Tag Archive: Road Safety

  1. Studies on the road-safety impact of large cars

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    Sources: ETSC, T&E

    Recently published research from separate studies in Europe and the US quantifies the dangers that ever-larger cars present to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, as well as the excessive strain they place on space and resources.

    The European situation

    European advocacy groups Transport & Environment (T&E) and Clean Cities Campaign published their study Ever-bigger? Car size at a crossroads, which examines the various impacts of car heights and widths expanding year-on-year, and outlines potential solutions to the problem.

    Their report finds that, each year, the average length of new cars in Europe is increasing by 1.2 cm, and the average total height, bonnet height and width all increasing by 0.5 cm. The higher bonnet height of larger cars is particularly hazardous for vulnerable road users: separate research has shown that adult pedestrians struck by an SUV are 44% more likely to be killed than if by a smaller car, with the likelihood rising to 82% higher for children.

    The T&E/Clean Cities report advises that action is taken to commence what they term “right-sizing” of cars – in effect, reversing the trend of increasing car dimensions, to bring them back to levels of cars produced in the 2010-2015 period.

    If the trend of increasing car size were to continue unchecked, on average car bonnets will reach a height of 92 cm by 2040. This compares to 77 cm in 2010, and the current average of 84 cm. Right-sizing would bring the height back to 77 cm.

    The report’s modelling shows that:

    • Under current trends, 40% more children walking would be killed a year in car crashes by 2040 compared to the Right-sizing scenario (EU and UK). The gap rises through the 2030s, and in 2040, the ever-bigger trend would see 39 children (aged up to 14) killed, compared to 28 under a right-sizing scenario.
    • For vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and moped riders of all age groups) current trends would bring 400 additional deaths annually by 2040 compared to a more balanced scenario (14% higher).

    Increasing car lengths also pose a problem, placing pressure on cities’ parking space, with the loss of 8.5% to 14% of on-street parking spaces predicted by 2040 if the trend continues. Larger cars also place pressure on road infrastructure, and demand for electricity and oil.

    The report outlines key policy approaches to address the car-spreading problem:

    • Cap bonnet height in new cars at 85 cm, and limit width to 192 cm (EU level, and UK)
    • Add vehicle dimensions to vehicle registration certificates (national governments / EU)
    • Ensure that regulatory advantages only go to small electric cars (not longer than 4.2 metres) in revising car CO2 law (EU)
    • Rate the vision of children from the driver’s seat of new cars (Euro NCAP), and apply a Child Vision Standard in law (EU, and UK)
    • Vary car taxes and parking charges by dimensions (national governments, and cities)

    Figures from the US

    An investigation by the New York Times looks at the shift in the US towards taller and heavier SUVs and trucks, finding that they are responsible for an estimated 200-400 additional pedestrian deaths per year.

    It finds that each one-inch (2.54 cm) increase in bonnet height is associated with a 2.8% increased odds of a pedestrian death. 39% of current US vehicles are tall enough to knock an average-height adult male to the pavement rather than carry him onto the bonnet, an increase of 29% from 2002. Blind zones in popular pick-ups have also grown rapidly over the last two decades.

  2. Netherlands municipality trials 20 km/h cycle lane speed limit

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    Source: The Guardian, Dutch News Image source: Fer Troulik, Unsplash

    A short-term trial in the Dutch municipality of Houten, near Utrecht, has been implemented to test out the practicalities of introducing 20 km/h speed limits for cycle lanes, in an effort to deal with rising congestion and a broader mix of vehicle types using cycle lanes.

    The two-week trial is taking place on Fossa Iberica in Houten, a 130-metre road that is en-route to the town’s rail station and a school, includes a low-visibility crossroads, and sees 4,000 users a day, with rush hour particularly busy. Cameras have been installed to measure the normal situation on the road, and speed limit signs have also been installed.  The cameras will not be used for enforcement, as cycles do not have license plates; however a research team will analyse the footage in due course.

