FIA commissions global road safety action study

The FIA has commissioned a study to determine how road safety can be kept at the top of political agendas worldwide. The report will also provide governments and organisations with a road map of possible routes for improving safer road use in their country.

"This undertaking has my complete support. I believe that we will be able to take an active step forward to help save lives and prevent injuries around the world.”
FIA President Jean Todt

The study will be undertaken by Holland’s SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research and at a meeting in Paris to kickstart the initiative, FIA President Jean Todt said: “A lot of things have been done [to promote road safety] but we need to do more if we want to address this issue as it must be addressed.

“Road safety is a major scourge on society,” he added. “When I see the input given to tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, by governments worldwide, I feel those issues are being dealt with in a consistent and appropriate manner. For me, road safety is not being addressed as it should be.

“I'm very much looking forward to seeing what emerges from this study, to see how it will support our FIA Action for Road Safety campaign. This undertaking has my complete support. I believe that we will be able to take an active step forward to help save lives and prevent injuries around the world.”

Over the course of a two-day meeting, senior FIA Mobility personnel, SWOV representatives and a panel of road safety experts from around the world defined the parameters of a report that will be delivered in the Autumn, and commenting on the discussions FIA Secretary General for Automobile Mobility and Tourism Susan Pikrallidas said the study would aim to deliver in three areas.

“The first aim is to develop a background paper on road safety issues and strategies aimed at getting governments, especially those in developing and emerging countries, to fully grasp the importance of investing in road safety,” she said. “It will also deliver a short summary document to be used by the FIA President to communicate the road safety message among global leaders in government, the investment community, and international organisations.  Finally it will also develop a ‘toolbox’ of actions for our member clubs to use in leading road safety initiatives at national level.”

Finally SWOV managing director and Professor of Traffic Safety at Delft University of Technology, Fred Wegman said that with the scope of the report defined the hard work would now begin.

“We had very fruitful meetings and as an institute, we received a lot of homework from the experts gathered here,” he said. “Now it’s our task to take that away and carry out the necessary work.”