2006年VOA标准英语-Traffic Death Toll Climbing in Developing

By David McAlary
Washington
05 May 2006

A school bus and a truck stand on the street in the German town of Senden   
  
Economic modernization¹ is the path toward healthier, longer lives, but it has a deadly unintended consequence, a sharp rise in traffic deaths. Developing countries are suffering an epidemic² in highway fatalities³ and injuries.

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The worldwide highway death toll⁴ rivals that caused by some infectious diseases. The International Federation⁵ of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies calls the situation a worsening disaster destroying lives and livelihoods⁶, and hampering⁷ development.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says more than one million people die and 50 million are hurt in road crashes every year at an estimated cost of more than $500 billion. The agency says that without appropriate action, road traffic casualties will rise 66 percent by 2020 to become the third leading contributor to the global burden of disease, up from the ninth position in 1990.

The problem is in the developing world, where the economic cost is expected to exceed the foreign aid they get.  University of Sydney public health professor Robyn Norton says traffic deaths in industrial nations are predicted to decline nearly 30 percent by 2020, but China, for example, could have almost twice as many as now and India two-and-a-half times more.

"You see the demise⁸ of the bicycle in China and the rise of the motor vehicle. It's dramatic. So it's not surprising that we're on the start of what will be a major epidemic," she said.

Although automobile⁹ casualties are rising on developing nation roads, the most vulnerable highway travelers are still those on foot or two wheels. In an article in the medical journal "Lancet," Norton and colleagues from the University of Auckland and Mexico's National Public Health Institute cite studies showing that motorcyclists and bicyclists have high injury rates in Asia, while pedestrians¹⁰ are the most often hurt in Africa.

A 2004 World Health Organization report and the subsequent collaboration¹¹ of 42 agencies worldwide led the United Nations General Assembly to pass a road safety resolution last year. It recommends implementing¹² the health agency's report and observing the first global road safety week next April.

"What has happened over the last couple of years has been an incredible about face, increasing recognition. Governments are now starting to recognize that this is an issue, but I still don't think people appreciate the extent of the epidemic," she added.

The World Health Organization recommends that low and middle income nations adopt road safety practices that have lowered traffic casualties in rich countries in recent decades, despite increases in the number of drivers and motor vehicles.

Norton says isolated¹³ experiences show that they can be transferred. Introducing speed bumps in Ghana cut traffic deaths in half. Use of daytime running lights on motorcycles reduced fatal crashes in Singapore 15 percent. Other successful measures include graduated driver licensing¹⁴ systems for teenagers and installation of seat belts.

"We know, again, that seat belts and other protective measures are very effective in reducing morbidity¹⁵ and mortality in road traffic crashes, but in many low and middle income countries, seat belts are not even fitted into cars," she explained.

Norton and her Mexican and New Zealand co-researchers also call for nations to establish programs to monitor their particular patterns of highway accidents and to track how preventive strategies work.

"Aspirations¹⁶ for cars are part of what people see as their right, but it does come with a price," she said.

1 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

2 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

3 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

5 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

6 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

7 hampering   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• So fraud on cows and development aid is seriously hampering growth. 因此在牛问题上和发展补助上的诈骗严重阻碍了发展。
• Short-termism, carbon-trading, disputing the science-are hampering the implementation of direct economically-led objectives. 短效主义，出售二氧化碳，进行科学辩论，这些都不利于实现以经济为主导的直接目标。

8 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

9 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

10 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

12 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

13 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

14 licensing   

v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A large part of state regulation consists of occupational licensing. 大部分州的管理涉及行业的特许批准。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• That licensing procedures for projects would move faster. 这样的工程批准程序一定会加快。 来自辞典例句

15 morbidity   

n.病态；不健全；发病；发病率

参考例句：

• MC's also significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality induced by honeybee venom. 肥大细胞同样也能显著降低蜜蜂毒液诱发疾病的发病率和死亡率。 来自互联网
• The result shows that incidence of myopia morbidity is 44.84%. 结果表明：近视眼的发病率为44.84%。 来自互联网

16 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。