Traffic accidents are a major social problem. Costs for killed and injured in 2005 have been estimated to exceed 29 billions Swedish crowns. To this number should be added considerable human pain. However, the ongoing development as regards traffic safety is positive. During the period 1970 - 2004, the number of killed per year has been reduced to one third, from 1307 to 440 per year, despite the fact that the amount of traffic has more than doubled in this period. This positive development includes unprotected road-users as well as drivers and passengers in vehicles. Furthermore, there are no signs that this positive development should not continue. The present impact analysis demonstrates that research on traffic safety has had great importance for the increase of traffic safety. At the same time, it has formed the basis for considerable commercial success within the automotive industry. The analysis seeks to make clear the impacts - not only on research, society and industry - but also at different levels, like society as a whole, in given research institutes and related to specific projects. Data collection and analysis have therefore been undertaken at a macro and micro level. At the macro level, the project has established a framework for understanding and has investigated impacts on the whole of society, while at the micro level we have tried to deepen understanding through case studies of research institutes and research fields. By linking these various levels, we can obtain an overall picture of the impacts and the mechanisms that have been significant. The report is divided into three parts: PART I - the framework for the analyses. In Chapter 1, our analysis model is first presented and the multi dimensional methodological system that has been necessary to be able to carry out the impact analysis. In chapter 2, we describe how road safety has developed in the period between 1970 - 2005. The positive development with regard to safety on our roads and understanding the contribution to the field of road safety requires a system perspective is an important background for the analysis. The development of road safety research in the same period is described in chapters 3 and 4. While chapter 3 deals with the budget constraints, chapter 4 deals with the basis for all forms of impacts of research investments, namely the people and institutions that carry out the research. PART II - impacts of public research funding - VINNOVA and its predecessors and PFF respectively. This part attempts to highlight different impact and questions related to the factual part of the analysis. Chapter 5 deals with the impact of the input of the four major research environments, with specific focus on measurable academic results, from publishing to education. In chapter 6 we attempt - on the basis of case studies and interviews with the users - to give a picture of the different impacts on the manufacturing industry. In chapter 7, we present an analysis of the significance of road safety research for risk development at the macro level. Here we also explore the relationship between funding of research and the impact a given safety measure has in practice. Finally in chapter 8 we look at the impact on policy development and ways of thinking both nationally and internationally. PART III - Reflections on mechanisms for impacts In this part the strategic purpose is central. Here we attempt to clarify the prerequisites for the impacts that have been shown in part II. Chapter 9 summarises the importance of the contribution of VINNOVA and its predecessors and PFF. The good results create the starting point for describing what we call a good research circle. This is a process that characterises the history of impacts of Swedish road safety research. In chapter 10, based on experiences from the period 1970-2004, we also try to find out what has contributed to a good research circle. References, overviews of informants (Appendix 1), tables (Appendix 2) and five complete reports from the project's case studies (Appendix 3-7) are attached to this report. (Author/publisher) For the complete report see http://www.vinnova.se/upload/EPiStorePDF/va-07-10.pdf
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