---
category: literaturenote
citekey: debyserroadsafetyeu2016
title: Road safety in the EU
authors: "Debyser, Ariane"
year: 2016
date: 2016-11-18 18 Nov 2016
url: "https://policycommons.net/artifacts/1339797/road-safety-in-the-eu/1949730/"
zotero_key: Q8ZIST7V
zotero_storage: XHQRQF5D
collections: doktoritöö; magistritöö
folder: Liiklussageduse kaudne hindamine/05_Artiklid
firstAuthor: "Debyser, Ariane"
status: converted
---
![](_page_0_Picture_1.jpeg)

# Road safety in the EU

## SUMMARY

Between 1991 and 2017, and especially after 2000, the EU witnessed substantial improvements in terms of road safety, whether measured in terms of fatalities, accidents or injuries. Over a shorter period, between 2001 and 2010, the number of deaths on EU roads decreased by 43 %, and by around another 20 % since 2010.

The most recent figures, however, show that progress in reducing the fatality rate is stagnating, and that specific road users or demographic groups are not witnessing the same improvements as the rest of the population.

Road safety is a shared competence, implying that many measures are primarily dealt with by Member States. However, the EU, in line with Article 91(c) TFEU, has significantly developed the *acquis* in this area, with the Commission adopting several policy frameworks on road safety. In 2003, the EU set itself a target in terms of reducing road fatalities, and regularly monitors progress towards this goal. In June 2017, the Council endorsed the Valletta Declaration, which reasserted commitments and targets in the area of road safety. In May 2018, within the context of the third and last 'mobility package', the Commission presented a common framework for road safety for the 2021-2030 period, recalling the EU's long-term goal of moving as close as possible to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050 ('Vision Zero').

The European Parliament has adopted numerous resolutions regarding or covering road safety, calling notably for more detailed and measurable targets, more account taken of vulnerable users as well as of the safety challenges emerging from the development of connected and automated mobility.

<span id="page-0-0"></span>*This is an updated edition of a Briefing published in November 2016[: PE 593.542.](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/593542/EPRS_BRI(2016)593542_EN.pdf)*

![](_page_0_Picture_9.jpeg)

#### In this Briefing

- [Introduction](#page-0-0)
- [Background](#page-1-0)
- [EU action in the area of road safety](#page-3-0)
- [Outlook](#page-6-0)
- [European Parliament](#page-8-0)

# Introduction

Despite being the safest region in the world, and despite sustained efforts to tackle road safety, over 25 000 [people](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/statistics/historical_evol.pdf) died on EU roads in 2017 and 135 000 were seriously [injured.](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-2761_en.htm) [1](#page-9-0) Over the longer term, the EU has witnessed substantial [progress](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2016)593542) in terms of a reduction in the number of fatalities, accidents and the number of persons injured (see Figure 1). However, efforts are still needed to substantially reduce the number of road deaths and people seriously injured; to address the safety needs of the most vulnerable road users (e.g. pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists); and to cope with the emergence of ne[w challengess](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/interim_eval_2011_2020/staff_working_document.pdf)uch as an ageing population and the use of distracting electronic devices in traffic, as well asthe opportunities offered by new technologies such as the development and deployment of automated driving systems.

# <span id="page-1-0"></span>Background

## Long-term evolution

The long-term [evolution,](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/statistics/historical_evol.pdf) between 1991 and 2017, of three indicators – fatalities, accidents and injured people – shows that the EU has witnessed substantial improvements in terms of road safety, especially since 2000. While the number of injured people culminated at over 2 million in 2001, the figure steadily declined (with an exception for 2014 onwards) to over 1.4 million injured in 2017. In terms of fatalities, the downward trend was more constant, from 76 647 fatalities in 1991 to 54 960 in 2001 and 25 261 in 2017 (with slight exceptions, e.g. in 2014 and 2015). The evolution in terms of accidents followed a pattern somewhat similar to that of people injured, peaking at around 1.5 million in 2000, down to 1.08 million in 2017. The combined evolution of the three indicators shows that the decrease in road deaths was faster than the decrease in accidents and people injured. Over a shorter [period,](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52018PC0274) between 2001 and 2010, the number of deaths on EU roads decreased by 43% and b[y around](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-2761_en.htm) 20% since 2010.

