Cost Saving Could Compromise Improved Road Safety

Monday, 16. August 2010

: Image via Wikipedia

Before I explain how UK roads are the safest in Europe I read a piece by Graham Hope, deputy editor of Auto Express, referring to the same report, in which he referred to a famous joke making the point that the further south you go the worse the driving: ‘What do traffic lights mean in Italy? In Milan they’re instructions. In Rome they’re suggestions. And in Naples? They’re Christmas decorations!’ Hilarious or what? Anyway, back to the survey. According to European Commission figures, in 2009 the safest drivers in Europe were the Brits with just 38 deaths per million of the population. The rest of the top five were 2^nd, The Netherlands at 39, Sweden also at 39 then Germany at 51 and Malta at 51 deaths per million population. The most dangerous countries were, in joint first place, with 130 deaths per million population, Greece and Romania. 3^rd Poland with 120 deaths, 4^th Bulgaria at 118 and 5^th Latvia with 112 deaths per million of population. The EU is aiming to halve the fatalities by 2020. They are getting tough with manufacturers by forcing them to fit more active safety equipment. One thing they need to push forward is ESP or ESC as I continually bang on about. They are also turning their attention to bus and lorry makers to improve the active safety systems fitted as standard. The good result that we have is very much down to the approach that we have to our road safety. As was pointed out ‘Road safety is an issue the UK takes very seriously.’ According to the EU safety body EuroRAP the UK has looked at its most dangerous roads and changed signing, markings and junction layouts, resurfaced roads, used anti-skid treatments resulting in an impressive drop of more than 70% in fatal and serious accidents on the UK’s top 10 most dangerous roads. But we have just heard that the Government and the Highways Agency are considering turning off traffic lights in the middle of the night as well as motorway lights in order to save energy and costs. Will this result in more accidents? Let me know what you think? Is it a step too far after achieving such brilliant safety results? By Graham Hill