Pattern Analysis of Traffic Mortality in Two Contexts: Differences between Brazil and Spain

In 2009, more than 37 thousand Brazilians died due to traffic accidents. Of these, 35% were between 15 and 29 years old and 81.5% were men. The number of people who lose their lives in traffic accidents is rising since the beginning of the 2000´s.
Meanwhile, the mortality by this cause is declining in developed countries. Until the end of 1980´s, the pattern of deaths by traffic accidents in Spain had similarities with the one observed for Brazil. In 1989, the country invested in traffic security and mortality fell from 18.8 to 6.65 deaths / 100.000 persons in 2009. In Brazil, this rate went from 22.22 in 1990 to 20.11 deaths / 100.000 persons in 2009 (rates standardized by the Spanish population in 1981).
The aim of this article is to analyze the characteristics and changes in the patterns of traffic mortality in both countries.