The latest Global Status Report from the World Health Organization, released in December 2018, showed that about 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes around the world. About 93% of the world’s fatalities on the road occur in low- and middle-income nations, according to the report.
To determine the countries with the most traffic deaths, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on traffic fatalities by country in 2019, using the World Health Organization data repository. Countries were ranked by per-capita traffic fatalities. Data on the estimated number of traffic deaths also came from the WHO. We used the two figures to calculate country populations.
Road injuries are the seventh-leading cause of death in low-income countries. The WHO identified the leading risk factors as speeding; driving under the influence of alcohol and psychoactive substances; nonuse of helmets, seat belts, and child restraints; distracted driving such as cell-phone use; unsafe road infrastructure; unsound vehicles; inadequate care after an accident; and no enforcement of traffic laws. (These are the states where drunk driving causes the most accidents.)
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among children and young adults aged 5-29 years, according to WHO. About three-quarters of all road traffic deaths occur among males under the age of 25. More than half of all road traffic fatalities are among the most vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. (These are the best and worst states for teen drivers.)
Of the 50 countries with the highest road traffic fatalities per capita, 41 are in Africa. Six nations in Asia are also among the 50 countries on the list. Eleven of the 50 countries recorded annual traffic fatalities of 10,000 people or more in 2019. Among the countries on the list, road traffic deaths per capita range from 24 per 100,000 people to nearly 65 per 100,000.
Ethiopia, the most populous nation on the list with more than 111 million people, had the highest number of road traffic deaths in 2019, at 31,564, but ranked 35th in road traffic deaths per capita, with 28 per 100,000. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a population of nearly 87 million people, was the only other country on the list with road traffic deaths of more than 30,000 in 2019. With nearly 35 road traffic deaths per 100,000 people, the DRC ranks 10th by this measure.
Vietnam had the highest number of annual road traffic deaths of any Asian country with 29,475, though it was not the deadliest with 30.6 road traffic deaths per 100,000 people. Thailand, with a population of almost 70 million, was the deadliest nation in Asia, recording 32.2 road traffic deaths per 100,000.
Click here to see countries with the most dangerous roads
Source: miniloc / Getty Images
50. Ivory Coast
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 24.1 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 6,202
> Est. population: 25,734,440
[in-text-ad]
49. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 24.2 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 6,210
> Est. population: 25,661,157
Source: HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images
48. Niger
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 25.5 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 5,946
> Est. population: 23,317,647
Source: HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images
47. Mauritania
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 25.6 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 1,158
> Est. population: 4,523,438
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Melikae Sinika / iStock via Getty Images
46. Ghana
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 25.7 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 7,808
> Est. population: 30,381,323
Source: Luke Dray / Getty Images News via Getty Images
45. Angola
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 26.1 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 8,317
> Est. population: 31,865,900
[in-text-ad]
Source: poco_bw / iStock via Getty Images
44. Botswana
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 26.4 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 608
> Est. population: 2,303,030
24/7 Wall St.
Source: mbrand85 / iStock via Getty Images
43. Comoros
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 26.6 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 226
> Est. population: 849,624
Source: Martchan / iStock via Getty Images
42. Sudan
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 26.8 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 11,459
> Est. population: 42,757,463
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: cinoby / E+ via Getty Images
41. Cabo Verde
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 26.8 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 147
> Est. population: 548,507
Source: peeterv / E+ via Getty Images
40. Benin
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 26.8 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 3,162
> Est. population: 11,798,507
[in-text-ad]
Source: vestica / iStock via Getty Images
39. Equatorial Guinea
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 27.2 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 368
> Est. population: 1,352,941
24/7 Wall St.
Source: HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images
38. Iraq
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 27.3 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 10,726
> Est. population: 39,289,377
Source: Andrew Renneisen / Getty Images News via Getty Images
37. Somalia
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 27.4 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 4,231
> Est. population: 15,441,606
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Rui T Guedes / iStock via Getty Images
36. Sao Tome and Principe
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 27.9 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 60
> Est. population: 215,054
Source: derejeb / iStock via Getty Images
35. Ethiopia
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 28.2 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 31,564
> Est. population: 111,929,078
[in-text-ad]
Source: Jennifer Watson / iStock via Getty Images
34. Kenya
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 28.3 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 14,883
> Est. population: 52,590,106
Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
33. Togo
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 28.7 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 2,316
> Est. population: 8,069,686
Source: dennisvdw / iStock via Getty Images
32. Madagascar
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 29.2 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 7,880
> Est. population: 26,986,301
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: ugurhan / E+ via Getty Images
31. Yemen
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 29.4 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 8,561
> Est. population: 29,119,048
Source: Vagabondering Andy - Andy Doyle / iStock via Getty Images
30. Uganda
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 29.4 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 13,012
> Est. population: 44,258,503
[in-text-ad]
Source: stellalevi / E+ via Getty Images
29. Rwanda
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 29.4 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 3,718
> Est. population: 12,646,259
24/7 Wall St.
