Tackling the three main killers on the roads: countries progress but too slowly
5 May 2010. The ETSC (European Transport Safety Council) has launched its 16th Road Safety PIN Flash measuring EU countries' progress since 2001 in tackling excessive speed, drink driving and non-use of seat belts which remain the three main killers on EU roads.
This update comes at a crucial time when the EU is discussing its priorities for the forthcoming EU Road Safety Action Programme for the next ten years.
Deaths attributed to drink driving have decreased somewhat faster than other road deaths since 2001 in the EU – by about 5.8% against 4.2% on average each year. However, a massive underreporting distorts the real picture: it is estimated that alcohol related deaths make up to 25% of all road deaths against 11.5% according to official statistics.
The EU should promote consistent and visible enforcement as powerful deterrents to drink driving and adopt a 0.2g/l BAC limit for commercial and novice drivers.
However, despite an increase in a number of countries, alcohol checks are still too rare an experience for most drivers.
The EU should support the introduction of alcolocks, in rehabilitation programmes and for fleet drivers; this could further reduce drink driving and complement zero tolerance of drink driving by all drivers as represented by roadside police checks.
“The life-saving potential of comparatively simple and known measures in these key areas of road safety is huge,” said ETSC Executive Director Antonio Avenoso. “The EU should use the Directive on Cross Border Enforcement within the 4th European Road Safety Action Programme to urge Member States to adopt new legislative measures to cut down speeding, drink driving and non-use of seat belts radically. They should also monitor indicators of these behaviours.”
The report and detailed figures for each country are available under www.etsc.eu/PINpublications.php.
For further enquiries please contact PIN Programme Manager Graziella Jost, graziella.jost@etsc.eu, tel. +32 (0)2 230.41.06, mob. +32(0)4.98.51.65.62.
European Road Safety Observatory http://ec.europa.eu/transport/wcm/road_safety/erso/knowledge/Content/05_alcohol/alcohol.htm