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

  • The March of the Urban Low-emission Zone
    April 17, 2018
    Europe’s political patchwork is getting a low-emission zone overlap, according to Malcolm Kent* By now, pretty much everybody in the industry will be aware of the Low Emission Zone in London, UK. But awareness of similar European zones about to start or expand might be more patchy. The background to all of these schemes is the problem of air quality, particularly European Union rules setting limits on acceptable pollution levels. It was found some years ago that several member states’ cities, including
  • UK’s road safety statistics
    October 3, 2022
    The UK’s road safety statistics for 2021 have been released.
  • Drink driving problem increases
    February 24, 2021
    The drink driving problem has increased in the UK.
  • Safer speeds required says new report
    June 18, 2018
    A new report highlights speeding as a significant factor in a worryingly high percentage of road crashes. According to the report, inappropriate speed is responsible for between 20% and 30% of all road crashes involving fatalities. The report is based on a review of research into the relationship between speed and crash risk and has been produced by the OECD’s International Transport Forum (ITF).