ΝΕΑ από την Ευρωπαϊκή Ομοσπονδία Θυμάτων Τροχαίων (F.E.V.R)

 

Dear FEVR members, friends and colleagues,

Farewell to summer meant, for us, the arrival of many challenges: preparations, coordination, and programs for the European Mobility Week, World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDOR) at the global, regional, and national levels, numerous international conferences and consultations, analyses of road safety trends that may or may not align with the goals of national road safety programs and Vision Zero, and the implementation of our own programs.

The dynamics of changing international relations, wars, the introduction of marijuana legalization, new forms of micromobility in cities, ecological standards, and more. All of this affects, and will continue to affect, road safety. Perhaps not always in the best direction.   As I often remark in times of “sudden” setbacks: the spirit of a society is often reflected in the state of its road traffic safety. This can go either way—positive or negative.   Regardless of all this, it is right that we remain vigilant. It is right that we hold our own opinions and express them publicly. It is right that we know many serious consequences can be prevented. It is right that we raise awareness through our life stories. It is right that we, as one family, stand together and support our members and individuals who need this shared help and voice. It is right that we help and empower all those who suffer as a result of road crashes, and it is right that we, as a society, remain proactive, part of the safety mosaic, and constructive partners with different stakeholders.   All this and more we had the opportunity to discuss—together and in person—at the opening of our new home on 19 September in Ljubljana. We sincerely thank everyone who came and shared this important milestone with us.   The opening symbolized not only a new physical space but also a renewed commitment to our shared mission—to remember, to advocate, and to act for safer roads and a more compassionate society. It reminded us that our work never stops, and that every season brings a new opportunity to strengthen our unity and purpose.   The third Sunday of November is now approaching, bringing once again the commemoration of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims – WDoR.   This year’s theme “Lost Talents” reminds us of all that we lose in road crashes – as individuals, families, employees, nations, and as humanity. The range of talents of those whose health and lives have been taken by the roads is immeasurable and leaves a permanent mark on us all. These lost talents should serve both as a reminder and a warning.     This warning applies especially to all those who design and implement global, regional, national, and local policies to reduce the most severe consequences on our roads. All these lost talents represent both an appeal and a motivation to achieve Vision Zero.   The Lost Talents theme also invites us to reflect on when and how to prioritize content over form in our mission. In recent years, we may have focused too much on form, yet I am pleased that within FEVR, IRVP, and FICVI, under the slogan “One Voice” we have shown that we are capable of coming together and overcoming differences – differences that should enrich rather than divide us.   This year’s WDoR campaign has again been kindly donated by Communication Agency 101, and the coordination of activities has been entrusted to our colleagues at IRVP, to whom I express my sincere gratitude. At the global level, the campaign has once again been traditionally supported by Fundación MAPFRE, whose long-standing commitment to road safety and remembrance we deeply appreciate. At the European level, our main partner is the ETSC, whose Executive Director, Antonio Avenoso, will attend the official WDoR commemoration in Ljubljana.   To all of you who are organizing events, encouraging various stakeholders to participate, implementing campaigns, and engaging partners, sponsors, and the media – I wish you great success. On behalf of FEVR, I extend my deepest thanks and ask that you remember the essence of this noble day – love and respect for health and life.

FEVR NEWS

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2025       This year, once again, the three Federations and Partnerships — FEVR, IRVP, and FICVI — have united to amplify the global voice of road victims and their bereaved families. Building on last year’s strong collaboration, we continue to stand together and invite you to join us in showing your support and solidarity by sharing and promoting this year’s campaign materials.   Once again this year, Communication Agency 101 has generously donated the WDoR campaign, whose activities for 2025 are coordinated by IRVP. In the toolkit, you will find materials that you may freely translate, adapt, or enhance – either on your own or with the help of a designer. You may use different ribbons (black, yellow, red, …) or candles, reflecting your cultural or historical context. FEVR has decided to continue with the traditional use of the original candle and the black ribbon. For any additional information, please feel free to contact us.

