This report compares the safety performance of 27 European countries – the25 EU member states, Norway and Switzerland. The comparison is done for seven road safety related areas: alcohol and drugs, speeds, protective systems, daytime running lights, vehicles (passive safety), roads, and trauma management, on basis of the theory presented in Hakkert, Gitelman and Vis (2007), using the data obtained from the collaborating countries (see Vis and Van Gent (2007). When indicator values are available but not comparable due to e.g. lack of data quality, this is explained.
In general, comparing the countries' performances is difficult. The main reasons are the lack of data, suspicious quality of the data, or the incomparability of the (seemingly similar) data due to different circumstances of measurement. As an example of the latter, one might think of speed measurements for different road types in different countries, or on similar road types with completely different characteristics.
In a number of cases, the choice for a specific performance indicator depends on the availability of data. This has, for example, been the case for the indicator for alcohol usage; while the optimal indicator would concern the usage rate of alcohol in the general driver population, the unavailability of data in a number of the (larger) country, has led to a more indirect indictor. Details about the development of the safety performance indicators can be found in Hakkert, Gitelman and Vis (2007).
In spite of all considerations and limitations, we are able to present a great number of comparisons in this report, or to present the figures that can form the basis for future comparisons. Reliable comparisons are made for the areas daytime running lights, protective systems, vehicles (passive safety), and trauma management. Only limited comparisons are made for the areas speeds and roads. Due to great differences in data quality between the different countries, comparisons in the area alcohol and drugs is not possible. The results for that area are presented for information only and will form the basis for future study.
