Brazil sees 14% rise in traffic fatalities, pushes safety tech in May Yellow campaign

In 2024 Brazil recorded 38,253 traffic‑related deaths, a 14% increase and the highest toll since 2019. The mortality rate climbed to 18 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, up from 15.8 in 2019. Men accounted for over 82% of the fatalities, with the 25‑54 age group representing 54% of total deaths. Black and mixed‑race victims were disproportionately affected. Hospitalisations of motorcyclists surged 265%, with more than 150,000 admissions to the public health system, compared with about 41,000 in 2008.

The May Yellow (Maio Amarelo) campaign, now in its 13th edition, is using the slogan “Seeing others on the road saves lives.” It emphasizes the combined role of driver empathy and active‑safety technology. Around 40% of new vehicles sold in Brazil are equipped with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), which can intervene milliseconds before a collision. Additional systems such as lane‑keeping assist, blind‑spot detection, and Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) for motorcycles are being promoted to cut rear‑end and side‑impact crashes, which together account for roughly 20‑30% of accidents. The campaign aims to reverse the upward trend in traffic deaths and relieve pressure on Brazil’s public health system.