Europe’s road safety targets at risk

The EU’s targets for road safety are at risk due to increased fatalities in France, Germany and UK. This new analysis has been published by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). According to the ETSC data, 2014 showed the lowest annual reduction in EU road deaths since 2001. In all 25,845 people were killed in road crashes in the 28 nations of the EU during 2014. This represented a decrease of just 0.6% compared to 2013. EU member states now need to cut deaths by almost 8% each year until 2020 to me
June 15, 2015 Read time: 3 mins

The EU’s targets for road safety are at risk due to increased fatalities in France, Germany and UK. This new analysis has been published by the 1197 European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). According to the ETSC data, 2014 showed the lowest annual reduction in EU road deaths since 2001. In all 25,845 people were killed in road crashes in the 28 nations of the EU during 2014. This represented a decrease of just 0.6% compared to 2013. EU member states now need to cut deaths by almost 8% each year until 2020 to meet the target set in 2010 to halve deaths within a decade.

The ETSC data also shows that 203,500 people were recorded as seriously injured by the police in the 23 EU countries that distinguish between serious and slightly injured in their data. Worryingly, this represents an increase of 3% compared to 2013.

Slovenia is receiving the 2015 Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) award for substantial long term progress and high level political commitment to road safety.

France, Ireland, Germany and the UK were among the 12 EU member states that saw an increase in the number of road deaths last year compared to 2013. But on a positive note Croatia, Slovenia, Finland, Greece, Luxembourg and Malta all recorded reductions of around 10% or more.

Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the ETSC said, “These latest figures reinforce the message that road safety requires consistent political support at the highest level, constant vigilance on enforcement and network safety management, and the need to respond to evolving challenges such as increased numbers of people walking and cycling and an ageing society.  It’s very disappointing to see the UK, a road safety champion, dropping its guard in recent years: we are now seeing the fallout with progress slowing and even going into reverse.“

“Slovenia, our 2015 PIN Award winner, deserves huge credit for its commitment to robust targets, establishment of a dedicated road safety agency and a detailed plan of action. Nevertheless, Slovenia has a lot of work still to do to close the gap with the safest countries.”

Slovenia has reduced annual road deaths by 61% since 2001. The country’s long term progress and high-level commitment to road safety will be recognised at an event being held today in Brussels. ETSC will present its annual Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) award to Peter Gašperšič, Slovenia’s Minister of Infrastructure.

The numbers of people suffering life-changing injuries have fallen more slowly than deaths for several years and even increased last year. The ETSC says it is concerned that a planned EU strategic target to reduce serious injuries appears to have been dropped despite being repeatedly promised by the current European Commission.

The ETSC is calling for the EU to commit to making key safety technologies such as Automated Emergency Braking (AEB), overridable Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), intelligent seat belt reminders for passenger seats and an interface for alcohol interlock devices to be made standard on all new vehicles. A proposal for revised vehicle safety standards is expected later this year.
 
The 2015 ETSC PIN report can be downloaded from %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal http://etsc.eu/3asD4 Visit Etsc Website false http://etsc.eu/3asD4 false false%>

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Enforcement lack affects safety on Europe’s roads
    June 17, 2016
    Insufficient police enforcement across Europe is damaging road safety, according to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). Two reports available through the ETSC say that a fall in the level of police enforcement of traffic offences is contributing to Europe’s failure to cut the numbers dying in road collisions. More than 26,000 people died on EU roads last year, the first increase since 2001 according to the ETSC annual road safety performance index (PIN) report. Exceeding speed limits, drink or
    Read More
  • European progress on road deaths is 'disappointing', says ETSC
    June 18, 2020
    Safety body suggests that the EU will miss target of halving fatalities by 2020
    Read More
  • Europe calls for new road safety target
    September 9, 2015
    The European Parliament has reiterated calls for a pan-European target to cut serious road injuries. In a vote on a review of European transport policy since 2011, MEPs called for, “the swift adoption of a 2020 target of a 40 % reduction in the number of people seriously injured, accompanied by a fully-fledged EU strategy.” Since 2010 the number of people seriously injured on EU roads has been reduced by just 1.6%, compared to an 18% decrease in the number of road deaths. Last year the numbers actually
    Read More
  • Fall in EU road fatalities
    May 10, 2012
    Latest statistics show road fatalities fell in the European Union by 11% in 2010 compared with the previous year. Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Spain, Luxembourg, Sweden, France and Slovenia have all made reductions of more than 50% in the number of deaths on their roads since 2001, says the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). The organisation’s 2011 PIN [Road Safety Performance Index] Awards went to Sweden and Lithuania recognising their particular efforts in reducing road deaths.
    Read More

Highlighted Content