Traffic Deaths In Argentina
Argentina has about five times more traffic-related deaths per year than the U.S., as a percentage of cars on the road. Each year around 7,000 people die as a result of bad driving in Argentina. Last year, there were 1,080 deaths for every 1 million vehicles. This is according to Luchemos Por La Vida, a non-profit group that tries to improve road safety through education.
A relatively small percentage of Argentina’s traffic fatalities occur in the City of Buenos Aires (just over 3% last year). The rest take place in the provinces. Buenos Aires Province is by far the most dangerous. Last year it accounted for 3,062, or 40% of all traffic deaths.
Argentina’s traffic problems seem fairly mundane compared with related trouble in China and India, where drivers are even more aggressive. But compared with countries like the U.S. and Spain, Argentina’s troubles really standout. The U.S. had 198 deaths per million vehicles last year while Spain had just 148.
Spain has made remarkable progress in reducing the number of traffic-related deaths while Argentina has made almost none. In 1975, for example, 760 Spaniards died for every million vehicles on the road. That number has dropped annually to 148 last year. In Argentina, where the data go back only to 1989, the number of deaths has remained relatively steady, except for a peak of 1,450 deaths.
In addition to death, more than 120,000 people are left paralyzed or seriously injured every year because of car accidents. If you’re interested in the topic, check out a three minute “Traffic in Argentina” video I posted on Scooping Argentina.
UPDATE: A reader helpfully submitted a link to UN data that indicate Argentina’s traffic fatalities may be substantially lower than the figures presented by Luchemos Por La Vida. Here is the link. You’ll have to scroll around a bit and search. Please see the commentaries below for more about this.
Good post Taos. One needs to keep in mind that U.S. and Spain (the countries that you compare Argentina to) are developed, industrialized countries. I love Argentina but one needs to recognize Argentina is lagging behind in many areas. Traffic is just one of them. That being said, the light you are shedding on this problem is much appreciated.
Ramiro
wwww.americanvillero.blogspot.com
This has nothing to do with the post (a good post, indeed).
I like your blog. I guess you select and describe Argentina, and i have to say you do it well.
I’d like to see a tango post, a music post. I’d also like to see your opinion about argentinians, a general view of them. I’m just asking for this, if you want to do this it would be great.
Finally, do you feel more “argentinean” since you moved here? how do you feel, like an outsider or almost a native?
thanks for everything, keep writing…
That source you use, “luchemos por la vida”, says there were 7071 deaths from traffic accidents in 2001 in Argentina:
http://www.luchemos.org.ar/ingles/index.htm
That differs from the WHO report, that says there was only 3377
http://www.who.int/whosis/database/mort/table1_process.cfm
Don’t know which one is right; but I know which one I believe, that would be the one that is NOT promoting traffic safety and has nothing to gain by distorting facts.
To Anónimo,
RE: The accuracy of traffic fatality data.
You raise a good point about the statistics here. As a journalist, it is always a challenge to get accurate and unbiased information. In this case, it’s hard to know which set of data is more complete, most objective and most reliable. Had I found the UN data when I did this post, I would have included it in the story, so thank you for the link (even though it seems to have gotten cut off).
I’m not sure I’d agree that the UN data is necessarily unbiased, however. This is not to say that it isn’t objective. But contrary to what you wrote, the UN DOES promote traffic safety around the world and this is one of the reasons it compiles such data.
I wish I could provide you with a more precise look at how the data were compiled and measured by both groups. In any case, the data, whichever you choose to believe, ought to serve as a motivation to improve traffic conditions in Argentina. Whatever the case, far too many lives are lost due to careless driving.
It could even be that both sets of data are inaccurate, but that wouldn’t deny the reality that drivers education is virtually non-existent here or that traffic laws are flagrantly violated every minute of every hour of every day.
BTW, if you can, please send the link again. I’ll include it in the post.
Cheers,
TAP
HELLO,
I am asking for information on a car accident about 3 weeks ago. Fatalities included 4 young men from the Buenos Aires area: Jason Brent; Rob Brent; Joshua Hutchinson; and Diego Garcia. I was so stunned about the news and would like to pay my respects in some way.
Thank you for your kind attention,
Barry Eysman
is it possible to see the list of names of traffic accident in march. they lived in buenos aires? see above
the only way i have found to remember my friends is here. i send this link to a story of JASE and me. I just want to have this little mirror reflecting connections to make missing him slightly more bearable, that is the only reason for this,
http://www.amazon.com/JASE-ebook/dp/B004U357SI/ref=sr_1_44?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301319020&sr=1-44
WITH LOVE
BARRY