The unequal distribution of the population, combined with the continued allowance of urban sprawl around the main cities in the northwest of the Kingdom, leads to increasing population congestion and traffic crises, as well as damage to agricultural land and the family-based rural economy.
Jordan joins the world in observing World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (May 4) and Arab Traffic Week (May 4-10), in line with international efforts led by the World Health Organization to facilitate the safe use of roads and enhance safety and security on them. This falls under the global plan for the current decade 2021-2030 to act on road safety and to halve deaths and injuries resulting from traffic accidents by 2030, through changing urban planning policies, reviewing legislation, improving infrastructure, and influencing road user behavior.
Jordan continues to achieve further accomplishments in road safety. According to the 2025 report of the Traffic Institute / Public Security Directorate, 187,213 traffic accidents were recorded, of which 11,680 resulted in injuries and deaths. Among these were 510 deaths and 17,146 human injuries of varying degrees, including 909 severe injuries, 6,357 moderate injuries, and 9,880 minor injuries.
Despite the continued increase in population and the concentration of 92% of them in the northern half of the Kingdom, traffic policy has achieved desirable results. The total number of traffic accidents decreased by more than 1.6% compared to 2024. The number of deaths resulting from traffic accidents also decreased by 6.1% compared to the previous year. In addition, the traffic accident severity rate (the number of deaths and injuries divided by the number of accidents) recorded a decline over the past five years, reaching 0.062 in 2025 compared to 0.07 in 2021. This is an achievement for which the Central Traffic Department deserves thanks.
The highest number of human injuries among both sexes was recorded in the age group (18-35 years). Approximately 91% of traffic accidents occur within cities. Collision accidents inside cities accounted for 90% of all collision accidents, while pedestrian hit-and-run accidents inside cities constituted 96% of all such accidents.
The traffic situation in Jordan has a demographic aspect for which the Central Traffic Department bears no responsibility, and this must be taken seriously into consideration. As 5.3 million people are now under the age of 20, the number of new drivers and new vehicles on our roads will experience rapid growth year after year, as we observe daily. This is accompanied by an unbalanced population distribution, along with the transformation of streets, roads, and neighborhoods into commercial centers, and the continued allowance of urban sprawl around overcrowded cities. This occurs instead of organizing residential lands where sewage, water, and electricity networks are available before permitting construction, provided that these lands are in areas far from crowded cities.
The HPC emphasizes that achieving further road safety in Jordan requires an integrated approach that considers the demographic dimensions we have indicated, by linking traffic policies with urban planning, raising awareness among young age groups, and continuing the major efforts directed toward developing public transportation. We have begun to see the benefits of these efforts; however, they may not be sufficient unless the demographic dimension occupies its rightful place in urban and traffic planning policy.
At the global level, more than half of all road traffic deaths occur among the most vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among children and young people aged 5 to 29 years. Nevertheless, approximately two-thirds of road traffic deaths occur among working-age persons (18–59 years). Furthermore, 9 out of 10 road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, which have about 60% of the world's vehicles, and where the majority of the world's population lives.
