Road traffic mortality in China: analysis of national surveillance data from 2006 to 2016

Lijun Wang; Peishan Ning; Peng Yin; Peixia Cheng; David C Schwebel; Jiangmei Liu; Yue Wu; Yunning Liu; Jinlei Qi; Xinying Zeng; Maigeng Zhou; Guoqing Hu

doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30057-X

Road traffic mortality in China: analysis of national surveillance data from 2006 to 2016

Lancet Public Health. 2019 May;4(5):e245-e255. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30057-X.

Authors

Lijun Wang¹, Peishan Ning², Peng Yin¹, Peixia Cheng², David C Schwebel³, Jiangmei Liu¹, Yue Wu⁴, Yunning Liu¹, Jinlei Qi¹, Xinying Zeng¹, Maigeng Zhou¹, Guoqing Hu⁵

Affiliations

¹ National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
² Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
⁴ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China. Electronic address: huguoqing009@gmail.com.

PMID: 31054642
DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30057-X

Abstract

Background: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.6 is to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2020. We aimed to investigate progress in reducing mortality rates from road traffic injury in China from 2006 to 2016.

Methods: We obtained data from national disease surveillance points. Crude and age-standardised mortality were calculated, with SEs. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to examine and quantify trends in overall and subgroup road traffic mortality from 2006 to 2016. Subgroup analyses were done by place (urban and rural), sex, age group, geographical location (province), and road user, and by type of vehicle for motor vehicle occupant deaths.

Findings: In 2016 in China, crude road traffic mortality was 11·0 (SE 0·11) deaths per 100 000 population. Overall age-adjusted road traffic mortality increased from 12·6 (SE 0·03) deaths per 100 000 population in 2006 to 15·5 (0·03) deaths per 100 000 population in 2011 then decreased to 10·4 (0·03) deaths per 100 000 population in 2016. Subgroup mortality rates generally followed similar trends. Males, older adults, and rural areas consistently had higher road traffic mortality rates than did females, younger people, and urban areas. Mortality changes varied across urban and rural areas and by sex, age group, and province between 2006 and 2016, revealing large urban-rural and provincial disparities and highlighting pedestrians as the most vulnerable road users. Deaths among occupants of cars and three-wheeled motor vehicles constituted 48% and 20%, respectively, of total occupant mortality from road traffic accidents between 2006 and 2016.

Interpretation: Despite a substantial decrease in road traffic mortality since 2011, the SDG target to halve deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2020 is unlikely to be reached in China. Systematic and sustainable efforts are needed to accelerate progress in road traffic safety in China.

Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Accidents, Traffic / mortality*
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
China / epidemiology
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Middle Aged
Population Surveillance*
Young Adult