European Commission reveals initiatives to meet 2020 road safety targets

The European Commission (EC) has adopted challenging plans to reduce the number of road deaths on Europe’s roads by half over the next 10 years. Initiatives proposed in a set of European Road Safety Policy Orientations 2011-2020 range from setting higher standards for vehicle safety to improving the training of road users, and increasing the enforcement of road rules. The Commission will work closely with member states to implement this program.

“One hundred people die everyday on Europe’s roads,” stated EC vice-president responsible for Transport, Siim Kallas. “We have made good progress since 2001 and we have succeeded in saving nearly 80,000 lives. But the number of fatalities and injuries on our roads is still unacceptable. We are looking at what kind of cars motorists drive, where they drive and how they drive and we want to cut road deaths in half by 2020.”

Seven strategic initiatives set out by the Commission will focus on making improvements to vehicles, infrastructure and road user behavior. These include: improved safety measures for trucks and cars; building safer roads; developing intelligent vehicles; strengthening licensing and training; better enforcement; targeting injuries; and a new focus on motorcyclists.

In response, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) says the new plans should be an added catalyst in the bid to improve safety on the UK’s roads. Figures contained in the EC report show that in 2009, the UK was the member state with the lowest road fatality rate by population – at 38 fatalities per million inhabitants. This figure had fallen by 35% from 61 fatalities per million inhabitants in 2001 – also a year in which the UK had the lowest level of road fatality among member states. RoSPA says the UK should not become complacent, however, and should strive to set a good example throughout the next decade.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA’s head of road safety, said: “Given its position as a road safety leader, the UK can share a lot from its experience, but we must remember that there are important lessons for us too. Although a great deal of progress has been made since 2001, it would be wrong to see road safety as a ‘job well done’. More than 35,000 people died in road accidents across Europe last year, and stark figures like these must spur us on to greater achievement in the future.

“This publication contains some good ideas, including the strengthening of cross-border procedures for dealing with driving offenses. Measures related to technological developments are also welcome. These include making ESC and seatbelt reminders mandatory and forthcoming proposals for new technical specifications for ‘smart technology’, which facilitates the sharing of data such as real-time information on speed limits, traffic flows and congestion.”

21 July 2010