Photo: screenshot from YouTube
A new report from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) demonstrates that the number of car occupants killed on European roads has halved in the last decade. Despite continuous improvements in vehicle safety technology, driving under the influence and high speed are still considered the deadliest of killers in car accidents.
Between 2001 through 2012 (the most recent year included in the ETSC report), around 240,000 people were killed in road collisions. The annual number of car occupants fatally injured in the EU fell from 27,700 in 2001 to 12,345 in 2012, translating in a 55 percent cut.
Besides improved passenger protection, the researchers put the cut down to improved enforcement of traffic offenses and better road infrastructure. Out of 7,560 male drivers killed in cars between 2010 and 2012, 77 percent were driving and 23 percent were passengers. As for the 2,900 women fatally injured in the same period of time, 49 percent were driving while 51 percent were passengers.
Switzerland, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway are the safest European countries ranked, with 2 to 2.4 deaths per billion vehicle kilometers . The worst performers are Poland (11.5), the Czech Republic (10.8) and Latvia (8.7).
Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the European Transport Safety Council, declared: “While huge progress has been made in cutting the number of people killed in cars on Europe’s roads it is simply wrong that 12,000 still die every year for reasons that are mostly avoidable."
The “Ranking EU Progress on Car Occupant Safety” report has been overseen by a panel of 32 safety experts.
Besides improved passenger protection, the researchers put the cut down to improved enforcement of traffic offenses and better road infrastructure. Out of 7,560 male drivers killed in cars between 2010 and 2012, 77 percent were driving and 23 percent were passengers. As for the 2,900 women fatally injured in the same period of time, 49 percent were driving while 51 percent were passengers.
Switzerland, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway are the safest European countries ranked, with 2 to 2.4 deaths per billion vehicle kilometers . The worst performers are Poland (11.5), the Czech Republic (10.8) and Latvia (8.7).
Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the European Transport Safety Council, declared: “While huge progress has been made in cutting the number of people killed in cars on Europe’s roads it is simply wrong that 12,000 still die every year for reasons that are mostly avoidable."
The “Ranking EU Progress on Car Occupant Safety” report has been overseen by a panel of 32 safety experts.
Google News