Sources of information about road traffic accidents and recording road traffic Injuries in Russia

Abstract

The problem of motor vehicle injuries in Russia nowadays is a common topic of discussion. Motor vehicle accidents as a cause of death are among the most significant causes of premature mortality in Russia. Motor vehicle accidents, the cause of 26,977 deaths in 2013, are an important public health problem, the leading cause of death among young working-age people. In addition to these deaths, annually about 250 thousand people are seriously injured and need hospital treatment. This puts a serious burden on the healthcare system, which must provide medical care for injuries while at the same time solving other priority problems.

This paper is devoted to an analysis of the statistical sources of information about road traffic accidents in Russia. The author analyzes Russian and international approaches to the organization of statistics about road traffic accidents. An evaluation is presented of the undercounting of road traffic accidents with injured people and the underestimation of its impact in Russia. Recommendations are made on how to record and compare information from different sources about road traffic accidents.