The United Kingdom has been a good example for improving road safety for decades and a source of inspiration for many countries. A low mortality rate and a low fatality rate have not prevented it from making further progress. The UK was, and still is, a leading country with a reputation for excellent evidence-based road safety policies; brilliant policy documents; good implementation of policies; and the high level of expertise and dedication of its road safety professionals. However, progress has slowed down in recent years, as in many high-motorised and well-performing countries, and there is a need for new approaches and measures. Two promising lines of development can be identified. The first approach is one of performing better with existing measures and, through optimization and quality assurance, trying to gain more positive effects from these existing measures. This requires a sound and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system with an emphasis on the ‘dose-response’ relationship. Based on the (annual) monitoring of results it is recommended that an increased level and/or higher quality implementation of existing interventions is considered. It is expected that further progress can be made by doing this. However this would most probably not result in a dramatic decline in the number of fatalities and injuries. Over the last decade this has been the approach favoured in the UK. The second line is to develop strategies to reach very aspirational targets. Here we talk about adopting new visions and make them operational by using interim, empirical based targets. The UK seems to have been hesitant to embark on these high ambition type of approaches, such as developed in Sweden and the Netherlands, and recently documented in the OECD study (2008): ‘Towards Zero. Ambitious road safety targets and the safe system approach‘. The lecture introduces this new way of thinking and discusses its ‘achievability’, its consequences and implications. This new approach puts the human being (physically and psychologically) at its focal point and attempts to “nudge” human behaviour in a safe direction by creating safe conditions. This will only be possible if all road authorities accept and follow this approach and offer road users predictable, if not self-explaining, roads and credible legislation. The option of less orthodox types will also be discussed given the role that raising awareness and public acceptance by campaigns, education and enforcement has in supporting this ambitious and promising approach. (Author/publisher)
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