Abstract
The Commission has today adopted an ambitious Road Safety Programme which aims to cut road deaths in Europe in half in the next decade. The programme sets out a mix of initiatives, at European and national level, focussing on improving vehicle safety, the safety of infrastructure and road users' behaviour. Key figures are: - Road Safety is a major societal issue. In 2009, more than 35,000 people died on the roads of the European Union, i.e. the equivalent of a medium town. - For every death on Europe's roads there are an estimated 4 permanently disabling injuries such as damage to the brain or spinal cord, 10 serious injuries and 40 minor injuries. - The estimated economic cost to society is 130 Billion Euro a year. (Author/publisher)