    Houten’s transport chief, Wouter van den Berg, spoke about the reasons that Houten volunteered to host the trial. “Traffic safety is ever more important because more and more different types of road users are on the bike paths. Speed pedelecs, fat bikes, racers, golf carts with children in them – you name it. So when the government suggested this pilot, Houten stuck up its hand.”

    He also spoke about the issues of adjusting cycling infrastructure in the urban environment, with specific reference to the trial street, which can be viewed on Google Maps here. “It all starts with how you organise public space, the roads and the streets – especially in new developments – so that the slowest traffic gets priority. But here, you can’t widen the cycle lane, otherwise you’d be in people’s living rooms.”

    Is speed the issue?

    A variety of opinions have been voiced about the thinking behind the trial scheme. Local people spoke to current affairs programme Een Vandaag, with some highlighting that riders of standard bikes are unlikely to know their exact speed, while one woman commented, “This is all about cyclists on motorised bicycles, so I should think you would do something about motorised cyclists. Make a rule for them and not for all cyclists.” JanPeter Westein of the local cyclists’ association, Fietsersbond Houten, said that the group is happy to see its concerns being taken seriously, stating that he tends to avoid busy times, and highlighted a key use of the town’s cycle network: “Pretty much all of the primary schools in Houten are on the bike paths … and you don’t want parents to say they will take their children by car because it’s not safe.”

    Kees Bakker, policy officer and consumer advisor of the national cyclists’ union, Fiestersbond, looked at the 20 km/h speed limit topic in detail ahead of the trial. He asked, “What problem does this solve?”, concluding that many cycle paths are too narrow for the current volume of traffic – and that speed limits will not address that. He also explores the often-made point that e-bikes can go faster, sharing insights that standard e-bikes only have an average cruising speed of 22.6 km/h, compared to 19.6 km/h on a traditional bike. Illegally souped-up e-bikes are, he acknowledges, sometimes a problem – but as they are illegal, he argues that enforcement against illegal use is the answer.

  3. Deadline extended for 2026 Excellence in Road Safety Awards applications

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    Source: European Road Safety Charter

    The deadline for applications in the 2026 Excellence in Road Safety Awards has been extended to Wednesday 24 June, with members of the European Road Safety Charter (ERSC) now having an extra two weeks to submit their initiatives for consideration.

    The awards are designed to recognise outstanding and innovative actions which contribute to safer roads across Europe. Applications are open to all Charter members in five categories:

    • At work: Measures addressing road safety for employees, fleets, and work-related travel  
    • Education: Initiatives that raise awareness and teach road safety skills 
    • Technology: Innovative projects applying new technologies to prevent crashes and enhance safety
    • Urban: Initiatives that make cities and towns safer for all road users
    • Vulnerable road users: Actions protecting cyclists, pedestrians, people using personal mobility devices, and other at-risk road users

    Membership of the ERSC is free, and open to entities and individuals, with a one-working-day turnaround on applications.

    ERSC states that, by sharing effective approaches and highlighting the commitment of organisations and individuals towards road safety initiatives, they are supporting wider progress towards the EU Vision Zero objective to reduce road deaths to near-zero by 2050.

    Award winners will be announced at the EU Road Safety Conference on 23 November in Brussels.

    Applications can be submitted here.

  4. Tackling blame-shifting in road safety

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    Source: Stadszaken, SWOV

    Although there have been low traffic fatality numbers for many years in the Netherlands, the rate has more recently been increasing, with a total of 759 recorded in 2025, the highest since 2007. Martin van der Maas, an urban planner at the Municipality of Amsterdam, examined misplaced priorities, and allocation of blame towards cyclists and pedestrians.

    Martin draws attention to the unsuitability of increasingly large cars and strained urban traffic infrastructure for the 21st century. Car traffic travelling at high speeds is given priority, posing hazards and significant inconvenience to other road users: “Bicycle lanes and sidewalks that are too narrow, too many obstacles, insufficient freedom of movement for children, frequent merging, excessive waiting times, and dangerously close passes to speeding, overweight vehicles.”

