LISTENING to the BBC World Service last Sunday, I was interested to learn that the World Health Organisation has declared 2004 Road Safety Year.

UK statistics for death and injury on the roads are well documented; probably less known are the worldwide figures. The following figures are published by the WHO:

Annual road deaths worldwide are around 2.3 million (injuries around 12 million)

75 per cent of drivers both professional and private are men

75 per cent of victims are non-motorist road users; mostly women and children

Worldwide most drivers have not taken or passed a driving test.

In post-Taliban Afghanistan, car use has increased exponentially with a quantum increase in road deaths and injuries.

I wonder what world leaders would do if this carnage was caused by anything other than a motor vehicle.

Graham Horne,

Beech Avenue,

Bishopthorpe.

Updated: 11:17 Wednesday, April 21, 2004