SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PUBLIC HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF ROAD TRAFFIC INJURIES IN ROMANIA.

Romania has recorded a dramatic number of road traffic accidents in the last five years. The latest European documents and statistics indicate that the country has the highest number of traffic fatalities across the Member States of the European Union. The aim of the paper is twofold. First, the authors aim to analyze the spatial characteristics of traffic accidents for the period 2010-2014: spatial distribution of accidents at county level, number of vehicles involved, socio-spatial distribution of accidents, and correlation between the urbanization level and accidents. Second, the intent is to calculate various indicators expressing the severity of traffic accidents. The paper concludes with some remarks related to the consequences of road accident injuries on public health. Romania has recorded a dramatic number of road traffic accidents in the last five years. The latest European documents and statistics indicate that the country has the highest number of traffic fatalities across the Member States of the European Union. The aim of the paper is twofold. First, the authors aim to analyze the spatial characteristics of traffic accidents for the period 2010-2014: spatial distribution of accidents at county level, number of vehicles involved, socio-spatial distribution of accidents, and correlation between the urbanization level and accidents. Second, the intent is to calculate various indicators expressing the severity of traffic accidents. The paper concludes with some remarks related to the consequences of road accident injuries on public health. Romania has recorded a dramatic number of road traffic accidents in the last five years. The latest European documents and statistics indicate that the country has the highest number of traffic fatalities across the Member States of the European Union. The aim of the paper is twofold. First, the authors aim to analyze the spatial characteristics of traffic accidents for the period 2010-2014: spatial distribution of accidents at county level, number of vehicles involved, socio-spatial distribution of accidents, and correlation between the urbanization level and accidents. Second, the intent is to calculate various indicators expressing the severity of traffic accidents. The paper concludes with some remarks related to the consequences of road accident injuries on public health. Romania has recorded a dramatic number of road traffic accidents in the last five years. The latest European documents and statistics indicate that the country has the highest number of traffic fatalities across the Member States of the European Union. The aim of the paper is twofold. First, the authors aim to analyze the spatial characteristics of traffic accidents for the period 2010-2014: spatial distribution of accidents at county level, number of vehicles involved, socio-spatial distribution of accidents, and correlation between the urbanization level and accidents. Second, the intent is to calculate various indicators expressing the severity of traffic accidents. The paper concludes with some remarks related to the consequences of road accident injuries on public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]