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According to WHO estimates, if the current trends in road accident trends prevail, then between the years 2000 to 2020 there would be a spike of 60% in the number of people that are either injured or killed on roads around the world. Further, the majority of causalities are expected to occur in the developing world. And certain classes of road users are at higher risks viz. cyclists, motorcyclists, public transport users, and pedestrians.
Several studies have been made to determine the risk factors predisposing commuters to injury and death on roads. There are several categories of factors, some are specific to the persons involved in the mishaps while others relate to demographics, economic conditions, road conditions etc. The following graph based on partial findings of the study by the Monash University, Australia, shows some risk factors plotted against the percentage of accidents comprised by people sharing the risk factors.
While the origin of the study was Australia, it still shares quite a few risk factors applicable globally. As already mentioned there are umpteen factors responsible, while some of the following 10 factors are attributable to individuals, others to outside variables.
Unsuitable Speed: It's now well established that the faster you go the greater is the risk. However, not just speeding, it's also the inappropriateness of speed based on the road conditions that increases the risk. While the road signs instruct only about the maximum driving speed, the actual speed at which one drives is a personal decision based on many factors such as the layout of the road, it's width and quality, the type of automobile, comfort etc. Moreover, some driver related characteristics include thrill seeking, risk taking, age, gender, etc. The risk has been found to begin increasing at 60 km/h (37.28 mph) onwards and shooting up sharply at speeds in excess of 75 Km/h (46.60 mph).
Driving Under Influence (alcohol/narcotics): Studies conducted in USA and other parts of the world prove beyond doubt that Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) ups the risk. For instance Australian findings suggest that a BAC of 0.05 g/dl increase the risk for a crash by 1.83 times, when compared to a person who hasn't consumed any amount of alcohol.
Non-use of Seat Belts: The injury reducing effects of seat harnesses and child restraint range from 40% to 50%, in cases of fatal collisions or collisions of moderate severity. While not wearing a seatbelt leaves you vulnerable to impacts from all directions, the worst is the frontal impact a human body endures during an accident.
Driver Fatigue: A study in the US concluded that out of 107 crashes analyzed, 50% of the truckers were fatigued, while 18% admitted that they'd dozed off while driving. The causes of fatigue are numerous and range from sleep debt due to shift work, to suffering from sleep disorders viz. narcolepsy or sleep apnea syndrome, a fatigued driver is big red flag vis-a-vis crashes.
Being A Young Male: The world over, young male drivers are involved in the highest number of accidents. There's more to it than just being young. Being young on an average implies less experience, more thrill seeking needs, overconfidence and greater chances of driving a borrowed vehicle. All these factors go along with a high risk of crashes. The Monash study mentioned above also points to these factors being associated with a higher risk of an accident. Further, being in the age group of 16-20 increases the risk three-fold when compared with those 25 years of age and over.
Being A Vulnerable Road User: Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists are included in the category of vulnerable road users. Often when a town or a city doesn't grow in a planned fashion, a newly populated city area may find mixing of vulnerable road users with motorized vehicles, big and small that can drive at high speeds, thereby increasing the risk. An analysis of 359 crashes involving trucks in New Delhi, India, showed that 55% of those affected were the "vulnerable road users."
Degree of Illumination: Less illumination due to inappropriate lighting or driving at night and in the dark, substantially decreases visibility thereby increasing the risks. The vulnerable road users and the youngsters by the very characteristic of being risk-prone are at a greater risk. In fact bad light affects all of drivers and not just youngsters. The nighttime risk of those in the age group of 20-44 years has been found to increase by a factor of 4.
Vehicular Factors: Braking, handling, maintenance in addition to the design and overloading often determine the crash risk. The design of a motor vehicle has been found to contribute to crashes to a level of 3% in the developed world, while for Kenya its contribution has been found to be 5%.
Decreased Visibility: Storms, dust, rain, hail snow, fog, car lights, and numerous other factors can be a cause of low visibility. Studies in Germany, Japan and Australia have shown that crashes due to low visibility occur in several ways. The trends show that vehicles either ram into the rear of a stationary/slow-moving vehicle or there may be angled/head-on collisions.
Poor Eyesight: Eyesight, be it of a driver or a pedestrian, naturally dictates how well can they are able to see the on coming traffic. If the eyesight is already poor and proper measures haven't been taken to correct it, this factor when coupled with low visibility enhances the danger ever further. 
