vehicles. Wearing a helmet while driving could prevent fatal head injuries and reduce the mortality rate by 62%. Wearing helmets should be made compulsory for passenger passengers and helmets should meet the necessary design standards. Requiring passengers and drivers to wear helmets is one way to raise awareness. Wearing seat belts while driving for all passengers should be made compulsory. Refusal to wear seat belts leads to accidents with an increased risk of death. Laws need to be introduced that should make it compulsory to wear seat belts while traveling. Analysis of Road Accidents by Income Low Income Uganda is one of the low-income African countries that has experienced a steady increase in the mortality rate from road accidents. Currently, road accidents account for approximately 28.9 deaths per 100,000 population. This figure is considered higher than the global mortality rate of 18 deaths per population. On average, Uganda loses 10 people every day to accidents. As a result, Uganda is among the countries with the highest number of road accident deaths. The overall costs of the accident are estimated at $1.2 billion; this represents 5% of Uganda's GDP. Road safety culture and attitudes are declining due to poor leadership skills, allocation of necessary resources and low commitment to road safety measures. Road safety did not benefit from the increase in funding for the transport sector, although 18.7% of the budget was allocated. towards improvement. The country's road infrastructure is very poor and unsafe. There are a sufficient number of defects in the planning of road sections andin inappropriate land use. The country lacks qualified personnel to improve and evaluate various necessary details of road safety education. Uganda Bureau of Statistics data from 2016 shows that the mortality rate has not been reduced, while the WHO agenda for SDG 3.6 was to reduce the mortality rate by 50%. The graph shows a decline in road deaths between 2011 and 2013, but a gradual increase over the next two years. However, no significant changes were seen to control accidents. The government is ineffective in formulating and implementing programs to achieve the desired goals. The causes of road incidents include human behavior, overspending, lack of proper road infrastructure, necessary safety precautions and non-compliance with traffic rules. When it comes to road accidents, the government should enforce strict rules so that drivers are more aware while driving. Middle-income India is among the middle-income countries with a per capita gross national income of US$1,680 and a population of 1.33 billion. In 2011 alone, India alone saw 4.7 lakh deaths. Economic damage from road accidents results in loss of GDP. Rapid urbanization and motorization have led to an increase in the number of vehicles on the roads of developing countries. All age groups are affected, 83% of them being men. The main victims are aged 15 to 35 and represent up to 53% of road accidents. More than 70% of vehicles are two-wheelers, more numerous than other vehicles. The risk of accidents is higher because there is no protective barrier against accidents. As countries develop, more and more vehicles occupy the roads, increasing the risk of fatal accidents. In 2016, a total of 150,785 deaths were recorded across the country, 85% of them men. As data shows, 40% of accidents are caused by 2 or 3 wheel vehicles. Trends show an increase in the death rate due to weaker enforcement rules. The causes of road accidents are speeding – exceeding the road speed limit, drunk driving – driving under the influence of alcohol, teenage driving – teenagers are known for their reckless driving and involved in accidents and road design – poor road quality that does not. meeting standards are often affected by road users causing accidents. In order to reduce the number of deaths, authorities should enforce strict laws and rules that are supposed to be respected. Even if all measures are implemented but lack enforcement, as in many parts of India the rules are neglected, when new safety measures are implemented, individuals criticize them without realizing it account. With strict action plans and new strategies, it would help the country achieve its long-term goals. High Income The high-income country of the United Kingdom, with an estimated population of 66.02 million in 2017, has a road network with a length of 224,700 miles. In 2015, the number of reported deaths was 1,804. The mortality rate decreased accordingly, as mortality rates were higher in 2007 and decreased significantly due to the enforcement of rules that allowed people to change their driving behavior. The data shows that the mortality rate has remained constant since 2011-2015 and weWe can see that the economy grows as the mortality rate decreases. In 2015, the economic costs of reported and unreported deaths were $35.5 billion. In high-income countries, socio-economic aspects are more likely to be affected by car accidents. The mortality rate has been reduced and all categories of road users have benefited. The largest was that of pedestrians, reduced to 24%. The death rate among car drivers is 33%, which is down compared to recent years. The age range involved in accidents has changed significantly between 2000 and 2016. The number of young people involved in accidents has decreased; The age group of 25 to 64 is involved in the deaths. The causes of road deaths in the UK are excessive speed, which accounts for 15% of deaths, 13% of deaths due to drink driving and distracted driving was 1.6%. , mainly due to the use of cell phones while driving. As enforcement is much better, awareness programs can be launched to reach out to drivers. How to reduce road accidents: proposed approach Uganda covers an area of ​​241,000 square kilometers with an estimated population of 41.49 million in 2016. Uganda is a transit country for goods and services to the eastern part of the country. The country places emphasis on boosting the transportation sector so that economic growth increases. The transport sector represents 2.8% of GDP in 2014/15. Under the second National Development Plan II, it is planned to reach the middle-income class by 2040. In 2017/18, the government allocated 17% of the budget to the transport sector. The rapid increase in motorization goes from 635,556 vehicles in 2010 to an estimated number of 1,228,425 in 2014, 80% of which are on the national road network. The capital Kampala experiences a high rate of traffic congestion. Increasing traffic jams are forcing people to change boda-boda. Boda boda is a two-wheeled taxi used by citizens to travel from one place to another. As congestion levels are higher, people tend to use the cheapest and quickest way to reach their destination. Using this type of taxi service is the biggest concern as the mortality rate there is comparatively higher as they do not provide any security and the number of people traveling in a single motor vehicle. Uganda's road infrastructure is of very poor design quality due to lack of proper planning and qualified and efficient personnel to carry out the work. Most roads fail to meet design standards, including poor median placement, steep shoulders and few passing opportunities. Road safety audits are not carried out regularly. There is a lack of necessary personnel to carry out the investigation. Uganda is not a car manufacturing country; it depends on imports from Asian countries. As most imports are cheap cars which usually have defects, the chances of being involved in accidents are higher. Post-accident care should be improved as it helps save the lives of victims. As the country lacks transportation and rescue services, the government should consider improving facilities to cater to accident victims. Road Engineering Measures Identify accident black spots: identify necessary locations where accidents are more concentrated and more frequent. Necessary measures can be taken at these places as./