This publication contains an overview of data on injury accidents and traffic victims in the Dutch province of North Brabant and the region of Helmond (situated within this province), in the period 1988-1990. First, a global overview is given of the number of victims and injury accidents in the Netherlands and in the province of North Brabant, in the period 1981-1990. This indicates that the number of traffic victims in the province of North Brabant and throughout the Netherlands will not be less by the year 2000, but may even increase. Next, the number of traffic victims and injury accidents are given for the province of North Brabant and the region of Helmond concerning the years 1988-1990. On the basis of general characteristics of the lack of traffic safety in the Netherlands, the province of North Brabant and the region of Helmond a number of conclusions are made: (1) The most injury victims are found in the group of 18-23 years old, both on a regional and on a provincial level; (2) In the region of Helmond, car occupants appear to be more often victims of accidents than in the rest of the province of North Brabant and the Netherlands; (3) The number of injury accidents on rural roads appear to be higher in the region of Helmond than in the rest of the province of North Brabant and in the Netherlands; (4) In a great number of cases, it is not known whether accidents can be related to the use of alcohol; and (5) failing to give priority appears to be the most important factor in occurring accidents. In view of the above described lack of traffic safety, a number of areas requiring urgent action in Helmond are selected from the Dutch Multi Year Programme on Traffic Safety (MPV). These are: (i) driving under the influence of alcohol; (ii) driving too quickly; (iii) heavy traffic; (iv) moped riders; (v) cyclists; (vi) the group of 0-23 years old; (vii) older persons; (viii) dangerous locations; and (ix) safety means. Finally, methods to improve safety in these areas are presented.
Samenvatting