    Martin speaks about this strong adherence to traffic culture from personal experience. Five years ago, his wife was injured while attempting to cross on a zebra crossing in Alkmaar in the early evening. The driver of the car had appeared to stop, but then suddenly pulled away, striking Martin’s wife and sending her over the front of the car.

    It transpired that the elderly driver later admitted he could no longer see well at dusk, but also that his greatest concern was keeping his driver’s license, for daily visits to his wife in a nursing home – a trip of one kilometre, along a bus route.

    Shifting the blame

    Martin was informed by a policewoman in the aftermath that the driver’s case was with the judicial authorities, and that he and his wife would not hear anything further about it. The policewoman also emphasised that Martin’s wife had been wearing a dark coat – which Martin counters with the fact that it is a wide zebra crossing, with warning signs and bright overhead white lighting.

    Martin and his wife indeed did not hear anything further from the driver, but did see him continuing to drive for several more years. Despite other accidents occurring on the same road, which has a 50 km/h speed limit, no changes have been made. Discussions about implementing a standard 30 km/h speed limit in Alkmaar have met with political opposition, despite mounting evidence of such measures bringing positive safety outcomes.

    Three types of blame-shifting are identified:

    • Priority blaming: from the car culture advocates’ point of view, it’s the right-of-way for pedestrians and cyclists that is the problem, not the car. Pedestrians and cyclists are expected to wait longer to cross or manoeuvre safely, while any extra waiting time for traffic is not acceptable.
    • Fatbike blaming: these have become an easy scapegoat, helping to shift focus from space-consuming car lanes, and stoking in-fighting among pedestrians and riders of standard bikes, cargo bikes, fatbikes over the remaining space available.
    • Victim blaming: shifting responsibility from car drivers to the victims of road traffic incidents. Car culture advocacy puts the onus on more vulnerable road users to make themselves safe from dangerous traffic; “They need to pay more attention, they wear the wrong dark coats, they need to wear a helmet.” Martin states, “According to the logic of victim blamers, my wife and I should now be walking around hyper-alert in fluorescent clothing and pedestrian helmets. But that would be the death of the city, the legitimization of the perpetrator, and the subjugation of the victim.”

    The toxicity of traffic culture

    Martin summarises how this traffic culture can be described:

    • The right of irresponsible people to drive outweighs the right of children to grow up with living and healthy parents.
    • The right to drive freely and fast outweighs the right to walk and cycle safely and comfortably through the city.
    • The right to drive SUVs outweighs the chance for pedestrians and cyclists to survive an accident.

    The obstruction of more spontaneous and space-saving mobility represented by pedestrians and cyclists is obstruction of the solution to the design for safe streets in the modern world. “There are plenty of possibilities for this, provided we settle for fewer, smaller, and slower cars. The fact that our cities simultaneously become more beautiful, healthier, and more pleasant is a welcome bonus for everyone.”

  5. Eurocities survey shows positive effects of speed cuts in 75% of cities

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    Source: Zag Daily

    Eurocities, the advocacy body which represents more than 200 large European cities, has published the results of its 2025 Eurocities Pulse survey on 30km/h speed limits. These lower urban limits are linked to safer city streets, reducing road deaths and injuries, without an increase in congestion or journey times.

    The survey was conducted among 38 cities in 19 European countries, assessing different methods of implementation, and the impact, challenges and supportive frameworks of lowering speed limits. The survey respondents are mobility professionals working in cities’ administrations and transport planning agencies.

    Results show that many local governments have introduced 30 km/h speed limits in targeted urban areas, with a priority given to residential neighbourhoods and around schools.

    Clear positive results of fewer road deaths and injuries were reported by 75% of cities. Beyond this headline figure, 91% of cities reported at least one positive impact on urban life, such as an increase in active mobility, and decreasing air and noise pollution. The respondents’ answers also show that these positive effects are, crucially, not offset by negative effects on congestion, traffic volumes or journey times, and have only limited but manageable impact on public transport.

