Do you really think Mexican roads are safer, GR?
According to the World Health Organisation, traffic-related road deaths are lower in the UK than Germany, Australia, Canada and the USA. The figures for 2008 read:
UK: 5.4 per 100,000 population/6.3 per 1 billion vehicle km, Germany 6.2/7.4, Australia 7.7/7.9, Canada 9.1/9.2 and USA 14.7/9.0 .
The most recent (WHO) figures I could find for Mexico were 16.1 deaths per 100,000 population in 2005. Unless they've radically improved they probably still lag behind Europe and the developed world, for precisely the reasons you describe.
Your point about taking speed off road is well taken, but many sports bike owners in the UK are already track day fiends. I think the very fact that a death on the road still makes headlines in the UK probably shows how rare fatal accidents are over here, rather than how common.
Posted: 20/08/2009 at 23:09
