This report summarises the progress that has been made against the estimated reduction in social cost outlined in the Road Safety to 2010 consultation document. This document provided the framework for road safety actions and interventions for the last decade. It was released for public comment in 2000. The interventions identified in that document, and subsequently adopted, were progressed in three implementation packages in 2003, 2004 and 2007. This report offers a limited statistical review of the interventions and outcomes to date as a result of the Road Safety to 2010 strategy. Where possible, some explanations have been offered as to why the targets have not been met or predicted outcomes have not been achieved. The report shows that there has been progress over the last 10 years, particularly when compared to the growth in vehicle kilometres travelled. Progress has been made in improving roads, vehicles and reducing speeds but not in reducing alcohol impairment. It is, however, highly unlikely that Road Safety to 2010 targets relating to fatalities and serious injuries will be achieved. While the 2008 road toll was the lowest since 1959, the 2009 road toll is tracking to be around 400 deaths in total. The report indicates four possible factors that may have contributed to the targets not being met: some legislative changes, which were expected to deliver reductions in social cost, were not progressed the investment in engineering interventions was not at the level necessary to provide the predicted social cost reductions there has not been an appreciable reduction in alcohol/drug-related crashes over the last 10 years, despite highly visible enforcement and an increase in the number of breath tests administered the predicted efficiency gains were not achieved, possibly because mergers in the transport sector have had an impact on the road safety focus. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting