Road death reduction standstill in Europe prompts call for EU-wide action

Road deaths are increasing across the European Union with the majority of countries, including the U.K, failing to keep the EU on track to reduce those dying by half by 2020.

A report by the European Transport Safety Council says that road deaths were cut by 17% between 2010 and 2015 across the EU, but with an increase in 2015 the average annual reduction in deaths needs to accelerate from 6.7% to 9.7%. A total of 26,300 people lost their lives, one per cent more than in 2014, and only nine countries reduced the numbers killed. Norway performed the best, with a 20% reduction, followed by Estonia and Ireland, with 14% cuts.

The ETSC highlighted how Norway targeted head-on collisions, young drivers and speeding, including by building new four-lane motorways, and extending use of rumble strips on two-lane country roads; improving driver education and launching a speed campaign aimed at young male drivers.

It urged countries to similarly target the worst populations and areas, and called on the EU institutions to regulate for the introduction of in-vehicle safety technologies and to extend its infrastructure safety management directive to cover all roads.