ISSUE No. 01 FEBR UARY 2011
SOL - SAVE OUR LIVES. A COMPREHENSIVE ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY FOR CENTRAL EUROPE
THE SOL eMAGAZINE The SOL eMAGAZINE is produced by the SOL consortium. All articles are written by the SOL partners. The responsibility for all content and statements made lies with the authors. The eMagazine does not represent the opinion of the European Communities. The project „SOL – Save our Lives“ in the Central Europe Program www.central2013.eu is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Find more about SOL on: www.sol-project.eu
Picture: GRSP
SOL - A C O M P R E H E N S I V E R OA D S AFETY STRATEGY FOR C E N T R A L E U R O P E
DEAR READERS
In the WHO’s European region, road
cause of death among 5 to 29 year olds. In
The Central European Space depends on mobi-
crashes cause more than 120,000 deaths
the EU, road crashes comprise 97% of all
lity. But road traffic crashes take a huge toll in
and 2.4 million injuries per year, accord-
transport-related deaths, more than 93%
terms of deaths and injuries. With the SOL pro-
ing to the World Health Organization (WHO)
of all transport-related crash costs and are
ject we want to help overcome this dilemma.
and an average cost of 2% of a country’s
the leading cause of death and hospital ad-
GDP. Traffic accidents are also the leading
missions for people under 50 years.
Within the project, 13 Partners from 8 countries will test new road safety patterns in 12 pilot
In 2009, more than 35,000 people lost their
ve the number of lives lost on our roads from
projects. Preference shall be given to the preven-
lives on Europe’s roads. While many Western
50,000 to 25,000 per year by 2010, and further
tion of speed related crashes on one hand and to
European countries are making continuous
to 10,000 within 2020. The project “Save our
child road crash injury prevention on the other.
progress in reducing the number of lives lost,
Lives – A Comprehensive Road Safety Strategy
We would like to generate a continuous coopera-
fatality rates in many New Member States
for Central Europe”(SOL) is supporting twelve
tion among different levels of administration on the
(NMS) in the Central Europe Space (CEUS) re-
pilot communities in eight countries in the re-
one hand, and different local entities from different
main high.
gion, including western Ukraine, to strengthen
CEE Countries on the other, to build up a network
Severe joint efforts will be required by all rele-
their approaches to road safety and sustainab-
made of vertical and horizontal connections.
vant stakeholders on all levels to make a con-
le mobility in order to prevent death and injury
Let me invite you to follow the progress of the
tribution also within CEUS to reach the overall
caused by road crashes. SOL is co-financed by
project. This e-magazine can give you easy to
policy goal set by the European Commission
the European Union through the INTERREG IV
deeply comprehend the processes and results.
(EC) in 2003 for the whole of Europe within
B programme for regional cooperation in the
the 3rd Road Safety Action Programme: to hal-
Central European Space (www.central2013.eu).
Alberto Milotti Project Manager SOL
F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 1 ISSUE No. 01
Picture: FGM-AMOR
THE R E D U C T I O N O F R OA D C R A S H ES IS THE COM M O N O B J E C T I V E O F T H E E U R OPEAN UNION
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In accordance with the European Commis-
An integrated approach is therefore needed,
sion, lowering the number of road users‘
taking into account synergies with other
casualties is key to improving the overall
policy goals. Road safety policies at local,
performance of the transport system and to
national, European or international level
meet citizens‘ and companies‘ needs and
should integrate relevant objectives of oth-
expectations.
er public policies and vice versa.
The European road safety policy orientations aim
across the Member States, as a necessary con-
to provide a general governance framework and
dition to implement the road safety policy orien-
challenging objectives which should guide na-
tations 2011-2020, in an effective manner,
and
tional or local strategies until 2020. In line with
• a strategy for injuries and first aid to address
which should guide national and
the principle of subsidiarity, actions described
the urgent and growing need to reduce the
local road safety strategies until
should be implemented at the most appropriate
number of road injuries,
2020.
level and through the most appropriate means.
