3rd Mobility package : Main road safety measures

The framework:

• confirms the EU’s long-term goal of ‘Vision Zero’ – moving close to no fatalities and serious injuries by 2050 – with an interim target of halving such casualties between 2020 and 2030.
• encompasses an internationally recognised ‘Safe System’ approach, which accepts that people make mistakes and aims to prevent fatalities or serious injuries by building multiple layers of protection. The idea is simple: If one fails, another will compensate. 

The Strategic Action Plan on Road Safety outlines key actions on governance, funding, roads, vehicles, road use, emergency response, emerging challenges and the global role of the EU. 

One of the legislative initiatives focuses on vehicle and pedestrian safety. It proposes to make certain technologies mandatory, such as driver distraction and drowsiness recognition and cyclist and pedestrian detection.

The other proposes to update the European rules on infrastructure safety management, including network-wide risk mapping to make sure risky roads are tackled systematically. It also focuses on the safety of especially vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists.

The Commission’s comprehensive strategy on automated mobility seeks to help the EU, Member States and stakeholders work together to seize the opportunities presented by this new development – and adequately anticipate its challenges.