China's death toll on road rank highest worldwide

BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The death toll on China's roads since 1987 has remained the highest in the world, according to new statistics from China Automotive Technology Research Center (CATRC).

"The government should attach greater efforts to publicizing the importance of road safety and improving people's safety consciousness," Zhao Hang, CATRC director, said on weekend.

According to the center, 81,649 people died last year in 327, 209 road accident. In addition, 380,442 were hurt.

The fatalities per 10,000 vehicles on Chinese roads were 5.1 persons last year. The figure was down from 6.2 persons in 2006.

In 1999, fatalities per 10,000 vehicles were 2.0 in the United States, 2.5 in France and 1.3 in Japan. The number, at the time, in China was 15.45.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, around 110,000 people have died in road accidents annually since 2002. About 300 die each day with 1,500 seriously injured.