Macroeconomic changes and educational inequalities in traffic fatalities in the Baltic countries and Finland in 2000–2015: a register-based study

Abstract

This study examined trends and inequalities in road traffic accident (RTA) mortality in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and Finland in relation to large-scale macroeconomic changes in the 2000s. Educational inequalities in RTA mortality in 2000–2003, 2004–2007, 2008–2011 and 2012–2015 among 30–74 year olds were examined using census-linked longitudinal mortality data and by estimating the relative and slope index of inequality. Overall RTA mortality decreased substantially between 2000–2003 and 2012–2015. From 2004–2007 to 2008–2011, the RTA mortality decline accelerated but was larger in the Baltic countries. Among men the RTA mortality decline was mostly driven by a larger fall among the high and middle educated. Among women, the changes in RTA mortality by educational level had no clear pattern. From 2000–2003 to 2012–2015 relative educational inequalities in RTA mortality increased among men, although more in the Baltic countries. Among women the pattern was mixed across countries. Absolute inequalities fell in all countries among both sexes. Educational inequalities in male RTA mortality may be growing because of increasingly less access to safer cars and a more hazardous driving culture among the lower educated.

Investment in roads and traffic safety: linked to economic development? A European comparison

“…They concluded that the financial intervention did not bear an impact on road safety in these five countries. Stickley et al ( 2021 ) studied educational inequalities and macroeconomic changes during the 2000s in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) and Finland. They observed that the number of deaths decreased more in the Baltic countries than in Finland.…”

On the Road to Equity: Examining Income-Related Inequalities in Ownership of Safer Vehicles

“…European studies also reveal the presence of socioeconomic inequalities in road-traffic injury and the related mortality rates (Hasselberg et al, 2005;Stickley et al, 2021). 1 Especially in light of recent technological innovations concerting vehicles safety measures, access to safer vehicles represents a key source of the observed socio-economic gradient in road accident fatalities (Harper et al, 2015;Stickley et al, 2021) along with unsafe behaviours such as drunk-driving (Impinen et al, 2011).…”

“…European studies also reveal the presence of socioeconomic inequalities in road-traffic injury and the related mortality rates (Hasselberg et al, 2005;Stickley et al, 2021). 1 Especially in light of recent technological innovations concerting vehicles safety measures, access to safer vehicles represents a key source of the observed socio-economic gradient in road accident fatalities (Harper et al, 2015;Stickley et al, 2021) along with unsafe behaviours such as drunk-driving (Impinen et al, 2011). However, probably due to the limited availability of data on vehicle characteristics, matched with individual characteristics (Anbarci et al, 2009), including socio-economic status (SES), there is a lack of empirical evidence on socioeconomic inequalities in ownership of passively safer vehicles and their main underlying sources.…”