
Roads accidents
Approximately 1.35 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. |
Every year the lives of approximately 1.35 million people are cut short as a result of a road traffic crash. Between 20 and 50 million more people suffer non-fatal injuries, with many incurring a disability as a result of their injury. |
Road traffic crashes cost most countries 3% of their gross domestic product. |
Road traffic injuries cause considerable economic losses to individuals, their families, and to nations as a whole. These losses arise from the cost of treatment as well as lost productivity for those killed or disabled by their injuries, and for family members who need to take time off work or school to care for the injured. |
93% of the world's fatalities on the roads occur in low- and middle-income countries, even though these countries have approximately 60% of the world's vehicles. |
More than 90% of road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Road traffic injury death rates are highest in the African region. Even within high-income countries, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to be involved in road traffic crashes. |
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years. |
From a young age, males are more likely to be involved in road traffic crashes than females. |
About three quarters (73%) of all road traffic deaths occur among young males under the age of 25 years who are almost 3 times as likely to be killed in a road traffic crash as young females. |

Marine Disasters 2017
Marine accidents killed 1,163 people and caused $197 million in insured losses in 2017.
Category: | Number of events: | Victims: |
---|---|---|
Drilling platforms | 1 | 0 |
Freighters | 2 | 22 |
Tankers | 1 | 0 |
Passenger ships | 27 | 1,087 |
Other maritime accidents | 2 | 54 |
Total | 33 | 1,163 |
Passenger Ship Losses 2008-2017
Year | Number | Victims |
---|---|---|
2008 | 32 | 1,553 |
2009 | 35 | 2,146 |
2010 | 22 | 1,058 |
2011 | 29 | 1,873 |
2012 | 26 | 1,679 |
2013 | 16 | 1,079 |
2014 | 28 | 2000 |
2015 | 20 | 2,259 |
2016 | 19 | 1,53 |
2017 | 27 | 1,087 |

Rail accidents
Notable International Rail Accidents
Year : | Location : | Deaths: |
---|---|---|
December 26, 2004 | Sri Lanka | ~1700 |
February 18, 2004 | Near the town of Neyshabur, Iran | ~320 |
June 24, 2002 | Tanzania | 281 |
February 20, 2002 | Egypt | 361 |
August 2, 1999 | India | 285 |
October 28, 1995 | Baku, Azerbaijan | ~300 |
August 20, 1995 | Firozabad, India | 358 |
September 22, 1994 | Tolunda, Angola | 300 |
January 4, 1990 | Sindh province, Pakistan | ~210 |
June 4, 1989 | Ural Mountains, Soviet Union | 575 |
January 13, 1985 | Near the town of Awash in Ethiopia | 392 |
June 6, 1981 | Bihar, India | 800 |
October 6, 1972 | Saltillo, Mexico | 208 |
February 1, 1970 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 236 |
September 29, 1957 | Montgomery, western Pakistan | 250 |
April 3, 1955 | Guadalajara, Mexico | ~300 |
October 22, 1949 | Poland | ~200 |
March 2, 1944 | Near Salerno, Italy | ~521 |
January 16, 1944 | León Province, Spain | ~500 |
December 12, 1917 | Modane, France | 427 |
June 1915 | Montemorelos, Mexico | ~300 |
May 22, 1915 | Gretna, Scotland | 227 |
January 1915 | Guadalajara, Mexico | ~600 |

Space disasters
Date: | Incident: | Deaths: |
---|---|---|
31 October 2014 | VSS Enterprise, California, U.S. | 1 |
22 August 2003 | Alcântara VLS, Alcântara, Brazil | 21 |
1 February 2003 | Space Shuttle Columbia, Texas/Louisiana, U.S. | 7 |
28 January 1986 | Space Shuttle Challenger, Flordia, U.S. | 7 |
30 June 1971 | Soyuz 11, space | 3 |
27 January 1967 | Apollo 1, Florida, U.S. | 3 |
24 April 1967 | Soyuz 1, Russia | 1 |
15 November 1967 | X-15 Flight 191, California, U.S. | 1 |

Air travel fatalities

Worldwide air traffic - number of fatalities 2006-2019 |
Air travel fatalities have been recorded in each of the last 12 years, with a total of 287 deaths in 2019 due to air crashes. However, despite some pronounced year-to-year differences, the overall trend has been for a reduction in the number of fatalities – a trend confirmed when looking at a slightly longer or much longer time frame. |
Fatal airline accidents |
According to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, air traffic fatalities refer to an incident where a person is fatally injured due to an occurrence associated with the operation of the aircraft. This definition covers any time from when the first person starts boarding to when the final person disembarks the plane. Corporate jet and military transport accidents are generally excluded. |
Overall safety of air travel |
The overall trend downward in air travel fatalities is notable given that the volume of passenger air traffic has increased by more than 66 percent since 2004. Indeed, when considered in terms of the number of accidents per distance travelled, air travel is statistically the safest form of transport. For example, in both the United States and the United Kingdom, air travel is many thousands of times safer than the most dangerous form of travel – motorcycle riding. |