• the improvement of the safety of vulnerable
In the framework of these policy orientations,
road users, in particular motorcyclists for whom
the Commission considers that the three follow-
accidents statistics are particularly worrying.
ing actions should be undertaken as a priority:
For the above mentioned reasons we are con-
• the establishment of a structured coopera-
vinced that the SOL strategy is fully in accompli-
tion framework which draws on best practices
ance with the EU goals, and suggested measures.
The European road safety policy orientations aim to provide a general governance framework challenging
objectives
THE SOL WEBSITE Since the middle of 2010 you can find the SOL website online under www.sol-project.eu! This website provides you with all the informations about the project, the partners, the pilot areas with planned actions and campaigns. Furthermore news and events in the field of Road Safety are available. The website will be updated continously, available in all project languages and sections like the best practice examples will be implemented in the near future.
Have a look at: www.sol-project.eu
Picture: iStock
STRAT E G I E S TO P R E V E N T R OA D C RASHES, DEATHS AND I N J U R I E S I N T H E C E N T R A L E UROPE SPACE SOL is a project that will contribute with critical
contribute to the achievement of higher quality of
knowledge, experience and tools to the global
living conditions, to provide professional qualities
road safety effort. The main goal of the project
to local public administrations and experiences &
is to promote sustainable mobility and increase
tools to local public administrations to increase
awareness for safety issues as well as to
the road safety in their competence areas.
The approach of SOL sees road safety within
sources to address the problem;
the context of sustainable mobility, i.e. to make
4. Implementing of specific actions to prevent
walking and cycling safe and to promote a mod-
road traffic crashes, minimization of injuries and
el shift from the private car to public transport.
their consequences;
The multi-sector partners have jointly developed
5. Creating a greater level of awareness, commit-
a strategy that supports the region in catching
ment and informed decision-making at all levels;
up with highest EU standards in road safety by:
6. Developing replicable tools for CEUS and the
1. Assessing the problem, policies and institu-
EU;
tional settings relating to road safety and the
7. Putting road safety policies in the context of
capacity for road injury prevention;
promoting sustainable forms of mobility.
2. Strengthening institutions and create effective
For these reasons, we are convinced that the
horizontal and vertical multi-sector partnerships;
“SOL strategy� could be an effective tool for
3. Preparing of regional/local strategies and
CEUS in order to sustain a greater health care
action plans and allocation of endogenous re-
and economic development.
Picture: FGM-AMOR
Picture: iStock
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F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 1 ISSUE No. 01
Picture: GRSP Hungary
S O L PARTNERS: GLOBAL ROAD SAFETY PARTNER S H I P BRINGS TOGETHER TALENTS OF ALL SECTORS There is no one single answer to the global
partners together to make sure all the key risk
road safety challenge. No one agency, gov-
factors influencing road safety — helmets,
This research allows partners to
ernment, business or humanitarian group can
seatbelts, drinking and driving, speed, road
develop effective campaigns that
tackle this immense, man-made humanitarian
quality, vehicle standards, laws — are ad-
target specific road user groups
crisis on its own. That’s why the Global Road
dressed in a coordinated and efficient manner
with messages that make an
Safety Partnership works to bring all relevant
using globally recognized good practice.
Working GRSP partnerships in numerous coun-
continued,” he says. Following globally recog-
tries around the world provide evidence that
nized good practice, GRSP projects begin with
the approach is effective. In the City of Olzstyn,
base-line studies that allow partners to target
Poland, for example, multi-sector education
their efforts, as well as quantify and analyze
and enforcement efforts reduced drinking and
project results. When GRSP Hungary launched
impact.
“Some
Hungarians
might not know what GRSP is,” notes Balázs Tokár, president of GRSP Hungary. “But practically everyone will know the ‘tomato seat-belt campaign,’ which was
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driving related crashes by 22 percent from
a major seat-belt compliance and promotion
conducted by GRSP Hungary.
