No short-term actionism
In DEKRA’s view, the progress achieved in road safety and vehicle technology in the past 100
years gives no grounds to relax, but an incentive for further efforts. “The success is undisputed. However, more than ever before, politicians, industry associations, and organizations must pull together to ensure safe mobility for everyone at all times,” says Jann Fehlauer, Managing Director of DEKRA Automobil GmbH.
On the occasion of DEKRA’s 100th anniversary, the 18th DEKRA Road Safety Report entitled “The Changing Face of Mobility” looks back at key developments in recent decades and shows that there is still a great deal left to do to achieve the goal of “Vision Zero” – road traffic with no fatalities or serious injuries. According to Fehlauer, this applies particularly to the most vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists, and the users of motorized two-wheel vehicles.
Figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that this group accounts for more than half of all road traffic fatalities worldwide.
If it is to be successful, the work to ensure road safety cannot be based on short-term campaigns, but must be an ongoing process,
emphasizes Fehlauer. In order to avoid accidents, there is a need for interactive preventive action in the areas of technology, organization, and infrastructure.
As EU Road Safety Coordinator Kristian Schmidt writes in the report, it must be ensured “that safety does not become a privilege of the happy few, but that equitable access to safe mobility solutions is guaranteed for all.” Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), demands: “Governments must allocate and invest sufficient resources to address the complex challenges of road safety effectively.”