The principal task for the Committee of Inquiry was to examine the responsibility on the part of the public and private sectors for safe road traffic. It was also to propose new or revised regulations, sanctions and systems of inspection emanating from the outcome of the inquiry. Further, the Committee was to conduct an inquiry into the establishment of an independent road traffic inspectorate, including recommendations concerning how such a body should be organised, its tasks and powers of authority and how it should be financed. The inquiry has taken the name: Committee of Inquiry into Road Traffic Responsibility. In order to achieve a safe road transport system, there must be a change in our views concerning responsibility, to the extent that system designers are given a clearly defined responsibility for designing the road transport system on the basis of human capabilities, thereby preventing the occurrence of those cases of death and serious injury that are possible to predict and prevent. In light of this, the Committee proposes that the parliamentary decision based on the principle of "Vision Zero" and the responsibility of the system designers for safety in road traffic be regulated by law. The law proposal is a so-called framework act. Thus, a special body is needed that would be commissioned to elucidate and follow up the implementation of the intention of the law, and reinforce the prerequisites for safe road traffic. This is to be accomplished through inducing the system designers to assume responsibility for steadily improving and upholding safe road traffic so that human life and health is not placed in jeopardy. The Committee recommends that a special supervisory authority, a road traffic inspectorate, be set up and commissioned to uphold the purpose of the new law. The tasks of the road traffic inspectorate are: (1) to carry out general and specific evaluations and inquiries; (2) to ensure that the system designers conduct accident inquiries of high standard and make; (3) decisions on undertaking adequate and effective measures; (4) to draw up rules and regulations concerning requirements on a quality assurance system for road traffic safety; and (5) to initiate a certain degree of research and development. The Committee chooses to propose however that the inspectorate should not be given a mandate entailing having coercive measures. It is important to emphasise that it is the system designers who are responsible for remedial action in the face of deficiencies and shortcomings. This lies at the core of a modern quality programme. The road traffic inspectorate should, moreover, be a public authority that uses the potential in modern technology to full advantage and develops an efficient work procedure based on a geographically spread network and a common goal. The ultimate aim of the proposals we are presenting in this Inquiry is eventually to eliminate those deaths and serious injuries in the road transport system that system designers can predict and prevent. The system we are proposing is largely similar to those that apply in other modes of transport and in the working environment. Hence, a reasonable ambition could be that developments at least follow those that have occurred in the working world, i.e., a 50 per cent reduction in the number of persons killed within a ten-year period. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see ITRD no 207828. The reprints are also available at the web - http://www.vti.se/pdf/reports/K18APart1.pdf; http://www.vti.se/pdf/reports/K18APart2.pdf and http://www.vti.se/pdf/reports/K18APart3.pdf.
Abstract