World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention.

M Peden, R Scurfield, D Sleet, D Mohan, A A Hyder, E Jarawan, C Mathers. (Swiss Fr 30/US $27; in developing countries Swiss Fr 15.) Geneva: World Health Organization, 2004. ISBN 92-4-156260-9. This impressive report aims to raise awareness about the extent of road traffic collisions globally, to draw attention to their preventability, and to call for a coordinated partnership approach to addressing the problem. In its five chapters it gives in turn a comprehensive catalogue of the fundamentals of road safety, the impact of road trauma across the world, the key factors contributing to crashes and consequential injuries, successful interventions which have been applied (mainly in high income countries) to reduce the problem, with the final chapter containing conclusions and recommendations. The report points out that over 3000 lives are lost daily to road traffic collisions. While a decrease in road deaths of some 30% is forecast in high income countries (HICs), projected trends in low and middle income countries (LMICs) foreshadow a huge increase in road crash mortality between 2000 and 2020. Hence the report quickly identifies that the priority globally should be effective interventions in LMICs. In chapter 1 on fundamentals there is a recognition that “technology transfer from high-income to low-income countries needs to fit local conditions and should address research-based local needs”. However chapter 4 on interventions, …