Skip to main content

Slow down for road safety says FIA

Driving too fast is a leading cause of road fatalities, according to the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Region I. Data from the FIA says that an estimated 40%-50% of people drive over the speed limit while a 5% reduction in average speed could result in a 30% decrease in number of fatal crashes. FIA Region I and its members in Europe, the Middle East and Africa are launching a campaign ‘Slowing Down Saves Lives’ and are urging drivers to respect speed limits. In support of the campaign, FI
September 19, 2018 Read time: 3 mins
Driving too fast is a leading cause of road fatalities, according to the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Region I. Data from the FIA says that an estimated 40%-50% of people drive over the speed limit while a 5% reduction in average speed could result in a 30% decrease in number of fatal crashes. 8055 FIA Region I and its members in Europe, the Middle East and Africa are launching a campaign ‘Slowing Down Saves Lives’ and are urging drivers to respect speed limits.


In support of the campaign, FIA President and United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt said, “Remember, speed can kill. By slowing down we make our roads safer for our children, family, and friends. Recently, Patrick Dempsey has joined the FIA’s #3500LIVES Global Road Safety Campaign to promote the ‘Slow Down for Kids’ rule. We are happy that famous ambassadors have agreed to help us make road safety a priority. I support the FIA Region I campaign Slowing Down Saves Lives.”

European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said, “The safety of road users is very close to my heart. Everyone deserves the best safety and care when enjoying the benefits that mobility brings. We are working towards Vision Zero for road fatalities and serious injuries by 2050. This can only be achieved if we all come together and work towards this goal. I’m therefore grateful to FIA Region I for its consistent drive towards better safety through its campaigns, including Slowing Down Saves Lives. Speed is one of the main killers on our roads and we must do much more to raise awareness about it. Slowing down really does save lives!”

FIA Region I President, Thomas Møller Thomsen said, “Speeding is a recurrent issue in advanced economies and developing countries alike. Many people need to be reminded to respect speed limits. Slowing Down Saves Lives urges drivers to remember that increased speed means increased risk. We all want to get home safe, so the next time you are behind the wheel I hope you remember to respect the speed limits.”

Slowing Down Saves Lives shows how braking distances differ dramatically with even small increases in speed. It aims to urge drivers to respect speed limits. It has been launched during the EU mobility Week and on the European Day Without A Road Death (Project EDWARD) and was held in support of TISPOL’s efforts to reduce traffic fatalities via this initiative.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Distracted driving report from European nations
    April 16, 2018
    There are now calls from right across Europe to increase education, enforcement and penalties for distracted driving. Mike Woof reports Surveys across Europe have revealed worrying attitudes to the use of mobile devices while driving, according to a report by the European Transport and Safety Commission (ETSC). Campaigners are calling for better enforcement, higher penalties, technological solutions and education to raise awareness of the risks. A survey in the Czech Republic found that 36% of drivers a
  • Meeting the IRF Fellows and hearing of their positive experiences
    April 23, 2019
    Morgan Morris, a master’s student at the University of Central Florida, recounts her life-changing experience as President of the 2019 Class of IRF Fellows After the short span of a week, a graduate research IRF Fellow transforms into an approachable, professional leader overflowing with inspiration and ideas. “In some ways, attending the IRF Fellows Road Scholar Program is comparable to going to an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. You are not sure what exactly you signed up for, but in the end, you rea
  • The future is apps, says wheeled loader maker VF Venieri
    April 25, 2018
    As it celebrates 70 years of business, Italian wheeled loader manufacturer VF Venieri is looking in a new direction in its bid to keep customers happy. “Everbody says that the future is service but I think that service is the past,” says VF Venieri managing director Filippo Muccinelli Venieri. “Today, everybody expects good service as a matter of course. The future is technology solutions to improve the efficiency, operator comfort and productivity of machines.” On display at VF Venieri’s Intermat 2018 sta
  • Curtains for speeders at Curtin University thanks to Actibump
    June 10, 2019
    Curtin University in Perth, Australia, is rolling out more Actibumps for slowing traffic after what is says has been a successful trial of four systems. “We expected the same effect as in Sweden,” said David Eskilsson, general manager at Edeva, the Actibump manufacturer based in Linkoping. “But the decrease in the percentage of speeding drivers from over 70% of all drivers in January to below 25% in October last year on the most difficult site has been better than even we expected.” In January 2018 Curtin