EU Road Safety Exchange
Twelve EU Member States are joining forces to share smart ideas for improving road safety, as part of a new EU-funded project. Although European roads are the safest in the world and although road safety has improved greatly in recent decades, the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads is still far too high. In 2018, there were over 25,000 fatalities in road accidents. While this is a decrease of 21% compared to 2010, it represents only a 1% decrease compared to 2017.
There are important differences in the road safety performance of the different EU Member States. The three-year EU Road Safety Exchange project aims to tackle these disparities and will link up experts from Austria, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden.
Transport experts from the twelve participating countries will work together to share best practice on reducing speed, building safe infrastructure and improve enforcement, data collection, as well as the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in urban areas.
EU Road Safety Exchange is funded by the European Parliament and led by the European Commission. The project is managed by ETSC on behalf of the European Commission.
Latest News
Covid-19 pandemic travel decrease mainly responsible for a 17% drop in road deaths last year in the EU; Deaths dropped by 37% in the last ten years – short of the EU target to cut by 50% by 2020; Greece announced as the winner of the 2021 ETSC Road Safety Performance Index Award – with road deaths down by 54% in ten years; 2020 a “turning point” year – future reductions in road deaths in doubt without political leadership. Brussels – There were around […]
The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis launched an ambitious new national road safety action plan earlier this month. At the heart of the proposals are a target to reduce deaths by 50% by 2030 and the development of a National Road Safety Strategic Plan 2021-2030 by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. Greece saw the biggest reductions in annual road deaths in the EU over the decade to 2019, with a drop of 43% compared to an EU average of 19%. Though, as the […]
Spain’s Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) will install 45 new time-over-distance cameras throughout 2021, a 50% increase on the currently installed number. Spain currently has 750 fixed speed cameras, 543 mobile units as well as aerial enforcement by helicopter and drone. In addition, there are 82 time-over-distance cameras (also known as average-speed cameras), but this year they will increase to 127.
French cities and towns will be able to install speed cameras within their territory without consulting with the government’s state representatives (prefects), according to legal changes debated last month. Although speed cameras are a familiar site on French national roads and motorways, until now it has been complicated for mayors to install them on urban roads, requiring multiple levels of bureaucracy to be consulted. If approved, the change would allow mayors to install speed cameras as well as noise and air pollution monitoring equipment […]
ETSC’s Austrian member KFV has issued a damning report on e-scooter safety, warning of severe deficiencies with the vehicles themselves, particularly their braking distance when compared to bicycles. KFV investigated real-world e-scooter rider behaviour: speed choice, turning, helmet use, lighting and choice of infrastructure. The effectiveness of e-scooter braking systems was analysed on a test-track test. Finally, an Austria-wide survey highlighted the lack of knowledge of legal regulations. KFV says increasing e-scooter safety is critical. In Austria, e-scooters are permitted a maximum power output […]
The Netherlands has begun issuing fines following detection of mobile phone use by a new generation of cameras, the first EU Member State to do so. Since last month drivers holding a phone behind the wheel can be photographed by smart cameras. If the system determines that the driver is holding a phone, the photo is automatically forwarded to the relevant agency where an investigating officer will determine whether there is indeed a violation. Fines can then be sent out automatically. The cameras take […]
The European Investment Bank has agreed to co-finance a EUR 470 million nationwide programme to reduce death and injury caused by traffic collisions across Greece, the first investment of its kind by the EIB. The EUR 235 million financial support agreed between the European Investment Bank and the national road operator Egnatia Odos will reduce the risk of collisions in Greek cities, rural areas, mountain districts and on Greek islands. Over the next three years, national road operator Egnatia Odos will improve road safety […]
The city of Paris will extend 30 km/h limits to cover the entire city from 2021, and has launched a public consultation on the measure. The move puts into effect an election promise of the mayor Anne Hidalgo. Paris has had 30 km/h limits covering a wide area for several years, but it will now be the default speed everywhere except the ring road and pedestrianised areas. Grenoble, Lille and Nantes have made similar moves to 30 km/h default limits in recent years. In […]
The Spanish government is planning to lower the drink-driving limit for professional and novice drivers to 0.2 g/l – down from 0.3 g/l. The move would bring Spain into line with several other countries – as it is currently the only country with a 0.3 g/l limit for any class of driver. In Europe, novice and professional drivers are often subject to lower limits than other drivers – and many countries have zero tolerance for these groups, or for all drivers. https://etsc.eu/blood-alcohol-content-bac-drink-driving-limits-across-europe/
Both Austria and Germany are in the process of changing traffic laws to increase penalties for speeding. The Austrian transport minister said last month that fines for speeders could be doubled and confiscation of vehicles could become an option in extreme cases, such as when those sanctioned continue driving after a ban. Driving bans will also be doubled in length in some cases. The announcement was welcomed by ETSC’s Austrian member KFV. Meanwhile political negotiations over reforms to traffic laws in Germany are ongoing […]