Abstract
A brief history of road safety in Netherlands is presented. Up to the year 2000 it is estimated that about 110,000 people have been killed in road accidents. The Netherlands was the first EU country to introduce quantitative targets for reducing fatal and serious injury road accidents and to introduce a sustainable road safety policy. The aims of this policy are to alter infrastructure design to markedly reduce the probability of accidents, and to reduce the severity of occurring accidents to reduce serious injury. The procedures required for the implementation of the policy and its financing (split between central and local government) are outlined. A cost-effectiveness of 9% return on investment is calculated.