Review of global menace of road traffic accidents with special reference to Macedonia - a economic and health perspective

Abstract

No human activity has improved so much well-being and life standard contributing most to the development of civilization, as well as "traffic convenience”, along with the alphabet and the printing. But at the same time no human activity has taken as many human lives in peace-time conditions, as traffic.

According to reports from the World Health Organization, traffic accidents on the roads are among the leading causes of death globally, taking the eighth place on the list of causes of death, but in the first place as the main cause of the deaths of the population aged 15-29 . They are not only an appropriate personal tragedy for the families themselves, but also have a major impact on the productivity of the population as a whole, the amount of economic expenditures and appropriate implications in the health sector. Estimates of traffic accidents globally range from about 1.2 million fatalities, from 20-50 million injured or disabled persons and about $ 518 billion a year to material damage. Traffic road accidents in low- and middle-income countries are particularly high, where they range between 1% and 2% of their gross national product - more than the total development aid received in these countries.

The magnitude of this important social problem has forced numerous international institutions and bodies, including the United Nations, to pay special attention to the conditions and consequences of traffic. Following the European Union Road Traffic Safety Program, the National Strategy of the Republic of Macedonia envisages reducing the number of victims in traffic accidents because the security conditions in the road traffic in the Republic of Macedonia are quite serious and the situation is really worrying. If we make an analysis of the causes of traffic accidents, we will see that in 95% of cases, the human factor is the cause most of all.

For these reasons, as an imperative and one of the very high priorities of each country, the causes and measures of road safety are set as a major issue in each country's public policies.