Each year, more than 1.3 million people around the world die from road traffic crashes, with the vast majority of these fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Photo by AI
Each year, more than 1.3 million people around the world die from road traffic crashes, with the vast majority of these fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
Africa, home to just 3% of the world’s vehicles, accounts for more than 20% of global road deaths.
Behind these statistics are countless personal tragedies: a mother lost on her commute, a child struck while walking to school, a breadwinner killed on a motorbike.
But a new wave of road safety reforms is changing the narrative, and Bloomberg Philanthropies is helping lead that change.
“Road traffic crashes are the leading killer of people aged 5 to 29 globally,” notes the Bloomberg Philanthropies Annual Report 2024–2025. “More than 90 percent of traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.”
Among the success stories is Ethiopia, where Bloomberg Philanthropies has partnered with government agencies, city planners, and civil society to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries.
It’s part of a broader effort to make streets safer in more than 30 countries worldwide, with African cities increasingly taking center stage.
The Ethiopian Example: A Model for Urban Safety
In Ethiopia, the government has worked with Bloomberg-supported partners to enforce safer speed limits, redesign dangerous roads, and promote helmet and seatbelt use.
These aren’t abstract policies; they’re real changes that have saved lives in urban centers like Addis Ababa and beyond.
“In Ethiopia, Bloomberg Philanthropies has worked with partners to design safer streets and strengthen traffic enforcement,” the report states.
Through programs such as speed calming measures, school zone protections, and better crosswalk design, the initiative has helped reduce pedestrian injuries, a major cause of trauma in the region.
Pedestrians account for more than 40% of road traffic deaths in some African cities.
This work is grounded in local partnerships. Urban planners, traffic police, and engineers collaborate to identify black spots and redesign them based on real-time crash data.
Public awareness campaigns target risky behaviors like speeding and drunk driving, while legal reforms strengthen penalties for traffic violations.
Why Africa’s Roads Are So Dangerous
Africa’s road safety crisis is the result of a deadly combination: weak enforcement, poor road design, limited driver training, and rapid urbanization.
In many African cities, roads are built for vehicles, not people, even though most people walk, cycle, or use motorcycles to get around.
Sidewalks are rare. Zebra crossings are faded or ignored. Enforcement of seatbelt and helmet laws is inconsistent. And public transport is often unregulated or unsafe.
In such environments, the most vulnerable road users, children, the elderly, pedestrians, and motorcyclists, pay the highest price.
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ approach addresses these risks head-on through data-driven interventions and evidence-based policy reform.
“Our initiative focuses on five proven strategies: improving road design, strengthening traffic laws, increasing enforcement, raising public awareness, and collecting reliable data,” the report explains.
The Power of Policy and Partnership
Bloomberg Philanthropies doesn’t act alone.
Its Global Road Safety program is delivered in partnership with the World Health Organization, World Bank’s Global Road Safety Facility, Vital Strategies, Global Designing Cities Initiative, and other international and local actors.
The initiative provides funding, technical expertise, and political support to help countries implement what the report calls “life-saving policies.”
This includes laws requiring helmets and seatbelts, setting drink-driving limits, and managing vehicle speeds.
Critically, it also supports cities to redesign streets, using urban planning principles that prioritize safety and access for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Through partnerships with local governments, we help redesign roads to make them safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike,” the report adds.
In Africa, this work has extended beyond Ethiopia to countries like Ghana and Uganda, where urban transport challenges mirror those in Addis Ababa.
These partnerships often begin with demonstration projects, safer crossings near schools, for example, le that later inform national strategies.
Enforcement Saves Lives
One of the most effective yet politically sensitive tools in Bloomberg’s road safety toolbox is enhanced law enforcement.
In low- and middle-income countries, traffic laws often exist but are poorly enforced, either due to limited resources, corruption, or a lack of public awareness.
To address this, Bloomberg partners with local police agencies to train officers, provides them with equipment, and develops data systems to monitor their progress.
The approach is not punitive but preventive, aimed at reducing dangerous behaviors before they lead to tragedy.
In Ethiopia, targeted enforcement of speed limits and helmet laws has significantly increased compliance, especially in urban areas.
Combined with safer infrastructure and behavior change campaigns, these efforts contribute to a measurable drop in injuries and deaths.
“In cities around the world, our work has led to stronger laws and enforcement, safer infrastructure, and more data on what causes crashes,” the report notes.
From Cities to Countries: Scaling What Works
The Bloomberg model emphasizes scaling proven solutions.
What begins as a city-level project, like traffic calming in Addis Ababa, influences national road safety standards, transportation budgets, and vehicle regulations.
This is especially important in Africa, where urban populations are growing rapidly, and transportation systems are evolving faster than policies can keep up.
As new roads are built and car ownership increases, the need for proactive planning has never been greater.
Bloomberg’s strategy includes building capacity within government, training urban planners, engineers, and policymakers to design and regulate safer transport systems.
“Our goal is not just to reduce crashes today — it’s to build the local capacity needed to prevent them for decades to come,” the report emphasizes.
The Human Impact
Behind every statistic is a human story.
A teenager who survives a motorcycle crash because he wore a helmet.
A grandmother who safely crosses the street because of a new pedestrian island. A minibus full of schoolchildren arrives safely because of stricter speed enforcement.
These aren’t abstract gains. They are the direct result of smarter policies, safer infrastructure, and empowered local leadership, all backed by Bloomberg’s sustained commitment.
“Lives are being saved thanks to better laws, improved infrastructure, and stronger enforcement,” the report reflects.
What Africa Stands to Gain
Africa’s youth population is booming. The continent’s cities are expanding.
Its roads are filling with vehicles. But whether that future includes a rising tide of traffic deaths or a generation that moves safely and freely depends on decisions being made now.
Bloomberg Philanthropies has shown that with modest investment and political will, even the most dangerous streets can be transformed.
And that in turn opens the door to broader progress in education, economic mobility, and urban development.
By putting people before cars, cities like Addis Ababa are reclaiming their streets — not just for safety, but for sustainability and equity.
Source:
All statistics, quotes, and references are drawn from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Annual Report 2024–2025, pages 10–11 and 43.
