In 2014 25,964 people were killed in the EU28 as a consequence of road collisions (decrease of just 0.2% compared to 2013). This represents the worst annual reduction in EU road deaths since 2001. An 8% annual reduction is now needed every year between 2015 and 2020 in order to reach the EU target for 2020 to halve the number of road deaths. The drastic slowdown in progress puts at risk the region’s target of halving road deaths by 2020. As well as the unbearable human cost, road casualties cost 2% of European GDP. In this briefing, ETSC outlines its recommendations on the key EU road safety policy dossiers to be steered by the Dutch Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2015. These include preparing for the new EU roads package, including the safety aspects. ETSC welcomes the Dutch initiative to put automated driving, including its safety potential, on their Presidency agenda. Safety must be an integral part of increasing take up of automated forms of transport. The upcoming revision of vehicle safety legislation has the potential to lay the foundations for automated driving and increased safety. The briefing also examines the upcoming policy initiatives from the European Commission including progress towards the 2020 target with recommendations for maximising the results of road safety work. (Author/publisher)
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