Originally, the Vision Zero concept referred to a societal commitment to work towards the objective of zero fatalities (or even zero serious injuries) on the road.

The Transport White Paper (Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – towards a competitive and resource-efficient transport system) set the goal of moving close to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050. As an intermediate goal, the EU aims to halve road casualties by 2020, underlying its role as world leader in safety and security for all modes of transport.

First and foremost, the Safe System approach should be seen as a vision based on an ethical foundation, creating and supporting a totally new perspective, a paradigm shift, on the road safety problem and how to solve it.

The aim is to develop a more forgiving road system that takes human fallibility and vulnerability into account. Under a Safe System, the entire transport system is designed to protect people from death and serious injury.

The Safe System approach accepts that people make mistakes and are vulnerable. It also stresses that those designing road systems and those using them must share the responsibility for creating a system whereby accidents do not result in death or serious injury.

Therefore, all parts of the system must become safer – roads and roadsides, speed, vehicles and road use – so that if one part fails, other parts are still able to protect those involved.

For more background: http://visionzeroinitiative.com