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Halving Road Deaths in Europe

 

The Targeted 50% Reduction in Deaths on the Road in Europe by 2012 

 

26 May, 2004

 

ECMT   --   European Conference of Ministers of Transport

 

Some 100,000 people are killed and over two million injured every year in road accidents in Europe. Road accidents are the single largest cause of death of young men. It was this major public health problem and its serious economic and social consequences that prompted ECMT Ministers at the Council meeting in Bucharest in 2002 to commit to achieving a 50 per cent reduction in deaths from road accidents over the period 2000 to 2012.

 

To achieve this goal, a strategy needs to be defined by each Member country as well as a procedure to monitor progress towards the objective.

 

View a list of ECMT

Member Countries and 

Associate Member 

Countries here

At the Ljubljana session, Ministers approved the proposed procedure for for monitoring progress in meeting the objective that they themselves set, i.e. to reduce the number of deaths on the road by 50 per cent. The procedure establishes a checklist of actions to be taken and an annual survey of each Member country in order to assess progress in implementing the recommended actions.

 

The actions that should be monitored on a regular basis can be grouped under three main headings:

  • improving awareness and involvement of the public with the introduction of quantitative targets, the clear division of roles and responsibilities at institutional and organisational level, informing decision-makers and educating the public, etc.;

  • the collection of statistical and other information, in particular research information;

  • the provision of adequate funding and management systems.

 

 

Source: ECMT press release following the 88th meeting of the Council of Ministers, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 26-27 May, 2004.