Road injury prevention in China: current state and future challenges

Abstract

In just a few decades, China has undergone probably the fastest motorization of a transportation system in history. Now possessing the longest roadway network and the highest volume of car sales in the world, China has also faced major public health impacts from adopting automobiles, including air pollution and traffic fatalities. This paper synthesizes various sources to present the challenges to road safety in China. The country’s rapid development expresses many patterns and features familiar to developed nations, such as declining urban density, increased use of sport utility vehicles, and strict drunk-driving laws. It also mirrors patterns familiar to developing nations—high-fatality rates for pedestrians and nondrivers, low salaries and corruption among police officers, and infrequent seat-belt use. Despite these similarities, China also exhibits particular attributes, such as a nationwide cadre evaluation system and tightly controlled media organization, which influence the traffic risks that receive national attention.