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Data: 22/11/2010
In spite of the general decrease in deaths on Europe’s roads in recent years, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians remain vulnerable and accounted for 45 % of road deaths in the EU in 2008. In addition, behaviour such as drink driving heightens the risk of accidents.
These issues were highlighted during the second Road Safety Days session, with presentations dedicated in particular to the safety of cyclists and motorcyclists and rehabilitation schemes for drink-driving offenders.
The benefits of cycling are well known, particularly in terms of health, the environment and reducing congestion. There is also evidence that it has become safer, with cycling fatalities dropping by 35 % between 1996 and 2006.
National fatality levels are often inversely proportionate to cycling’s modal share of transport for a given country, showing that more and safer cycling can go hand in hand. This may be due to a number of factors. Drivers in countries with large numbers of cyclists are used to their presence on the roads and cyclists are more aware of hazards due to their experience. More developed infrastructure may also play a part.
Innovations such as crash-friendly car fronts and blind spot mirrors on lorries, which have both been implemented could contribute to further reducing cycling fatalities. Traffic management authorities should also consider introducing cycle lanes separating bikes from motorised traffic and lower areawide speed limits that can cut the risk of accidents and ensure less severe consequences from many collisions.
Well-known vulnerability
The vulnerability of power two-wheeler riders is well documented. In 2008, they accounted for 2 % of road users but 17 % of fatalities. As the number of motorcycles on EU roads increased by 34 % between 2001 and 2007, improving riders’ safety will continue to be a challenge.
The EU is attempting to confront this by licensing scheme revision involving age-based progression to more powerful vehicles and requiring better initial training for riders. It is also funding projects under the Seventh Research and Development Framework Programme with the aim of developing specific intelligent safety applications for motorcycles.
If road users do not behave appropriately, further efforts will be in vain. Drinking and driving accounts for a high number of crashes and accidents involving alcohol tend to be severe in terms of number of fatalities per crash.
Penalties for driving while over the legal alcohol limit are the most common method of tackling the problem, with driving license suspension considered a particularly effective deterrent. Rehabilitation courses have been shown to cut recidivism. Deterrence and rehabilitation, combined with monitoring of offenders when their mobility is restored could form an integrated approach to keeping previous drink drivers on the straight and narrow.
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