BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Road traffic injuries contribute significantly to the burden of disease and mortality throughout the world, but particularly in developing countries (Ameratunga & Norton, 2006; Mohan, 2002; Nantulya & Reich, 2002). Currently Road traffic injuries are ranked ninth globally among the leading causes of disability adjusted life years lost. It has been predicted that by 2020, they will rank as high as third among causes of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost (Peden & Krug, 2002). Worldwide it is estimated that, 1.2 million people are killed in road crashes each year and as many as 50 million are injured (Peden, McGee & Krug, 2002). With increasing modernization in many developing countries, road traffic deaths are increasing and traffic deaths are projected to become the third most important health problem by 2020 (Odero & Zwi, 1997; Murray,1996; Jacobs & Astrop, 2000). The road traffic injury mortality rate is highest in Africa (28.3 per 100,000 population) when corrected for under-reporting, compared with 11.0 per 100,000 in Europe (Peden & Krug, 2002). Also the number of vehicles per inhabitant is still low in Africa: less than one licensed vehicle per 100 inhabitants in low-income Africa versus one licensed vehicle per 60 in high-income countries (Peden & Krug, 2002). Road crashes are the second leading cause of death globally among young people aged 5 to 29 and the third leading cause of death among people aged 30 to 44 years (WHO, 2004). Road crashes kill 1.2 million people every year and injure or disable as many as 50 million more. Without immediate action to improve road safety, it is estimated that road traffic deaths will increase by 80% in low and middle-income countries by 2020 (WHO, 2004).