    Challenges before and after implementation

    During the planning and rollout stages of lower speed limit introduction, 45% of cities reported facing political opposition, and 37% saw public resistance. Legal and regulatory barriers presented a problem for 40% of cities, and almost a third of respondents cited limited administrative capacity for implementation.

    Following implementation, the challenges eased off. Political opposition fell to only 18%, public opposition to 21%, and legal obstacles to just 5%. Eurocities reported to Zag Daily that none of the cities in the survey reversed their speed limit policies after implementation.

    Two members of the Eurocities Task Force on 30 km/h shared their insights.

    Michele Campaniello, Deputy Mayor of Bologna and Chair of the task force, said, “For some time now, Bologna has been committed to improving the safety and liveability of its streets. While there were initial challenges and scepticism, the results are clear: safer roads, calmer traffic and a better urban environment for everyone. These measures are making a tangible difference, and cities can learn from each other to accelerate progress towards Vision Zero. Once people experience the benefits of safer, calmer streets, support grows quickly and resistance fades.“

    Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of Budapest and Vice Chair of the task force, said, “Despite the shrinking democratic space, reduced subsidiarity, and increasing budget cuts and taxes imposed by the Orbán regime, Budapest remains committed to halving fatal traffic incidents by 2030 and achieving Vision Zero by 2050.”

    Implementation methods

    According to the survey, cities’ implementation of lower speed limit zones tends to be gradual and targeted, often prioritising residential areas (53% of cities), school streets (42%) and historic centres (45%), while key corridors will retain higher speed limits. 57% of cities report that over half of their road networks are now operating with speed limits under 50 km/h.

    Karácsony states, “We must redesign streets for safety, lower speed limits, promote cooperative driving and safer vehicles, and strengthen institutional and legislative protections for vulnerable road users. Speed management is being applied as a strategic urban safety tool, as part of our goal to save 800 lives. In Budapest, new speed cameras have reduced speeding, and fatal crashes fell by 37% in just one year.”

    Significance of the survey

    As the European Commission prepares its mid-term review of the EU Road Safety Policy Framework, and work continues towards the Vision Zero goal of eliminating road deaths altogether, the Eurocities survey provides valuable evidence on the effectiveness of lowering urban speed limits. The wide-ranging scope of the survey demonstrates that these measures are scalable, and widely accepted after implementation. Eurocities states, however, that “local action alone is not enough to deliver the systemic change needed across Europe.”

    “Creating a more liveable environment cannot wait,” says Karácsony. “National governments and EU institutions can accelerate progress by giving municipalities clearer legal powers, stronger technical guidance, and better access to shared evidence and proven implementation models, and most importantly dedicated funding.”

    An infographic presenting the key findings of the Eurocities Pulse survey can be seen here.

  6. London signals an intention to tackle carspreading

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    Sources: ETSC, Transport for London

    On 13 March, Transport for London (TfL) launched the Vision Zero Action Plan 2, the latest phase in the capital city’s commitment to eliminating road deaths and serious injuries by 2041. The Safe Vehicles section of the plan focuses in part on the threat to other road users posed by larger, heavier and wider cars.

    The UK capital city is not the only major city to recognise the risk larger cars such as SUVs pose to pedestrians. Paris notably held a referendum in 2024 which led to increased parking fees for heavy vehicles owned by non-residents, and Cardiff introduced higher charges for residential parking permits for larger vehicles in 2025.

    The TfL action plan states that “the cars on our streets are getting larger, heavier and wider. Oversized models, such as large SUVs, make it harder for drivers to see people walking and cycling nearby. These design features significantly increase the severity of collisions – including the risk of death – particularly for children, who are more easily hidden from a driver’s view. Those under nine are at the greatest risk.”

    The plan points to the success of targeted interventions such as the Direct Vision Standard for HGVs and the Bus Safety Standard, and states that “we will act locally to reduce risk from the vehicles that cause the greatest harm, and to harness the benefits of new technologies.”

