China's Progress in Reducing Road Traffic Mortality: An Analysis of National Surveillance Data from 2006 to 2016

Abstract

Background: The United Nations (UN) proclaimed the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by as a target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using national Diseases Surveillance Points (DSPs) data, we examined progress in reducing road traffic injury mortality rates from 2006 to 2016 in China. Methods: Crude and age-standardized mortality with standard errors were calculated. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to examine and quantify trends in overall and subgroup road traffic mortality from 2006 to 2016. Subgroup analyses were performed by place (urban/rural), sex, age group, geographic location (province) and road user. Findings: In 2016, the crude road traffic mortality was 9·6 per 100,000 population in China. Overall age-adjusted road traffic mortality increased from 9·8 to 15·7 per 100,000 population from 2006 to 2011, and then gradually decreased to 9·1 per 100,000 population by 2016. Subgroup mortality rates generally followed similar trends. Males, older adults, rural residents, and a few provinces (e.g. Ningxia, Guangxi, Hubei) consistently had higher road traffic mortality rates than females, younger persons, urban residents, and most provinces. Mortality changes varied across place (urban/rural), sex, age group, and geographic location (province) between 2006 and 2016, revealing large urban-rural and provincial disparities, and illuminating pedestrians as the most vulnerable road users. Deaths among occupants of cars and three-wheeled motor vehicles respectively constituted 53% and 20% of total occupant mortality from road traffic crashes between 2006 and 2016. Interpretation: Despite the continuous and substantial decrease since 2011, road traffic mortality is unlikely to reach the SDGs target of halving by 2020 in China. Systematic and sustainable efforts are needed to accelerate progress in road traffic safety in China. Funding Statement: The authors state: None declared. Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Ethics Approval Satement: This analysis was approved by the ethics committee of Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University (NO.XYGW-2017-01). Data analyses were de-identified.