Transcript Slide 1

European Commission Workshop on
Level Crossing Safety
Tallinn - 16 March 2011
Timo Aaltonen
European Commission, Directorate General for Mobility and Transport
Unit for Road Safety and Transport of Dangerous Goods
1 http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety
Opening remarks
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EU policies on road safety;
Policy orientations for 2011 – 2010;
Level crossing safety;
Objectives for the day ahead;
Further information.
http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety
EU policies on road safety
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Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union, Article 91(1)(c)
White Paper on Transport (2001)
European Road Safety Action
Programme (2001-2010)
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Halving the number of victims by 2010
A shared responsibility
An integrated approach
http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety
Fatalities in 1990-2010
Evolution 1990 - 2010
EU fatalities
80000
74.900 75.400
2010 objective : 25.000 lives to save
70.700
EU fatalities
70000
65.400
63.900 63.200
59.400
60000
60.300
59.000
57.700
56.400
54.000 53.300
50.400
54.000
50000
47.300
45.300
49.900
40000
--- EU27 fatalities / year
--- EU27 target for 2010 (-50%)
43.100 42.500
46.200
42.800
38.900
35.200
39.600
36.700
34.000
30000
31.500
29.200
27.000
20000
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Source: - CARE (EU road accidents database)
- National data
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http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety
Policy orientations on road safety 20112020, COM(2010)389 of 20 July 2010
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The policy orientations emphasise seven strategic
objectives:
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Improve education and training of road users
Increase compliance with road traffic rules
Safer road infrastructure
Safer vehicles
Promote the use of modern technology to improve road safety
Improve emergency and post-care services
Improve safety of vulnerable road users
http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety
Level crossing safety
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Some initial observations:
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Practically always the road user is at fault in legal terms;
Given the size and weight difference between the train and the
road user such accidents are often fatal for the road user;
The train driver has very limited margin for action;
A range of solutions using new or improved infrastructure
exist, but the approaches regarding investment decisions
differ from country to country, sometimes even between
regions;
Other solutions, such as information campaigns, stricter
enforcement and proper maintenance of level crossing could
help reducing accidents.
http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety
Objectives for the day ahead
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Today we are in a workshop configuration, and we
should seek to:
1. Share openly our experiences, both good and bad;
2. Listen openly with a view on how to benefit from the work
already done by others; and
3. Consider how we could best use the resources available
to us to invest them in actions resulting in a maximum
reduction of fatalities and accidents.
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http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety
Further information
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Commission transport website:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/index_en.html
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Shortcut to the road safety section:
http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety
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http://ec.europa.eu/roadsafety