Vision Zero: latest road safety research and initiatives from Brake

Global initiatives Initiative: UN Global Road Safety Week asks people to #SpeakUp for road safety leadership The fifth United Nations Global Road Safety Week took place earlier this month, calling on people to #SpeakUp for road safety leadership to save lives. Raising public awareness of the preventable epidemic of road deaths is a key aim of Global Road Safety Week. Every year, more than 1.35 million people die on the world's roads, and road traffic injuries are the leading killer of young people aged 5 to 29. Supporting the demands and commitments made by key players in the road safety arena during Global Road Safety Week, the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety has launched its #CommitToAct campaign, calling on non-governmental organisations to take the opportunity, nationally and locally, to push, track and highlight these commitments. Commonwealth Road Safety Initiative Also launched during Global Road Safety Week, the Commonwealth Road Safety Initiative (CRSI) will develop a framework to prevent road deaths and injuries across the 53 Commonwealth countries, aiming to halve deaths and serious injuries from road crashes by 2030. Rates of road deaths vary widely across Commonwealth countries – ranging from 3% to 35% per 100,000 of the population – but are rising in nearly all countries.

Sustainability Initiative: New UK standard for electric car dealerships In a bid to increase consumer confidence in electric vehicles, the UK government has backed a new standard to recognise and approve dealerships that specialise in selling and servicing electric cars. ‘Electric Vehicle Approved’ dealerships must demonstrate their commitment to training, providing quality advice and the effective servicing of electric vehicles. It’s estimated that there will be 130 Electric Vehicle Approved sites across the UK by the end of 2019. Vehicles Policy: E-Scooters allowed on cycle paths in Germany The German government has approved new regulations allowing electric scooters to travel on urban cycle paths. Recognising that personal light electric vehicles such as E-scooters are a sustainable alternative to cars for short journeys, approval of the regulations is part of a wider initiative to develop safe, modern and sustainable mobility in German cities. However, cycling organisations argue that the cycle path infrastructure will not be able to cope with a new, additional form of transport. Research: High-capacity freight vehicles could be safer, says ITF A new report from the International Transport Forum (ITF) suggests that using high-capacity vehicles (HCVs) to transport goods by road could improve road safety, infrastructure and the environment. HCVs are freight trucks that are heavier or longer than vehicles generally permitted on road networks, and there are special requirements for vehicles and their operation. ITF’s study found that although HCVs can be safe, efficient and sustainable when managed correctly, their wider uptake is hindered by public perceptions. The ITF recommends effective fleet management using performance-based statistics to reduce risk and maximise benefits. Road users Research: PACTS calls for renewed focus on seat belt wearing in Britain Policy-makers must take stronger steps to increase seat belt wearing in Britain, according to a new report on seat belt usage from the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS). The report highlights significant reasons for not wearing a seat belt and recommends interventions to address the problem. PACTS urges road safety professionals to focus more attention on the dangers of not belting up before every journey. A recent report from Brake revealed that half of drivers aged 18-24 admit to being in a car with someone not wearing a seat belt in the past year.