More than 26,000 people died on EU roads last year, the first increase since 2001 according to the latest ETSC annual road safety performance index (PIN) report. Exceeding speed limits, drink or distracted driving and a failure to wear a seat belt are still the leading causes of death and serious injury across Europe, according to the researchers.
Some countries are still making progress on road safety. At a conference to be held today in Brussels, ETSC will present its annual PIN road safety award to Norway. The country is at the top of the 2015 European road safety league with the lowest road mortality at 23 deaths per million population. Norway also cut road deaths over the last five years by 44% – the biggest reduction of any country tracked by ETSC’s PIN programme, and reduced deaths last year by 20% – also the best annual improvement.
Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the European Transport Safety Council, commented:
“Norway stands out as a country that has already achieved a huge amount through its commitment to road safety. But what is so impressive is that it is still making substantial reductions to the numbers killed and injured by developing measures targeted at specific high-risk groups, identifying and improving collision hotspots and following a clearly defined national strategy with short, medium and long term targets.”
The ETSC Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) is a policy tool to help EU Member States improve road safety. By comparing Member States’ performance, it serves to identify and promote best practice in Europe and bring about the kind of political leadership that is needed to create a road transport system that maximises safety.
Notes
- The 10th Annual ETSC Road Safety Performance Index report can be downloaded from http://etsc.eu/pin10
- Find out more about the 2016 Road Safety Performance Index conference at http://etsc.eu/20-june-2016-road-safety-performance-index-pin-conference/
- Note on methodology: The enforcement report uses the number of speeding tickets, road-side alcohol breath tests, tickets for non-use of seat belt and tickets for illegal use of a mobile phone per head of population as an indicator, assuming that they are broadly proportionate to the level of enforcement activity. The ideal indicator on how to assess the level of enforcement of speeding would be to compare countries on the basis of time spent on speed enforcement or checks performed both by the police and by safety camera but this information is not available in most countries.
