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Motor vehicle road injuries

4Curable or preventable in mostAI-generated

Road safety tools can prevent most deaths, but access lagsAI-generated

Burden-over-time charts — how many people this disease affects and whether that number is rising or falling — are coming to this page. The treatability read, milestones, and live trial pipeline below are current.

Milestones

dot size = significance
199020002010202020251992 — Octinoxate approved (FDA)1992 — Thiosulfuric acid approved (FDA)1992 — Avobenzone approved (FDA)1995 — Dexrazoxane approved (FDA)1995 — Alendronic acid approved (FDA)1996 — Ibandronic acid approved (FDA)1996 — Cefepime approved (FDA)1998 — Perflenapent approved (FDA)2000 — Isopropyl alcohol approved (FDA)2001 — Sulfur hexafluoride approved (FDA)2001 — Eptotermin alfa approved (FDA)2001 — Zoledronic acid anhydrous approved (FDA)2002 — Dibotermin alfa approved (FDA)2004 — Pregabalin approved (FDA)2006 — Titanium dioxide approved (FDA)2006 — Zinc oxide approved (FDA)2008 — Methyl salicylate approved (FDA)2008 — Menthol approved (FDA)2009 — Autologous cultured chondrocytes approved (FDA)2009 — Capsaicin approved (FDA)2016 — Birch triterpenes approved (FDA)2020 — Flortaucipir approved (FDA)2023 — Beremagene geperpavec approved (FDA)
1992: Drug approval — Octinoxate approved (FDA). 1992: Drug approval — Thiosulfuric acid approved (FDA). 1992: Drug approval — Avobenzone approved (FDA). 1995: Drug approval — Dexrazoxane approved (FDA). 1995: Drug approval — Alendronic acid approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Ibandronic acid approved (FDA). 1996: Drug approval — Cefepime approved (FDA). 1998: Drug approval — Perflenapent approved (FDA). 2000: Drug approval — Isopropyl alcohol approved (FDA). 2001: Drug approval — Sulfur hexafluoride approved (FDA). 2001: Drug approval — Eptotermin alfa approved (FDA). 2001: Drug approval — Zoledronic acid anhydrous approved (FDA). 2002: Drug approval — Dibotermin alfa approved (FDA). 2004: Drug approval — Pregabalin approved (FDA). 2006: Drug approval — Titanium dioxide approved (FDA). 2006: Drug approval — Zinc oxide approved (FDA). 2008: Drug approval — Methyl salicylate approved (FDA). 2008: Drug approval — Menthol approved (FDA). 2009: Drug approval — Autologous cultured chondrocytes approved (FDA). 2009: Drug approval — Capsaicin approved (FDA). 2016: Drug approval — Birch triterpenes approved (FDA). 2020: Drug approval — Flortaucipir approved (FDA). 2023: Drug approval — Beremagene geperpavec approved (FDA)

What's being tested now

2000: 1 trials started2001: 1 trials started2002: 2 trials started2003: 1 trials started2004: 4 trials started2005: 2 trials started2006: 1 trials started2007: 3 trials started2008: 2 trials started2009: 2 trials started2010: 6 trials started2011: 8 trials started2012: 10 trials started2013: 16 trials started2014: 20 trials started2015: 13 trials started2016: 25 trials started2017: 49 trials started2018: 54 trials started2019: 89 trials started2020: 88 trials started2021: 205 trials started2022: 235 trials started2023: 393 trials started2024: 720 trials started2025: 975 trials started2026: 948 trials started2000201020202026975

Trials started per year, stacked by phase (darker = later phase). Source: ClinicalTrials.gov via Clin2, which tracks studies recruiting in recent years — early years undercount.

See all 3599 active Abdominal Injury trials on Clin2 →

Where we are

AI-generated

Road traffic injuries are largely preventable with proven measures such as seatbelts, helmets, and speed control. When crashes happen, timely trauma care can treat many injuries, though severe cases still lead to disability or death. Globally, road deaths have been rising in some regions but have stabilized or fallen in many high-income countries over recent decades, thanks to stronger laws and safer infrastructure. The most important milestone is the widespread adoption of seatbelt laws, beginning in the 1960s, which dramatically cut fatalities. Research continues, with thousands of trials underway to improve vehicle safety and emergency response. Yet prevention tools are not equally available everywhere, and progress depends on political will and investment.

Can road traffic deaths really be prevented?
Yes, in most cases. Proven measures like seatbelts, helmets, speed limits, and safe road design can prevent a large share of deaths and serious injuries. These tools work, but they must be enforced and accessible to all road users.
Are road deaths increasing or decreasing worldwide?
Trends vary. Many high-income countries have reduced road deaths over the past few decades through stronger safety laws and better infrastructure. However, some low- and middle-income countries are seeing increases as motorization grows.
What is the most important advance in road safety?
The introduction and enforcement of seatbelt laws is a landmark milestone. Seatbelts reduce the risk of death for front-seat occupants by about half. Their widespread adoption has saved millions of lives since the 1960s.
What does the research pipeline focus on?
Current research includes vehicle crashworthiness, automated emergency braking, road design, and trauma care improvements. Thousands of trials are underway, but translating findings into real-world safety depends on policy and public adoption.
Why do some countries still have high road death rates?
Access to proven safety measures is uneven. Many low-income countries lack seatbelt enforcement, safe roads, and timely emergency care. Closing these gaps requires investment and political commitment, not just new technology.

Related

Pedestrian road injuriesCyclist road injuriesMotorcyclist road injuriesOther road injuries

Burden estimates: IHME Global Burden of Disease Study. Drug indications: ChEMBL (CC BY-SA). Trial data: ClinicalTrials.gov via Clin2. Velocity, acceleration, and turning points are computed by Clin2 — how this page is made. Treatability describes what medicine can do, not what is available everywhere. This page describes populations, not people, and is not medical advice.