Road safety disparities linked to socioeconomic factors

New research highlights that inequality significantly impacts road safety outcomes across high-income countries. The study points to a socioeconomic gradient where people in deprived areas are more likely to be killed or seriously injured compared to those in more affluent areas.

The authors say several interconnected factors contribute to this disparity:

• Socioeconomic status: Individuals in lower socioeconomic brackets face higher risks. For example, in England, the number of road casualties has increased in the most deprived areas, while decreasing in the least deprived.
• Exposure to risk: People from deprived backgrounds are often more exposed to hazards due to increased reliance on walking. Pedestrian casualty rates are significantly higher in these areas. Children in deprived areas face a threefold increase in pedestrian injury risk, even when accounting for exposure.
• Neighbourhood and built environment: Deprived neighbourhoods often have unsafe conditions such as speeding, dense traffic, and poor infrastructure. Lower-income communities experience more crashes per mile of urban arterial road.
• Illegal and antisocial driving: Areas with higher crime rates correlate with elevated child pedestrian casualties. Risky behaviours like not wearing seatbelts or driving under the influence are more prevalent in deprived areas.

The researchers emphasise the need for system-level interventions to address these inequalities. They advocate for multifaceted approaches involving engineering, education, and enforcement, with a focus on community engagement. Proposed solutions include:

• Targeted interventions: Tailoring injury prevention strategies based on socioeconomic status.
• Community engagement: Involving deprived communities to understand their road safety challenges in everyday life.
• Data collection: Regularly monitoring road casualties according to deprivation to ensure resources are targeted effectively.
• Safe environments: Creating safe places for children to play, reducing their exposure to road traffic.

The study calls for policymakers to recognise that road safety is part of a larger system and to consider the co-benefits of reducing road danger, such as creating more livable, healthy, and sustainable neighbourhoods. Interventions should focus on system-wide changes that protect vulnerable road users like young pedestrians, cyclists, and car occupants.