Citation

Halleman B. Proc. Road Saf. Four Continents Conf. 2005; 13: 8p.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Conference Sponsor)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

European road safety figures reveal something of a paradox. Despite the relentless drive towards harmonization of speed limits, blood alcohol levels and enforcement policies, the fact remains that some European Union (EU) countries and some roads are far safer to drive in than others. After enlargement, that gap now stands at 1:5, on the basis of fatalities/population. In a context where road safety has become a political priority and in the face of rising consumerism from the drivers themselves (as witnessed by the star ratings delivered to cars and now roads), such disparities have highlighted the need to extend policies well beyond education and enforcement. With infrastructure involved in as many as a third of all accidents, safe road engineering supported by sound research can help ensure consistently high levels of safety along Europe's road networks. This paper will highlight the specific contribution of two European research projects.