CAUSES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS

Introduction: Road traffic accidents cause significant health problems and are a major concern for the National Health System of each country. According to estimates, 1.35 million people are fatally injured in road traffic accidents every year, while approximately 3,700 people die every day in fatal accidents, of which 50% are cyclists, motorcyclists or pedestrians. The purpose of this review was to explore literature regarding the causes of road traffic accidents.Methodology: A literature review of studies published in the electronic databases PubMed and Scopus was conducted. The literature search was in English during the period 2013 to 2025. The keywords used were "road accidents, associated factors, and traffic injuries".Results: According to the literature review, a number of factors are responsible for causing road accidents, of which the most prevalent are the condition of the road network, environmental conditions, alcohol and psychotropic drug consumption, fatigue, sleep disorders, the age of drivers, low social and economic level, driving experience, the use of mobile phones, the lack of use of protective measures (seat belt, helmet), excessive speed, visual acuity and the tendency of some drivers to adopt a dangerous driving style. Conclusions: Management of road accidents requires the design of safer infrastructure, the integration of road safety features, the improvement of vehicle safety standards, the establishment and enforcement of laws regarding the main risks and public awareness.