28. Gambia
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 29.6 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 695
> Est. population: 2,347,973
Source: viti / iStock via Getty Images
27. Guinea
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 29.7 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 3,788
> Est. population: 12,754,209
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: guenterguni / E+ via Getty Images
26. Congo
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 29.7 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 1,598
> Est. population: 5,380,471
Source: NAPA74 / iStock via Getty Images
25. Saint Lucia
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 29.8 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 55
> Est. population: 184,564
[in-text-ad]
Source: Jacek_Sopotnicki / iStock via Getty Images
24. Mozambique
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 30.0 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 9,117
> Est. population: 30,390,000
Source: HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images
23. Cameroon
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 30.2 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 7,810
> Est. population: 25,860,927
Source: LordRunar / E+ via Getty Images
22. Vietnam
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 30.6 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 29,475
> Est. population: 96,323,529
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
21. Burkina Faso
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 31.0 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 6,303
> Est. population: 20,332,258
Source: Thinkstock
20. United Republic of Tanzania
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 31.1 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 18,054
> Est. population: 58,051,447
[in-text-ad]
Source: BartCo / E+ via Getty Images
19. Lesotho
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 31.9 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 678
> Est. population: 2,125,392
Source: tawanlubfah / iStock via Getty Images
18. Thailand
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 32.2 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 22,428
> Est. population: 69,652,174
Source: Siempreverde22 / Getty Images
17. Guinea-Bissau
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 32.2 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 619
> Est. population: 1,922,360
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: guenterguni / E+ via Getty Images
16. Chad
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 32.4 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 5,171
> Est. population: 15,959,877
Source: Fosna / iStock via Getty Images
15. Tonga
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 33.0 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 34
> Est. population: 103,030
[in-text-ad]
Source: Abenaa / iStock via Getty Images
14. Sierra Leone
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 33.0 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 2,581
> Est. population: 7,821,212
Source: Nikada / E+ via Getty Images
13. Malawi
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 33.4 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 6,221
> Est. population: 18,625,749
Source: mbrand85 / iStock via Getty Images
12. Eswatini
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 33.5 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 384
> Est. population: 1,146,269
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Nate Hovee / iStock via Getty Images
11. Namibia
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 34.8 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 868
> Est. population: 2,494,253
Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
10. Democratic Republic of the Congo
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 34.9 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 30,256
> Est. population: 86,693,410
[in-text-ad]
Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
9. Burundi
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 35.5 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 4,089
> Est. population: 11,518,310
24/7 Wall St.
Source: MOHAMED HUSSAIN YOUNIS / iStock via Getty Images
8. Saudi Arabia
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 35.9 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 12,317
> Est. population: 34,309,192
Source: Phototreat / iStock via Getty Images
7. South Sudan
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 36.7 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 4,063
> Est. population: 11,070,845
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: ANDREYGUDKOV / iStock via Getty Images
6. Central African Republic
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 37.7 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 1,790
> Est. population: 4,748,011
Source: hugy / iStock via Getty Images
5. Eritrea
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 37.9 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 1,326
> Est. population: 3,498,681
[in-text-ad]
Source: jbdodane / iStock via Getty Images
4. Liberia
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 38.9 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 1,920
> Est. population: 4,935,733
Source: DouglasOlivares / iStock via Getty Images
3. Venezuela
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 39.0 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 11,127
> Est. population: 28,530,769
Source: Sproetniek / iStock via Getty Images
2. Zimbabwe
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 41.2 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 6,037
> Est. population: 14,652,913
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: valio84sl / iStock via Getty Images
1. Dominican Republic
> Road traffic deaths per capita: 64.6 per 100,000
> Number of annual road traffic deaths: 6,937
> Est. population: 10,738,390
Sponsored: Want to Retire Early? Here’s a Great First Step
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