2008 to 2009. These kinds of results — more
project, for example, it began the effort by
The impact of that campaign
than 500 lives saved — are one reason that
working with universities and police to conduct
was quite strong and it works to
long-time road safety advocates, such as An-
roadside driver surveys as well as to analyze
this day.
drzej Grzegorczyk, the former director of Po-
historical crash data.
land’s National Road Safety Council, endorse
This research allows partners to develop effec-
partnership efforts. “I hope that thanks to GRSP
tive campaigns that target specific road user
and other road safety partners this trend will be
groups with messages that make an impact.
THE S O L P I L OT A R E A S : G YŐ R I N H UNGARY Győr is one of Hungary’s most dynamically
road network of the settlement connects
developing cities with more than 130.000
Slovakia from the north, Austria from the
inhabitants. It is a mellow and colorful town
west, Lake Balaton from the south and Bu-
with a vibrant cultural and university life.
dapest from the east of the town. The rela-
Győr is situated in the centre of the Vien-
tively new Győr-Pér airport makes the town
na-Budapest-Bratislava triangle. The radial
accessible by air as well.
Győr has always been an important city of
• Setting up / strengthening road safety man-
education. In 1968 the Transportation and Tel-
agement structure
ecommunications Faculty of Technical Sciences
• Entire situational and institutional assessment,
was established. It possesses a very significant
development of road safety programme and
economic potential by its international industrial
community strategy
park, the Audi, the Philips and other well known
• Development of a road safety action plan with
factories. Győr is a constantly changing, devel-
interventions on top priority issues
oping and growing city where the municipality
• Developing specific campaigning material for
plans the directions for the future and the reali-
the pilot area
zation of new economic, cultural, environmental,
• Implementation of the road safety action plan,
traffic and tourism models by involving the en-
• Road Safety public education campaigns on
tire population.
speed, safe routes to school and sustainable
The following main actions will be implemented
mobility
within the frame of the SOL project:
• Plans for continuation of RS measures in each
• Establishment of multi-stakeholder road
pilot area
safety networks
Find more information on the website!
Picture: iStock
Picture: GRSP Hungary
THE P I L OT A R E A S O F T H E P R O J E C T SOL The project SOL shall help to prevent road cra-
THE PILOT AREAS OF SOL:
shes, deaths and injuries in the Central Europe
• Poland: Olsztyn
Space (CEUS). In 12 pilot areas of the 7 countries
• Czech Republic: Region Liberec and Kromeriz
Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slo-
• Slovakia: City of Prešov and Region of Prešov
venia, Italy and Austria targeted strategies will
-Selfgovernment County
be developed implementing effective program-
• Hungary: City of Gyor
mes to build a transnational road safety network.
• Slovenia: Tolmin, Kočevje and Maribor
Find detailed informations to all pilot areas on
• Italy: Province of Brescia and Mantua
teh website of SOL: www.sol-project.eu
• Austria: Province of Styria
POLAND
GERMANY
CZECH REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
AUSTRIA
ITALY
HUNGARY
SLOVENIA
The SOL Countries
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F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 1 ISSUE No. 01
Picture: iStock
P R O M OTING ROAD SAFETY IN EUROPE Internationally, road safety still has a long
action to address the road safety crisis over
way to go, as the World Health Organisation
the next ten years, proclaiming a Decade of
pointed out in its World report on road traf-
Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.
fic injury prevention. Therefore this topic is
In July 2010, the European Commission pub-
quite high on the agenda. In March 2010, the
lished the 4th European Road Safety Action
UN General Assembly decided to increase
Programme.
proclaiming a Decade of Action
As road safety is considered to be everyones
road safety, to European projects dealing with
for Road Safety 2011-2020. In
responsibility, from the local up to the European
road safety and to statistics. Another major
July 2010, the European Com-
level, all organisations, companies, associations
player in Europe is the European Traffic Safety
mission published the 4th Eu-
etc. are invited to sign the European Road Safety
Council (ETSC), which monitors road safety de-
ropean Road Safety Action Pro-
Charter http://www.erscharter.eu/.
velopments in 30 European countries (Road Sa-
gramme.
Read more about the Commissions efforts in
fety Performance IndexRoad Safety Performance
improving road safety on http://ec.europa.eu/
Index or PIN). Each year, ETSC awards the PIN
transport/road_safety/index_en.htm.
