The Fund supports networks of state health policy decision makers to help identify, inspire, and inform policy leaders.
A bipartisan group of state health policymakers from both the executive and legislative branches who are focused on improving population health.
Networks of state officials, advocates, and others aiming to invest in and transform primary care.
A program dedicated to advancing state-based efforts to make health care more affordable for residents, employers, and states.
The Milbank Memorial Fund supports two state leadership programs for legislative and executive branch state government officials committed to improving population health.
A leadership development program for early and mid-career state government officials who are committed to improving the health of all people in their communities.
A leadership program for senior state government officials who are committed to improving population health.
The Fund focuses on creating an affordable health care system built on strong primary care and partnerships that improve health outcomes for all.
Improving state leaders’ ability to enact and implement evidence-based health policies.
Advancing policies that create a more prevention- and primary care-oriented health system.
Improving population health through policies that contain health care cost growth.
Our state health policy resources offer relevant data analysis and best practices.
The Fund publishes reports, issues briefs, and case studies on state health policy issues.
Short takes on health policy issues from Milbank staff and guest authors.
Insights from Milbank President Debra Lubar on state health policymaking.
Reported articles and Q&As on timely health policy issues, as well as foundation updates.
Milbank Memorial Fund and Milbank Quarterly webinars featuring state health policymakers and researchers.
Updates and expert contact information for reporters.
The Milbank Memorial Fund is a private foundation that works to improve population health and health equity.
The Future of Population Health (Volume 101)
Quarterly Article
Johnathon P. Ehsani
Jeffrey P. Michael
Ellen J. MacKenzie
Ehsani JP, Michael JP, and MacKenzie, EJ. The Future of Road Safety: Challenges and Opportunities. Milbank Q. 2023;101(S1): 613-636.
Sep 2, 2026
Aug 19, 2026
Jun 29, 2026
Back to The Milbank Quarterly
Policy Points:
As Elizabeth Milbank Anderson was establishing the foundation for the Milbank Memorial Fund in the beginning of the twentieth century, Henry Ford was refining the design of the Model T Ford, an invention which would revolutionize personal transportation in the United States.1,2 In the century that has followed, the Milbank Quarterly has been at the forefront of brokering practical knowledge to decision makers about health policy for protecting and enhancing the health of populations. The relevance of the publication’s mission to the prevention of motor vehicle crashes injuries, which is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States and globally, remains pressing.3
Injuries persist as a leading cause of death worldwide. Globally, intentional and unintentional injuries are responsible for approximately 4.4 million deaths annually, eclipsing the number of deaths caused by HIV, TB, and malaria combined.4 Motor vehicle crashes are responsible for 1.35 million injury deaths each year worldwide and are the leading cause of death for those aged 5–29 years. Crash victims are overwhelmingly male, with three quarters (73%) of all road deaths occurring among young males under the age of 25 years.5
Crash deaths and injuries disproportionately burden low- and middle-income countries. More than 90% of road deaths occur in these nations, despite their accounting for about 60% of the world’s vehicles.6 More than half of global road deaths are among vulnerable road users, which include pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. An additional 20 to 50 million people suffer nonfatal injuries, with many incurring a lifelong disability as a result of their injury.5
The scale of the problem at a population level is vast, yet, road deaths present a paradox: each crash is experienced as an individual, isolated event. The systemic causes of crashes are often overlooked or ignored, and a narrative is constructed around the unique circumstances surrounding each crash. Victims and their families often suffer alone, and the actual scale of the burden is difficult to appreciate. Economic analyses estimate the cost of crashes to be equivalent to 3% of Gross Domestic Product for most countries,5 but the true toll of the physical and psychological burden to individuals, families, communities, and society is unfathomable.