The International Road Traffic and Accident Database (IRTAD) has submitted latest data at the International Transport Forum (ITF), which showed that road deaths have continued to decrease, but strong disparities exist between countries.

IRTAD is a data collection maintained by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and ITF in Paris, France, covering safety data in countries within and outside of Europe.

It has been observed that road deaths declined by 42% between 2000 and 2013 in IRTAD countries.

According to the provisional data from 2014, 15 of the 28 IRTAD member countries for which figures are available managed to reduce the number of road deaths, while eight countries saw an increase.

"It is our intention to pursue our geographical expansion and to assist countries interested in building up and improving their road safety data system."

For the other countries, there was no significant change and the range was between 21% fewer road deaths and a 16% increase.

Verified data shows that the number of road fatalities has come down by 4.3% between 2013 and 2012 in the 32 IRTAD member countries.

According to IFT, the economic downturn that hit most IRTAD countries since 2008 has had a substantial impact in the reduction of fatalities.

ITF’s modelling work shows that it contributed to two-thirds of the reduction between 2008 and 2010.

IRTAD countries with lowest road mortality rates in Europe include Sweden and the UK with less than three fatalities for every 100,000 inhabitants in 2013.

IRTAD-Group chair Fred Wegman said: "The IRTAD Group is aware that its current members account for only 6% of global road fatalities, and it is our intention to pursue our geographical expansion and to assist countries interested in building up and improving their road safety data system."

Although substantial overall fatality reductions have been achieved since 2000, the pace of improvement for vulnerable road users is lower than for car occupants, according to IRTAD.

Between 2000 and 2013, fatalities among car occupants reduced by 54%, decreases were only 36% for pedestrians, 35% for cyclists and 22% for motorcyclists.