Award to a high level policymaker responsible
The European Road Safety Observatory (ERSO),
for the best performing country‘s road safety
first developed as a pilot (2004-2008), has now
policy. In several thematic newsletters, ETSC
been integrated into the Commissions website.
monitors the latest developments in Europe in
It provides an access to European legislation on
the field of road safety.
In March 2010, the UN General Assembly decided to increase action to address the road safety crisis over the next ten years,
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THE S O L V I S I O N S TAT E M E N T In Japanese culture there is a proverb:
ners from the road safety project, Save Our
“Vision without action is a daydream. Action
Lives (SOL), as they worked to create a com-
without vision is a nightmare.” The state-
mon vision to address road safety in Central
ment resonated recently with thirteen part-
Europe.
During an interactive group session, SOL part-
reference point for SOL’s decision making as
ners from eight countries discussed how the
well as our actions on the ground.”
“vision” of an organization can inspire action
The vision will also serve as a valuable cor-
and align individuals to cooperate around a
nerstone for the project SOL; it will remain a
common goal. The end result was SOL’s vision
guiding force for the SOL team to make con-
— A region free of road-crash death and inju-
sistent choices, and ultimately help define the
ry, safe for all road users in every community
success of the project.
— which will be signed into action at a public
“A vision is more than just a list of goals
ceremony in Warsaw, Poland, on 1 March.
and outputs”, stated Agnes Kiss from KTI
“The statement clearly outlines SOL’s goal to
and the Global Road Safety Partnership in
decrease death and injury from road crashes,
Hungary. “It is important to us that with this
not only in the communities where we are
new vision we demonstrate the depth of the
working, but in the Central European Space
Save Our Lives project, and our unwavering
as a whole,” stated Guido Piccolo from ALOT,
commitment to improve the quality of life in
the SOL project leader. “It will serve as a main
local communities”.
Pictures: GRSP
With this vision we are stating clearly that the desired impact, our vision, for SOL is less death and injury from road crashes in the communities we are working in and in the Central European Space as a whole.
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F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 1 ISSUE No. 01
S O L - A C O MPREHENSIVE ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY F O R C E N T R AL EUROPE The main goal of the project is to promote
el shift from the private car to public transport.
sustainable mobility and increase awareness
SOL unites some of the most competent RS or-
for safety issues as well as contributing to the
ganizations from CEUS and worldwide, among
achievement of higher quality of living condi-
them the Global Road Safety Patnership (GRPS).
tions.
The multi-sector partners from eight countries
The approach of SOL sees Road-Safety within
of CEUS have jointly developed a strategy that
the context of sustainable mobility, i.e. to make
supports the region in catching up with highest
walking and cycling safe and to promote a mod-
EU standards in Road Safety.
1 2 P R O J E C T PARTNERS FROM 8 COUNTRIES OF C E N T R A L E UROPE A.L.O.T. Agency of East Lombardy for Transport and Logistics (Italy)
University of Zilina (Slovakia)
Austria Mobility Research FGM-AMOR (Austria)
Global Road Safety Partnership Hungary (Hungary)
Province of Styria – Traffic Department (Austria)
KTI Institute for Transport Sciences (Hungary)
University of Tuebingen, Institute of Geography (Germany)
Automobile Association of Slovenia (Slovenia)
HBH Projekt spol. s r.o. (Czech Republic)
ZAS – The Association of the Driving Schools in the Slovak Republic(Slovakia)
ITS Motor Transport Institute (Poland)
WORD Olsztyn organization (Poland)
Imprint: Texts: Alberto Milotti, A.L.O.T.; Kathleen Elsig, GRSP; Ágnes Orsolya Kiss, GRSP Hungary; Volker Hoffmann, FGM-AMOR Pictures: iStock (p.1,3,5), GRSP (p.4,6,7) and FGM-AMOR (p. 2,3); Design by FGM-AMOR
The project „SOL – Save our Lives“ in the Central Europe Program www.central2013.eu is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
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