  7. Active Travel England updates lane width guidance to prevent close passing

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    Source: Zag Daily

    Active Travel England (ATE) has published new guidance, Critical safety issues for walking, wheeling and cycling, which addresses a range of serious issues, including that of varying road lane widths which can lead to “close passing” incidents, where motorists do not – or cannot – allow sufficient space when overtaking cyclists.

    ATE is a government agency which promotes cycling as an everyday transport choice. It has concluded that the standard British road lane width of 3.65m is not wide enough for motorists to be compliant with the Highway Code, which requires them to allow 1.5m of space when passing cyclists.

    The new guidance states that lanes should either be narrower than 3.25m, where “it is usually clear to motorists that there is not enough space to safely overtake cyclists, and it is clearer to cyclists that they need to ride more centrally”, or be wider than 3.9m, where “the risk of a collision from alongside is reduced at this width and beyond.”

    The ATE guidance relates only to new projects is not legally binding, but is regarded as good practice, and will be applied to a large road-building programme across England. Motorists who flout the Highway Code rules on close passing of cyclists can typically face a fine of £100 (€113), and three penalty points on their licence, or higher if a case goes to court.

    Simon Munk, Head of Campaigns and Community Development at cycling safety charity, the London Cycling Campaign, highlighted the benefits for urban spaces in general. “At 12ft 8in [3.86m] or over, it’s easier for drivers overtaking cyclists to avoid a ‘close pass’. At the other end, narrowing lanes to 10ft 8in [3.25] lanes can mean more room for busy pavements and bus stops, while making it clearer drivers shouldn’t overtake cyclists. It might seem like tinkering with history but not only is shifting lane widths good for helping cyclists stay alive, it’s also good for making places nicer too.”

    Zag Daily points out that the guidance has been issued against the backdrop of an increased presence on UK roads of wide SUVs, which have prompted concerns about “carspreading”.

  8. Norway wins 2025 ETSC PIN Award for outstanding road safety progress

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    Source: ETSC Press Release

    ETSC annual report shows EU still falling short of 2030 road safety goals

    The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has awarded its prestigious 2025 Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) Award to Norway, recognising the country’s sustained commitment to road safety and long-term success in reducing road deaths.

    The announcement comes alongside the publication of the 19th PIN Annual Report, which reveals mixed progress across Europe and a clear warning: the EU is significantly off track to meet its target of halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

    Norway: a model of vision and action

    Norway remains Europe’s safest country for road users, with just 16 road deaths per million inhabitants in 2024, the lowest rate among the 32 countries monitored by the ETSC PIN programme.

    This remarkable performance reflects Norway’s long-standing adoption of a Safe System approach to road safety and continuous innovation in national and local road safety policy.

    The award recognises a wide range of strategic initiatives:

    • The National Plan of Action for Road Safety 2022–2025 – “Towards Vision Zero”, featuring 179 concrete measures across 15 priority areas, has a target of fewer than 50 annual road deaths by 2030 and aims for zero deaths by 2050.
    • A newly launched BEST research programme is strengthening evidence-based policymaking and evaluating both existing and emerging road safety interventions.
    • Legislative reforms, such as the 2020 amendment to the Road Traffic Law, now require in-depth investigations of all fatal crashes and mandatory autopsies to support crash analysis.
    • Youth-focused safety reforms, including stricter driver training, a double penalty points system for new drivers, and targeted communications campaigns, have reduced deaths among young road users.
    • Local innovation includes the Heart Zones programme to ensure car-free areas around schools, and the Traffic Safe Municipalities certification scheme, encouraging community-level road safety leadership.

    “Norway continues to show what’s possible when a country commits to road safety at every level – from government strategy to local planning,” said Antonio Avenoso, ETSC Executive Director. “Their results are no accident; they’re the product of clear targets, rigorous implementation, and national ambition.”

