Economic growth means more road injuries in less developed countries, but fewer in those which are highly developed

Many studies have shown that there is a u-shaped relationship between road deaths and economic growth, with fatalities increasing and then decreasing as economic growth rises. In new research, Law Teik Hua finds that this relationship also holds for non-fatal road injuries in developed countries, but not in countries which are developing. He writes that an increasingly urban population, more road vehicles, and a greater number of elderly people were all likely to decrease the number of road injuries in developed countries, but do the opposite in developing countries.