Beijing, Mar 21: China has the highest road accident death rate in the world with 5.1 fatal cases for every 10,000 motor vehicles in 2007. The world average is two deaths per 10,000 vehicles, a source at the second China Traffic Safety Forum quoted by an official news agency said.

Since 1996, China ranked first worldwide in the number of traffic deaths. Road accidents claimed 81,649 lives last year, 7,806 less than a year before.

China produced 8.88 million motor vehicles and sold 8.79 million vehicles last year.

Worldwide, more than 1.2 million road accident deaths and 50 million cases of injuries are reported annually, according to the World Bank and the World Health Organisation.