Pedestrian fatality in global context: Economic growth, urbanization, and the role of inequality

Background Pedestrian mortality remains an underemphasized component of worldwide health disparity, specifically affecting vulnerable populations within rapidly transforming urban areas. Understanding the socioeconomic determinants of these issues is crucial to addressing the health effects of urbanization and inequality. Methods This study examines the effects of income inequality, economic growth, and urbanization on pedestrian fatality rates using panel data from 152 countries over 1996–2021. Fixed-effects negative-binomial panel regression models estimate the long-run and non-linear effects across different income groups. Findings The result shows divergent development paths. In middle- and high-income countries, pedestrian mortality follows a Kuznets-type trajectory—rising and then falling with economic growth. In low-income countries, there is a U-pattern, where initial progress in safety is undermined by unplanned urbanization and institutional vulnerability to crisis. Income inequality invariably increases risk in all environments. Interpretation Economic growth alone does not guarantee safe mobility. Pedestrian safety depends on equitable urban governance, redistributive infrastructure investment, and the integration of transport and health systems that prioritize vulnerable road users. Pedestrian fatality thus reflects systemic inequity and global health inequity—an urgent challenge to achieving the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal of halving road fatalities by 2030.

Text 124033.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (1MB) Official URL or Download Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...

Actions (login required)

View Item