Road safety statistics: global figures and speed risk
A compact reference for writers covering driving risk. It keeps worldwide WHO estimates separate from US traffic-fatality counts and rates published by NHTSA.
Which figures can I cite?
Selected statistics, with the reporting period and population attached to every figure.
Estimated annual road deaths
Worldwide
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationAnnual nonfatal road injuries
Worldwide
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationTypical national cost of road crashes
Most countries
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationAge group for which road injury is the leading cause of death
Children and young adults
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationShare of fatalities among working-age people
Ages 18–59
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationMale fatality likelihood relative to females
Road crashes
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationIncrease in fatal-crash risk per 1% rise in mean speed
Population-level relationship
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationIncrease in serious-crash risk per 1% rise in mean speed
Population-level relationship
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationOccupant fatality risk in a car-to-car side impact
Specific crash configuration
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationReduction in occupant death risk from wearing a seat belt
Vehicle occupants
Measured/reported: WHO fact sheet, July 2026
World Health OrganizationEstimated traffic fatalities
United States, all road traffic
Measured/reported: 2025 early estimate, released April 2026
US National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationEstimated traffic fatality rate
United States, distance traveled denominator
Measured/reported: 2025 early estimate, released April 2026
US National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationTraffic fatalities in annual data
United States, all road traffic
Measured/reported: 2024 annual data, released April 2026
US National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationWhat do these statistics mean?
The WHO figures describe worldwide burden and risk relationships. The NHTSA figures show a US-specific annual count and a distance-adjusted rate: its 2025 values are early estimates, while its 2024 count is annual reported data. For a local route, use an official local dataset. None of these figures estimates the risk of one journey or the effectiveness of an alert app.
How were these figures selected?
We checked the linked primary publications, selected facts relevant to this topic, and retained their units, population and reporting period. This page is a curated reference, not an original survey. The CSV includes the source URL for every row. A successful URL check alone does not establish that a number is correct; the number and its surrounding explanation must agree with the source.
Historical observations remain labelled by their original period. We update the content date when a figure, source or explanation materially changes, rather than resetting it for a routine check. Forecasts and reported perceptions stay distinct from measured outcomes.
What are the limitations?
The page update date is not the year every underlying study was conducted. WHO combines evidence from different periods. The US estimates and worldwide figures have different populations and denominators; do not treat them as directly comparable or as evidence that TripRank prevents crashes.
Where did the data come from?
How should I cite a figure?
Use the permanent link on the relevant card and name the original publisher, measurement period and population in your text. Cite the original publication when it is the primary evidence for your claim. If this compilation helps your research, you can also reference this page:
TripRank. “Road safety statistics: global figures and speed risk.” Updated 2026-09-22. https://triprank.online/research/road-safety-statistics.
This reference is maintained by TripRank. Source publishers retain ownership of their publications. Inclusion does not imply endorsement.