Traffic deaths grow 14% and reach the highest level since 2019

Yellow May is an international movement to raise awareness about peace in traffic that aims to put road safety on the agenda in society. And this issue, more than ever, needs to be discussed, as Brazil faces an alarming scenario of violence on roads and urban roads, with a worrying increase in fatalities in recent years. In 2024, traffic deaths in Brazil reached the highest level since 2019, totaling 38,253 deaths.

The most recent data extracted from DATASUS-SIM and released by the Umane Public Health Observatory, reveal that deaths resulting from traffic accidents grew for the sixth consecutive year in the country. As a result, the mortality rate jumped from 15.8 to 18 deaths per 100 thousand inhabitants between 2019 and 2024.

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These numbers represent a significant increase of approximately 14% in the period, lighting a red light for road safety policies and evidencing the continuous overload exerted on the Brazilian public health system.

Black men and young people are the main victims of traffic deaths

The study details that the profile of fatal victims in Brazilian traffic maintains a strong gender and age inequality. Men continue to be the main affected, concentrating more than 82% of all deaths registered in 2024.

The age group between 25 and 54 years old concentrated about 21 thousand deaths — equivalent to 54% of the national total. This data shows that the social and economic impacts of road violence fall mainly on the economically active population of the country.

In the breakdown by race and color, the official data show a clear predominance of black and brown victims:

• Brown people: 21,296 deaths registered.
• White people: 14,113 deaths recorded.
• Black people: 2,187 deaths registered.

Hospitalizations of motorcyclists skyrocket 265% in SUS

The mobility crisis reflects directly and dramatically on the Unified Health System (SUS). In addition to the indicator of lives lost that is frightening, accidents involving two-wheeled vehicles generate massive human and financial costs to the State.

According to the SUS Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS), more than 150 thousand injured motorcyclists required hospitalization in the public health network during 2024 alone. When comparing this panorama with the year 2008, when about 41 thousand hospitalizations of the same nature were computed, there is an explosion of approximately 265% in hospitalizations of motorcyclists in the SUS.

Traffic accidents are one of the main preventable causes of hospitalizations and deaths in the country, which generate direct impacts on the SUS and harm public health in general.

Capitals in the north and northeast lead rates

The geographical distribution of road violence points to disparities between Brazilian capitals. Palmas (TO) leads the national ranking with the highest mortality rate from traffic accidents, reaching the alarming rate of 30.6 deaths per 100 thousand inhabitants. Porto Velho (23.1) and Teresina (21.4) are right after.

Check out the ranking of mortality rates in the capitals below: