Road Traffic Injury Prevention and Control

Road traffic injuries continue to be a pressing global public health concern, causing significant loss of life, disability, and economic burden. They are a leading cause of death in children and young adults, with low- and middle-income countries being disproportionally affected. Non-fatal road traffic injuries are a major cause of disability, affecting millions of people every year. Further, when considering treatment costs, time taken off from work, and other expenses, road traffic injuries cause substantial financial loss, costing most countries 3% or more of their gross domestic product.

To address this critical issue, Frontiers in Public Health is pleased to announce a Research Topic dedicated to comprehensive research in the field of road traffic injury prevention and control. This research topic aims to provide an extensive and intensive compilation of critical research that summarizes state-of-the-art knowledge, identifies research gaps, and proposes recommendations for future research and practice.

We encourage authors to submit manuscripts that cover a wide range of topics related to road traffic injuries, including but not limited to:

• theoretical perspectives about the mechanism of road traffic injury occurrence, prevention, and control

• severity and trends: analyzing the global burden of road traffic injuries, patterns, and trends across different populations and regions, particularly for vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists

• protective and risk factors: examining the role of influencing factors of road traffic injuries, including social determinants, environmental factors, engineering factors, and human behaviors

• interventions and policies: evaluating the effectiveness of various road safety interventions, strategies, and policies aimed at preventing road traffic injuries, such as infrastructure improvements, traffic regulations, educational campaigns, and enforcement measures

• technical innovation: reviewing the latest advancements in vehicle safety technologies, intelligent transportation systems, and innovative approaches to improve road safety and reduce the severity of injuries in the event of a crash

• pre-hospital medical aid and trauma care: evaluating the current state of pre-hospital medical care, emergency response systems, trauma care protocols, and rehabilitation services, with a focus on identifying gaps and areas for improvement.