According to a report issued by the Campaign for Global Road Safety, someone is killed or seriously injured in a traffic accident every six seconds. In addition, some 3,500 people are killed in car crashes every day. This means traffic fatalities are a global epidemic on par with malaria and tuberculosis, according to the report.

Every year, some 1.3 million road deaths happen globally, and they are the No. 1 global cause of deaths for young people aged between 10 to 24. Approximately 260,000 children die in car accidents annually, according to the World Health Organization.

"The epidemic has reached crisis proportions," wrote Kevin Watkins, a Brooklings Institute researcher who authored the report. He commented that the problem is set to become worse in the years ahead. That is not hard to comprehend as countries such as China are experiencing rapid growth in vehicle sales.

"There are no surprises or hidden magic bullets for tackling the road traffic injury crisis," Watkins wrote. "Vehicles need to be separated from vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists."

Measures that could be taken to improve the situation include providing dedicated bicycle lanes and public education. In Singapore, we have the Singapore Road Safety Council (SRSC) which holds road safety campaigns through the year.