Nevertheless, the most recent figures show that progress in reducing the fatality rate are stagnating, and that specific road user (e.g. pedestrians and cyclists) or demographic groups (e.g. elderly road users) are not witnessing the same improvements as the rest of the population (see next section).

In 2017, the number who lost their lives on EU roads was close to 400 lessthan in 2016, and more than 6 200 lessthan in 2010. While some Member States continue to make progress in terms of road safety and road fatalities, and rates at EU level show [a reduction](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-2761_en.htm) of around 2 % for the second year in a row, reaching the EU objective of halving road fatalities between 2010 and 2020 may prove difficult.

![](_page_1_Figure_8.jpeg)

Figure 1 – Evolution of fatalities, accidents and injured in the EU (reference year 2000 = 100)

Source: EPRS calculation based on [CARE](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/statistics/historical_evol.pdf) (EU road accidents database) or national publications, December 2018.

This slowdown, together with situation of vulnerable road users in terms of numbers of fatalities and serious injuries, has led road transport actors to reassert their commitment to road safety.

On 8 June 2017, the Council endorsed the March 2017 [Valletta Declaration](http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9994-2017-INIT/en/pdf) on road safety, in which EU transport ministers stated, when it comes to road safety targets, that Member States would undertake to:

- 'continue and reinforce measures necessary to halve the number of road deaths in the EU by 2020 from the 2010 baseline;
- continue, in parallel with their efforts towards reaching the 2020 fatality reduction target, with the work towards: (i) reducing the number of serious injuries in road traffic collisions, and (ii) reporting reliable and comparable data using a common definition based on the MAIS 3+ trauma scal[e2](#page-9-1) by 2018;
- set a target of halving the number of serious injuries in the EU by 2030 from the 2020 baseline using this common definition and in the framework of an overall road safety strategy for this period;'

In the Valletta Declaration, Member States also called upon the Commission to 'prepare a new road safety policy framework for the decade after 2020, including an assessment of road safety performance taking into account the targets and objectives set out in this declaration'.

## Vulnerable road users

Specific types of road users (e.g. pedestrians and cyclists) or demographic groups (e.g. elderly road users) are not witnessing the same improvements as the rest of the population. The analysis of fatalities by road user type and age group, and their evolution, highlights their particular situation.

Almost half of road victims ar[e vulnerable road users.](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/scoreboard_2017_en.pdf) Of all the people killed on roads, 26 % were on two wheels in 2017 (15 % motorcyclists, 8 % cyclists and 3 % moped riders) and 21 % were pedestrians. Pedestrian and cyclist fatalities also decreased at a lower rate in number than other categories (by [respectively](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-18-2762_en.htm) 15 % and 2 % between 2010 and 2016). When it comes to [age groups,](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/scoreboard_2017_en.pdf) young people (below 25 years old) account for 17 % of the people killed on EU roads, while they represent a lower share of the population. The [proportion](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-18-2762_en.htm) of elderly people killed has risen from 22 % in 2010 to 28 % in 2017. The proportion of the elderly killed on the roads rose to 38 % in urban areas.

An analysis of results b[y area type](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/scoreboard_2017_en.pdf) shows that motorways are the safest roads, accounting for 8 % of all road deaths, while 38 % of all road deaths happened inside urban areas and 54 % in rural areas. [Urban areas](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/scoreboard_2017_en.pdf) are mostly dangerous for pedestrians and people on two wheels, who represent respectively 40 % and 30 % of fatalities, while on motorways and in rural areas, the majority of people killed are car occupants (respectively 57 % and 59 %).

## Results by country

The results b[y country](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/scoreboard_2017_en.pdf) for 2010 and 2017 (see Figure 2) show that road deaths per million inhabitants at EU level went down from 63 in 2010 to 49 in 2017.

Differences between Member States are also decreasing. In 2010, there were still five Member States (Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Latvia and Poland) with over a hundred road deaths per million inhabitants. In 2017, all Member States were below that threshold. In 2010, the three worstperforming states regarding this indicator stood respectively at 117 road deaths per million inhabitants (Romania), 112 (Greece) and 105 (Bulgaria), while the best performers were Sweden (28), the United Kingdom (30), Malta (31) and the Netherlands (32). In 2017, the worst-performing states were Romania (99), Bulgaria (96), and Croatia (80), and the best Sweden (25), the United Kingdom (28) and Denmark (30).