    EU progress: still too slow

    While Norway sets a leading example, the broader European picture is concerning.

    According to the 19th ETSC PIN Annual Report, road deaths in the EU27 decreased by just 2% in 2024 compared to 2023.

    Since the baseline year of 2019, deaths have fallen by only 12%, far short of the 27% reduction needed by now to stay on course for a 50% cut by 2030.

    Some countries have made significant strides:

    • Lithuania leads with a 35% drop in road deaths since 2019 and is the only country to halve road deaths over the last decade.
    • Belgium, Poland, and Slovenia also report reductions above 25% since 2019.

    However, eight countries saw an increase in deaths in 2024, including Switzerland and Estonia. In total, 20,017 people died on EU roads in 2024, and serious injury reductions continue to lag behind death reductions.

    The cost of inaction

    The report calculates that around 23,800 lives have been saved since 2014 due to road safety improvements. The estimated societal benefit of these saved lives amounts to €60 billion. Yet, had the EU achieved the needed 6.7% annual reduction rate, an additional 49,600 lives could have been saved corresponding to a benefit to society worth €124 billion.

    Time for renewed commitment to the Safe System approach

    To get back on track, the ETSC is urging both EU institutions and national governments to take stronger action and implement the Safe System approach .

    “Norway proves that road deaths are not inevitable – they are preventable. But every country in Europe must now follow their example,” said Avenoso. “We know what works. The real challenge is political will. Without bold national and EU-level action, thousands more lives will be lost unnecessarily.”

    Notes to editors:

    Download the 2025 PIN Annual Report at:
    www.etsc.eu/pin19

    Follow ETSC on Bluesky @etsc_eu and LinkedIn. #PIN2025

    Relative change in road deaths between 2013 and 2024. See report page 15.
    Mortality (road deaths per million inhabitants) in 2024 (with mortality in 2014 for comparison). See report page 20.

    The European Transport Safety Council is the independent voice for road safety in Europe.

    ETSC’s Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) programme receives financial support from the German Road Safety Council (DVR), Toyota Motor Europe, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, CITA – the International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee and Fundación MAPFRE.

    For further information:

    Dudley Curtis, Communications Manager, dc@etsc.eu
    www.etsc.eu

  9. Paris named as Europe’s best city for child-friendly mobility

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    Source: European Transport Safety Council, Clean Cities

    A recent ranking of European cities published by Clean Cities, “Streets for Kids, Cities for All“, shows that Paris has taken the top spot, scoring highly on three key indicators which enable children to walk, cycle and get around independently.

    In the ranking, 36 European cities were assessed on three criteria which support safer travel for children:

    • School streets: The share of primary schools within the city area which have implemented permanent or time-based school streets, limiting motorised traffic, at least during drop-off and pick-up times.
    • Safe speeds: A score based on the share of the total road network with a maximum speed of 30km/h (20mph).
    • Protected cycling infrastructure: A score based on the ratio of protected cycling infrastructure to total road network length.

    Paris achieved the highest scores across all three indicators, giving a total overall score of 79%. It has a widespread 30km/h speed limit (89% score), a relatively new and growing protected cycle lane network (48% score), and traffic restrictions near schools (25% score). Other high-ranking cities include Amsterdam (63%), Antwerp (62%) and Brussels (56%).

    The full report, which can be accessed here, dives into greater detail, highlighting individual initiatives and successes in various cities and countries. The report notes that, alongside earlier pioneers such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen, cities including Paris, Brussels and London “have achieved remarkable progress in just the past 10 years. This demonstrates that meaningful change is possible within a relatively short period of time.”

    The report also notes where improvements are needed; no city in the ranking reaches an A grade (80% or more of the total score), with the absence of city-wide roll-out of school streets seen as a common shortcoming. Eight cities in the ranking are underperformers, receiving grades of E (below 20%) or F (below 10%). Variation between cities in the same countries was also noted, highlighting the critical role of local leadership, vision and long-term commitment and investment.