Environmental impact of traffic accidents: an invisible threat to ecosystems

Traffic accidents have been analyzed primarily for their human and economic impacts, with little attention paid to their environmental consequences. The purpose of this study was to identify the pollutants involved, the affected ecosystems, and the gaps in the institutional response to accidents with environmental impact in Latin America, with an emphasis on Panama. A qualitative-descriptive methodology was applied through a documentary review and analysis of fourteen cases that occurred between 2013 and 2023, selected by accident magnitude, type of pollutant, and sensitivity of the affected environment. The results showed that hydrocarbons, pesticides, industrial oils, and gaseous emissions were the most common pollutants, primarily affecting water bodies, agricultural soils, and, to a lesser extent, the air. Furthermore, it was identified that in most cases there were no specific environmental protocols or subsequent monitoring, and that in Panama this situation has been aggravated by the strategic importance of its logistics network. It has been concluded that integrating the environmental dimension into road accident management is essential for sustainable mobility, and that its omission represents a structural weakness that increases ecological and social vulnerability