![](_page_3_Figure_1.jpeg)

Figure 2 – Road deaths per million inhabitants

Source: 2010 data: European Commission's [press release,](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-2761_en.htm) 10 April 2018; 2017 data: European Commission, Road safefy 2017 – [How is your country doing?,](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/scoreboard_2017_en.pdf) November 2018.

# <span id="page-3-0"></span>EU action in the area of road safety

In line with Title VI (Transport), Article 91(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which states that the European Parliament and the Council shall, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, lay down 'measures to improve transport safety', the EU has significantly developed the *acquis* in this area, and the European Commission has adopted several policy frameworks on road safety.

# EU legislation in the area of road safety

Road safety is a share[d competence,](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/facts-fundings/evaluations/doc/swd-interim-road-safety-evaluation-2011-2020.pdf) implying that many measures, such as traffic rule enforcement, and road-user education, are primarily dealt with by Member States. The E[U intervenes](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/129/road-traffic-and-safety-provisions) where it adds value, and focuses in particular on measures regarding vehicle conditions, the transport of dangerous goods and the safety of the road network.

Concerning the **technical condition of vehicles**, the EU has adopted three directives that updated existing rules, reinforcing and widening the scope of the vehicle-testing regime:

- [Directive 2014/45/EU](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOL_2014_127_R_0003) on periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers, and repealing Directive 2009/40/EC;
- [Directive 2014/47/EU](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOL_2014_127_R_0005) on the technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Union, and repealing Directive 2000/30/EC;
- [Directive 2014/46/EU](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOL_2014_127_R_0004) amending Council Directive 1999/37/EC on the registration documents for vehicles.

These [directives,](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/events-archive/2012_07_13_press_release_en.htm) also known as the roadworthiness package, adopted on 3 April 2014, notably improve the quality of vehicle tests through setting common minimum standards for equipment, training of inspectors, and assessment of deficiencies; make electronic safety components (such as ABS and air-bags) subject to mandatory testing; will fight mileage fraud, with registered mileage readings; and introduce compulsory EU-wid[e testing](http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/trans/141818.pdf) for heavy motorcycles (i.e. more than 125 cm3 ) from 2022, unless a Member State reaches equivalent road safety enhancement by other measures.

EU legislation on the technical harmonisation of vehicles also covers the compulsory use of seat belts in vehicles under 3.5 tonnes in weight [\(Directive 2003/20/EC\)](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32003L0020), the compulsory installation of speed limitation devices for certain categories of motor vehicles [\(Directive 2002/85/EC\)](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32002L0085), provisions on the type-approval of motor vehicles with regard to the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users (Regulation (EC) [No 78/2009\)](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R0078) or measures to improve road user safety by reducing the 'blind spot' in certain vehicles. [3](#page-9-2) Within the third 'Europe on the Move' package, the European Commission adopted on 17 May 2018 a [proposal](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52018PC0286) for a regulation on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, as regards their general safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users. The proposal [4](#page-9-3) seeks to improve vehicle safety by adding new/advanced safety features such as advanced emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance system, and pedestrian and cyclist detection systems for trucks, to prevent accidents and protect vulnerable road users.

On **transport of dangerous goods**, an area traditionally governed by international agreements, the EU developed [legislation](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/topics/dangerous_goods/index_en.htm) to convert these rules into specific directives applying to all transport in the EU. [Directive 94/55/EC](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A31994L0055) on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by road extended the rules laid down in the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) to domestic transport. Directive [2008/68/EC](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32008L0068) on the inland transport of dangerous goods set up a common regime covering all aspects of the inland transport of dangerous goods in the EU, and applies to the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail, or inland waterway. In order to reflect scientific and technical progress, the ADR Agreement is updated every two years, leading the EU to bring its own provisions into line with these international updates (e.g. [Commission Directive 2012/45/EU\)](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32012L0045).

