Skip to main content

ETSC highlights European safety improvements

The European Transport Safety Commission’s (ETSC) 16th Road Safety Report measures progress made in EU countries since 2001 in tackling excessive speed, drink-driving and non-use of seat belts (the three biggest causes of road fatalities). It is published as the EU discusses priorities for the forthcoming Road Safety Action Programme for the next ten years. Available data shows that drivers have slowed down since 2001. Best progress has been made on highways (only up to 30% of drivers now exceed the speed l
May 30, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The 5801 European Transport Safety Commission’s (ETSC) 16th Road Safety Report measures progress made in 3287 EU countries since 2001 in tackling excessive speed, drink-driving and non-use of seat belts (the three biggest causes of road fatalities). It is published as the EU discusses priorities for the forthcoming Road Safety Action Programme for the next ten years.

Available data shows that drivers have slowed down since 2001. Best progress has been made on highways (only up to 30% of drivers now exceed the speed limit) but violations are still up to 70% on rural roads (as much as 80% on urban roads).

France is the only country to have achieved considerable reductions in mean speeds on all types of roads. Great Britain and Austria recorded reductions in mean speeds on both urban roads and highways.

Key factors in achieving progress were automated speed enforcement schemes based on safety cameras and stricter sanctions through penalty point systems and higher fines.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ERF and RSMA team up to deliver 1st European Road Infrastructure Congress
    January 18, 2016
    Europe’s road infrastructure is one of its largest community assets, yet today this asset faces unprecedented challenges. Shortage of public resources for maintenance, inadequate public procurement models for the delivery of infrastructure, coupled with the inevitable impact that the advent of vehicle automation will have on Europe’s infrastructure means that there is a urgent need for Europe’s road sector to work together to find solutions for the future. In this backdrop, and at a time when the UK governm
  • TRA conference call for abstracts at TRA event
    January 27, 2017
    The call for abstracts for the Transport Research Arena TRA 2018 event in Vienna is opening now. The Transport Research Arena TRA conference is a highly important biennial event focussing on European research and technology for transport and mobility. After a decade of successful editions around Europe the 7th TRA will take place in Austria’s capital Vienna from 16th to 19th April 2018. The Call for Papers will remain open until March 21st 2017. Scientists, researchers and engineers are invited to submit th
  • Driving too fast in the US
    January 24, 2020
    Too many drivers in the US drive too fast for the conditions.
  • Vietnam road safety sees continued improvement
    October 5, 2017
    Vietnam continues to buck the trend for most Asian countries by managing to reduce its road death toll. Right across Asia vehicle numbers are increasing and in many, if not most countries road death rates are growing fast. However Vietnam is having considerable success in lowering its annual road death toll. New data shows that since 2011, the country has managed to cut crashes by 19.5% while road deaths have dropped by 7%/year.