Althoug[h roads](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/topics/infrastructure/index_en.htm) are managed primarily by national, regional or local authorities, the EU has adopted measures to improve the safety of the **road network**, in particular through its regional development funds, the European Investment Bank an[d the trans-European networks\(](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/589849/EPRS_BRI(2016)589849_EN.pdf)TEN). [Directive 2004/54/EC](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32004L0054) on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the trans-European road network subjects all tunnels in the network over 500 metres in length to harmonised safety rules[. Directive 2008/96/EC](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32008L0096) on road infrastructure safety management applies to roads which are part of the trans-European road network, whether they are at the design stage, under construction, or in operation. It requires the establishment and implementation of procedures relating to road-safety impact assessments, road safety audits, the management of road network safety, and safety inspections by the Member States. The directive also includes provisions regarding the safety ranking (in particular the ranking of road sections with high accident concentration) and management of the road network in operation, as well as the appointment and training of road safety auditors. As part of the third 'Europe on the Move' package, the European Commission adopted a [proposal](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52018PC0274)[5](#page-9-4) for a directive amending Directive 2008/96/EC on road infrastructure safety management, whose general objective is to reduce both fatalities and serious injuries by improving the safety performance of road infrastructure. It proposes to extend the scope of the directive beyond the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), and seeks to reinforce road infrastructure safety management procedures.

The EU also tries to improve road safety through the promotion of **Intelligent Transport Systems** (ITS),[6](#page-9-5) which can contribute to a cleaner, safer and more efficient transport system. In 2008, the Commission presented an [action plan](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:52008DC0886) for the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems in Europe. Derived from this, [Directive 2010/40/EU](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32010L0040) aims to [accelerate](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/its/road/action_plan/index_en.htm) the deployment of innovative transport technologies, and is an important instrument for the coordinated implementation of ITS in Europe. Priority areas and priority actions highlighted by the directive include ITS road safety and security applications; data and procedures for the provision, where possible, of road safety related minimum universal traffic information free of charge to users; and the harmonised provision of an interoperable EU-wide eCall system (see box). In 2003, the Commission set up the 'eSafety' forum, known since 2011 as ['iMobility',](https://www.earpa.eu/earpa/41/imobility_forum.html) which is a joint platform whose purpose is to promote and monitor 'eSafety' recommendations and to support the deployment and use of car safety systems. In November 2016, the Commission adopted a [communication](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52016DC0766) entitled 'A European strategy on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems, a milestone towards cooperative, connected and automated mobility', which notably underlines that communication between vehicles, and with infrastructure and with other road users is crucial, not least to increase the safety of automated vehicles and their full integration into the overall transport system (see also box on connected and automated mobility).

#### **eCall (automatic emergency call system)**

In April 2015, [Regulation](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2015.123.01.0077.01.ENG) (EU) 2015/758 (or 'eCall Regulation') concerning type-approval requirements for the deployment of the eCall in-vehicle system, based on the 112 service, was adopted. The regulation required all new cars to be equipped with eCall [technology](https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/ecall-all-new-cars-april-2018) from April 2018, providing that, in the event of a serious accident, eCall automatically dials 112 – Europe's single emergency number – and communicates the vehicle's location to the emergency services. [eCall](https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/ecall-time-saved-lives-saved) is expected to substantially reduce emergency response times in both rural and urban areas, thus saving hundreds of lives each year, and helping injured people quicker. Rules relating to the [protection](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/summary.do?id=1387297&t=e&l=en) of privacy and data are incorporated in the regulation.

Another piece of legislation relating to road safety is [Directive \(EU\) 2015/413](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2015.068.01.0009.01.ENG) (or 'CBE directive'), facilitating **cross-border exchange of information on road safety related traffic offences**. Replacing Directive 2011/82/EU,[7](#page-9-6) the objective of the directive remained the same (i.e. facilitating the cross-border exchange of information on road-safety-related traffic offences, thereby ending the right to anonymity for non-resident drivers, and enabling prosecution for offences committed in a Member State other than that in which the vehicle is registered). Through an information exchange procedure between national points of contact, Member States

may access each others' national vehicle registration data. The Member State where the offence occurs must decide whether or not to initiate follow-up proceedings in relation to the eight roadsafety-related traffic offences listed in the directive which are: speeding; failing to use a seat-belt; failing to stop at a red traffic light; drink-driving; driving while under the influence of drugs; failing to wear a safety helmet; the use of a forbidden lane; and illegally using a mobile telephone or any other communication devices while driving.

The *acquis*, either directly or indirectly, related to [road safety](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/policy/index_en.htm) is thus quite wide, embracing many other pieces of legislation such as on driving licences, professional drivers' training and working conditions, tachographs, speed limitation devices, vehicle type-approval, weights and dimensions, and data collection. For instance, new rules on the training of professional drivers (trucks and buses) were adopted in 2018 [\(Directive \(EU\) 2018/645\)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32018L0645) with a view to improving road safety.

## Overall strategies on road safety

The EU has adopted several strategies dedicated solely or partially to road safety.

In the 2001 Transport [white paper,](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/strategies/doc/2001_white_paper/lb_com_2001_0370_en.pdf) the European Commission highlighted that the EU should set itself a target of halving the number of road victims by 2010, a target which was eventually endorsed by the European [Parliament](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P5-TA-2003-0054+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN) and the Transport [Council](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_PRES-03-146_en.htm) in 2003.

In 2003, the Commission presented a third European road safety action [programme](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52003DC0311&from=EN) for 2003-2010, in support of the overall objective of halving the number of people killed on the roads by 2010. Recognising that such a target constituted a collective undertaking rather than a legal requirement, the Commission underlined that, 'given that responsibilities for road safety are shared between different levels of government, it is not possible to rely solely on activities carried out by the European Union to achieve this target. The main aim is to provide the motivation for launching shared activities and to stimulate these activities at all levels of action'. The Commission proposed the establishment of a [European Road Safety Observatory](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/erso/index_en.htm) (ERSO) to coordinate all EU activities in the fields of road accident and injury data collection and analysis. The Commission also noted that the target will have to be monitored periodically, and performance indicators established to target actions in key road safety areas and monitor implementation.

In July 2010, the Commission adopted th[e communication](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=URISERV%3Atr0036) '**Towards a European road safety area: policy orientations on road safety 2011-2020**' which took account of the results obtained in the third road-safety action programme (2003-2010). In order to achieve the objective of creating a common road safety area, the Commission proposed to continue with the target of halving the overall number of road deaths in the EU by 2020, starting from 2010, and identified seven objectives for the next decade:

- Improve education and training for road users.
- Increase enforcement of road rules.
- Safer road infrastructure.
- Safer vehicles.
- Promote the use of modern technology to increase road safety.
- Improve emergency and post-injury services.
- Protect vulnerable users.

The new orientations aim 'to provide a general governance framework and challenging objectives

which should guide national and local strategies'. The Commission encouraged Member States to develop national road safety plans or strategies[8](#page-9-7) that should describe the means to achieve the common objective, and could also include specific national objectives in accordance with their particular situation.

The 2011 transpor[t white papers](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/strategies/2011_white_paper_en.htm)et the goal of moving close to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050 and in line with this, the EU aim of halving road casualties by 2020.

In June 2015, the [Commission](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/facts-fundings/evaluations/doc/swd-interim-road-safety-evaluation-2011-2020.pdf) published a staff working document summarising the outcomes of the interim evaluation of the 2011-2020 policy orientations. Assessing whether the policy framework remained valid, and progress towards the overall The European Road Safety Charter

Announced in the 200[3 European](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52003DC0311&from=EN) road safety action programme and launched in 2004 by the Commission, the [Charter](http://erscharter.eu/about-the-charter/what-we-do_en) is the largest civil society platform on road safety, and brings together more than 3 800 public and private entities. Gathering companies, associations, local authorities, research institutions, universities and schools, the Charter aims to encourage civil society to take action on road safety in Europe; acknowledge contributions by civil society to road safety; facilitate the acquisition and sharing of knowledge on road safety, as well as encouraging, at all levels of governance, dialogue and exchange of road safety experiences and practices.

target satisfactory, the document concluded that the road safety policy framework is generally on the right track. The evaluation, however, also underlined that improvement was much more limited for vulnerable (pedestrians and cyclists) and elderly (over 65) road users, and that the existing policy framework did not address the continued over-representation of men among road traffic victims. It also made a specific case concerning serious road accident injuries. The Commission mentioned areas where work should be undertaken:

- Continued work on serious injuries, including monitoring of progress based notably on the new data reporting;
- Further efforts in the area of cooperative intelligent transport systems and advanced driver assistance systems;
- Efforts to increase the safety of vulnerable road users;
- Monitoring and encouraging the implementation and enforcement of road safety rules at Member State level.

The preparation of the next strategy period (beyond 2020) could include new actions to address the gender aspect of road safety and identify intermediate outcome objectives.

# <span id="page-6-0"></span>Outlook

Since May 2017, the Commission has launched three 'mobility packages', aiming to modernise mobility and transport, that have included many legislative proposals, some of which directly or indirectly relate to road safety.

The **first** mobility [package,](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1460_en.htm) **'Europe on the Move',** adopted by the Commission in May 2017, focused on delivering a socially fair transition towards clean, competitive and connected mobility for all, and included [initiatives](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-resilient-energy-union-with-a-climate-change-policy/package-eu-mobility-package) to improve the functioning of the road haulage market, to enhance the employment and social conditions of workers and promote smart charging.

The **second** mobilit[y package,](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-4242_en.htm) adopted in November 2017, focused on clean mobility, and included a set of initiatives including new CO2 emission standards for new cars and vans, clean mobility solutions in public procurement, the promotion of combined freight transport, the promotion of passenger coach services over long distance, a battery initiative to ensure that future vehicles and their components are invented and produced in the EU, and an action plan for the trans-European deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure.

While some proposals in the first two packages have an impact on road safety,such as those relating to social conditions of drivers, it is mostly in the third mobility package that road safety was covered.

Adopted in May 2018, the **third** and last mobilit[y package,](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/road/news/2018-05-17-europe-on-the-move-3_en) focuses on delivery of the new industrial policy of September 2017, and includes initiatives supporting the transition towards safe, clean, automated and connected mobility for all. On safe mobility, the Commission adopted legislative proposals (see section on EU legislation in the area of road safety). The [communication](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0293) on 'Europe on the move: Sustainable mobility for Europe: safe, connected, and clean' covers a common framework for road safety for the 2021-2030 period, and is accompanied by a strategic [action plan](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:0e8b694e-59b5-11e8-ab41-01aa75ed71a1.0003.02/DOC_2&format=PDF)  [on road safety,](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:0e8b694e-59b5-11e8-ab41-01aa75ed71a1.0003.02/DOC_2&format=PDF) to be developed in more detail by mid-2019.

In both its communication and the action plan annexed to it, the Commission recalls the EU's longterm goal of moving as close as possible to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050 ('Vision Zero'), underlining that the same should be achieved for serious injuries. The Commission also mentions that the EU will pursue new interim targets to reduce the number of road deaths by 50 % between 2020 and 2030, and the number of serious injuries by 50 % in the same period. The proposed road safety framework follow[s the safe system approach,](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52018PC0274) i.e. it assumes that human beings can and will continue to make mistakes, and that it is up to all actors to ensure that road accidents do not lead to serious or fatal injuries (shared responsibility). The safe system approach implies improving the safety of all parts of the system (roads and roadsides, speeds, vehicles and road use), so that other parts will still protect those involved, should one part fail.

In its communication, the Commission notably underlines that technological advances, first and foremost in connectivity and automation, create new opportunities to eliminate or compensate for human error, but also that new risks are emerging in the transition phase, some related to the functioning of highly automated vehicles in mixed traffic and the complex interaction between the driver and the vehicle (human-machine interface), as well as cybersecurity issues. It also underlines that synergies between safety and sustainability measures should be exploited better.

In terms of methods, the Commission notes that concrete results can be achieved through better coordination between Member States and the adoption of a 'management by objectives' approach, and that legislation may thus be supported by applying explicit road-safety-related eligibility criteria to EU and national funding, as well as through improved transfer of 'lessons learnt' and best practice, and campaigns to raise awareness. The Commission will support this approach by putting forward, in close cooperation with Member States, key performance indicators related to reducing fatalities and serious injuries, to be defined in consultation with experts from Member State authorities as well as with stakeholders, and it will consider ways to support Member States in the joint work on the methodology and measurements. The Commission will also continue to play a leadership role at a global level on road safety matters, working closely with international organisations.

# <span id="page-8-0"></span>European Parliament

The Parliament has adopted numerous resolutions regarding or covering road safety. In a [2005](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2005-366) resolution, it called on the Commission 'to develop a long-term road safety concept, going beyond 2010 and describing the required steps leading to the avoidance of all fatalities and serious injuries caused by road accidents ('Vision Zero')'. In a [2011](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-408) resolution, Parliament endorsed the objective of halving the total number of road deaths in the EU by 2020 in comparison with 2010. It also went further, calling for additional and more detailed measurable targets. In [a 2015](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2015-0310) resolution on the implementation of the 2011 white paper on transport, Parliament reiterated its call for the adoption of a 2020 target of a 40 % reduction in the number of people seriously injured, accompanied by a fully fledged EU strategy. It pushed for stronger action on the main causes of deaths and injuries, and actions to reduce accidents for vulnerable users. Parliament also called for road safety measures within the upcoming road package and a mid-term review of the Commission's road safety programme 2011-2020.

In its [resolution](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2017-0423) of 14 November 2017 on 'Saving lives: Boosting car safety in the EU', Parliament urged the Commission, bearing in mind the Valletta Declaration of March 2017, to include new targets for halving the number of serious injuries on the roads in the EU in its new road safety strategy for 2020 to 2030, and laid down a series of recommendations regarding the general aspects of safety, driver-assistance systems, safety measures for accident prevention and to mitigate the effects of accidents.

In its [resolution](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2018-0063) of 13 March 2018 on a European strategy on cooperative intelligent transport systems, Parliament welcomed the Commission communication on this topic but urged it to present a specific timetable with clear targets for what the EU needs to achieve between 2019 and 2029, to prioritise the deployment by 2019 of those C-ITS services that have the highest safety potential as well as the need to ensure that the development and deployment of connected and automated vehicles and C-ITS will fully comply with and support the aims of decarbonising the transport system and 'vision zero' in road safety. It highlighted the necessity of incorporating safeguard systems during the transition phase of co-existence between connected and automated vehicles and traditional non-connected vehicles,

#### Connected and automated mobility

Roa[d transport](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2018:0283:FIN:EN:PDF) and, consequently,safety, is at a cross-roads with the development of increasing automation and connectivity, allowing vehicles to 'talk' to each other, to the road infrastructure, and to other road users. Th[e traditional](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52018DC0293) boundary between vehicle, infrastructure and user is being increasingly blurred and vehicles allowing the driver, under certain driving conditions, to perform other tasks, should be available as commercial market products by 2020. The EU has already adopted different strategies o[n cooperative](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52016DC0766)  [intelligent systems,](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52016DC0766) and [on 5G communications](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52016DC0588)  [technology.](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52016DC0588) In the context of the May 2018 third mobility package, the Commission presented a strategy entitled ['On](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2018:283:FIN)  [the road to automated mobility: An EU strategy for mobility](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2018:283:FIN)  [of the future'](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2018:283:FIN) which proposes a comprehensive approach towards connected and automated mobility, and seeks to make Europe a world leader for fully automated and connected mobility systems.

The **European Committee of the Regions** in it[s opinion](https://dm.cor.europa.eu/CoRDocumentSearch/Pages/opinionsresults.aspx?k=(rapporteur:RIB%C3%81NYI)(documentlanguage:EN)) on road safety and automated mobility, adopted on 6 February 2019, highlighted the potential contribution of connected and automated mobility to social cohesion objectives and the impact of automated driving on regional spatial planning. As for the proposal on road infrastructure safety management of May 2018, it provided detailed recommendations for amendments, highlighting the importance of providing for a multi-level approach, and that safe road transport should be accessible in all European settlements and regions.

so as not to put road safety at risk. The resolution also contains specific recommendations regarding privacy and data protection, as well as on cybersecurity.

In an own-initiative [resolution](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2019-0005) adopted on 15 January 2019 on autonomous driving in European transport, the European Parliament provided detailed recommendations on the subject. It notably underlined 'that fully autonomous or highly automated vehicles will be commercially available in the coming years and that appropriate regulatory frameworks, ensuring their safe operation and providing for a clear regime governing liability, need to be in place as soon as possible in order to address the resulting changes, including interaction between autonomous vehicles and infrastructure and other users'.

## MAIN REFERENCES

Debyser A.[, Road safety in the EU,](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/593542/EPRS_BRI(2016)593542_EN.pdf) EPRS, European Parliament, November 2016.

Debyser A., [Road infrastructure safety management,](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/625191/EPRS_BRI(2018)625191_EN.pdf) EU Legislation in progress, EPRS, European Parliament, September 2018.

European Commission [road safety](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/index_en.htm) website.

European Commission[, interim evaluation of the policy orientations on road safety 2011-2020,](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/interim_eval_2011_2020/interim_eval.pdf) May 2015.

European Commission, Staff working document on the interim evaluation of the EU road safety policy framework 2011-2020[, SWD\(2015\) 116,](http://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/facts-fundings/evaluations/doc/swd-interim-road-safety-evaluation-2011-2020.pdf) June 2015.

Pape M., [EU strategy on cooperative intelligent transport systems,](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2017/608664/EPRS_BRI(2017)608664_EN.pdf) EPRS, European Parliament, September 2017.

Šajn N., [General safety of vehicles and protection of vulnerable road users,](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/625192/EPRS_BRI(2018)625192_EN.pdf) EU Legislation in progress briefing, EPRS, European Parliament, EPRS, September 2018.

## ENDNOTES

- <span id="page-9-0"></span><sup>1</sup> In most of the cases, final figures for 2017 are based o[n CARE](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/statistics/historical_evol.pdf) (EU road accidents database) or national publications of December 2018 and the European Commission's [publication](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/sites/roadsafety/files/pdf/scoreboard_2017_en.pdf) of November 2018. In a very few cases, the information comes from provisional data coming from the European Commission's [press release,](http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-2761_en.htm) 10 April 2018.
- <span id="page-9-1"></span><sup>2</sup> MAIS stands for Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale, which is an index ranging from 1 to 6.
- <span id="page-9-2"></span><sup>3</sup> i.e[. Directive 2003/97/EC,](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32003L0097) [Directive 2007/38/EC,](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:184:0025:0028:EN:PDF) [Regulation \(EC\)](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R0661) No 661/2009 repealing notably Directive 2003/97/EC
- <span id="page-9-3"></span><sup>4</sup> The proposal would replace the General Vehicle Safety Regulation [\(Regulation \(EC\) N°661/2009\),](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R0661) the Pedestrian Safety Regulation (Regulation (EC) N°78/2009), and the Hydrogen-Powered Motor Vehicles Regulation [\(Regulation \(EC\)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R0079)  [N°79/2009\)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R0079).
- <span id="page-9-4"></span><sup>5</sup> Both proposals – proposal for a regulation on type-approval requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers, as regards their general safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users and proposal for a directive amending Directive 2008/96/EC in road infrastructure safety management, are at the time of publication of this briefing, being discussed within the context of the ordinary legislative procedure. The link to latest state of play on the legislative process is provided on the EP Legislative Train Schedule for th[e first](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-resilient-energy-union-with-a-climate-change-policy/file-type-approval-for-motor-vehicles-as-regards-their-general-safety) proposal and for th[e second.](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-resilient-energy-union-with-a-climate-change-policy/file-road-infrastructure-safety-management)
- <span id="page-9-5"></span><sup>6</sup> In [Directive 2010/40/EU,](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32010L0040) Intelligent Transport Systems or 'ITS' are defined as 'systems in which information and communication technologies are applied in the field of road transport, including infrastructure, vehicles and users, and in traffic management and mobility management, as well as for interfaces with other modes of transport'.
- <span id="page-9-6"></span><sup>7</sup> Directive 2011/82/EU was challenged by the Commission in th[e Court](http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=151775&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=533422) of Justice of the European Union on the grounds that the EP and Council had chosen the wrong legal basis (Article 87(2) TFEU on police cooperation). The Court annulled Directive 2011/82/EU, but maintained its effects until the entry into force of a new directive based on the correct legal basis (Article 91(1)(c) TFEU), considering that the measures do not concern 'prevention of crime', as defined under police cooperation rules, but rather road safety, which is a transport issue.
- <span id="page-9-7"></span><sup>8</sup> The Commission publishes Member States' formal strategic [documents,](https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/useful-links/policy-orientation_en) laying out their goals and plans in terms of road safety, on its website.

## DISCLAIMER AND COPYRIGHT

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