Website: www.fevr.ngo Email: info@fevr.ngo MEMBERS TO MEMBERS In this section, we aim to showcase examples of best practices. These can include projects being implemented within your organizations, projects carried out in collaboration with other FEVR members or organizations, or projects that can be jointly submitted for various international and other funding opportunities. Opening of the Road Victims House and Safe Mobility Park The Safe Mobility Park was officially opened in Ljubljana, Slovenia, marking a historic moment for road safety in Europe. This unique project, the first of its kind in Slovenia and the wider region, combines psychosocial support for road traffic victims with education on safe and sustainable mobility for all generations.   The opening ceremony brought together: ·        Jean Todt, UN SG’s Special Envoy for Road Safety (video address) ·        Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) (video address) ·        Zoran Janković, Mayor of Ljubljana ·        Dr. Robert Golob, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia The event was attended by numerous friends, partners, and supporters of the Safe Journey Institute, as well as many of our FEVR members. Created in memory of road traffic victims and as a reminder to future generations, the Safe Mobility Park is where knowledge, safety, and compassion intersect with the goal of achieving Vision Zero.   Following the opening ceremony, FEVR members gathered in Ljubljana for a two-day working meeting, reinforcing the international collaboration in road safety advocacy.   Read more.   Jean Todt, UN SG’s Special Envoy for Road Safety (video address)   Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) (video address) School Year 2024-2025 Concluded with Educational Success   EFTHITA Rhodes successfully completed another productive school year through their educational program "I Walk Safely – I Cycle Safely." The organization visited 58 primary and secondary schools across the Dodecanese islands, reaching 3,835 students and 168 educators. Young learners in kindergartens and primary schools engaged with interactive games, miniature crosswalks, and role-playing activities to learn basic traffic safety rules. Secondary school students participated in discussions about responsible driving, helmet use, and the dangers of speeding and drunk driving, supported by videos and real-life testimonies. The program extended beyond schools to include 47 staff members at the local Power Station and 45 employees of the Gem Group of Companies. Teachers actively collaborated with the team, helping to organize and support educational activities throughout the implementation. The educational team, consisting of organization members, volunteers, and university students, delivered all interventions with professionalism across Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Leros, Kasos, and other South Aegean islands. New Road Traffic Code 2025 Introduces Stricter Hit-and-Run Penalties   Greece's new Road Traffic Code under Law 5209/2025 replaces Article 43 with stricter Article 47, criminalizing hit-and-run behavior as a felony with imprisonment, heavy fines, and permanent license revocation. EFTHITA Rhodes played a crucial role in these reforms after 13 years of advocacy, with President Eleni Karidi participating in Ministry consultations, gathering thousands of citizen signatures, and conducting awareness campaigns to amplify victims' voices. The organization met with key officials including Ministers of Transport and Education, regional governors, and police chiefs to promote implementation of the new code, marking a new era of zero tolerance for abandonment and establishing a more responsible legal framework for road users. Poland Creates World's First AI-Generated Road Safety Educational Spot   Poland has created the world's first educational spot on road safety made entirely by artificial intelligence, expanding AI's role from vehicle assistance technology to road safety education. According to Katarzyna Dobrzańska-Junco, president of the Road Safety Initiatives Center Foundation and FEVR vice-president, society must embrace AI technology responsibly to promote safe behaviors and change attitudes rather than deny its existence. The AI-generated material aims to draw attention to road safety, traffic regulations, and the importance of respect, partnership, risk awareness, and understanding crash consequences, serving as a supplement to comprehensive road traffic education while reaching broader audiences through new channels. Poland Introduces Mandatory Helmet Requirements for Children Under 16   Poland's National Road Safety Council unanimously voted to require children under 16 to wear protective helmets while riding bicycles, electric scooters, or personal transportation devices, following a special meeting led by the Minister of Infrastructure on July 14th. FEVR Vice-president Katarzyna Dobrzańska-Junco participated in the Warsaw meeting alongside NGOs, medical experts, police representatives, and regional councils, presenting data on helmet effectiveness in reducing injuries. The resolution responds to increased mobility changes, rising road crashes involving cyclists and e-scooter users, and growing victim numbers, requiring amendments to Poland's Road Traffic Law to reduce head injury severity and save lives among young road users. Advocacy Meeting with Slovenian Infrastructure Minister Addresses Road Safety Priorities   Slovenian representatives met with Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek and her colleagues, along with Traffic Safety Agency Director Simona Felser, to discuss open issues regarding road traffic victims and enhanced safety measures in Slovenia. The meeting covered the Safe Mobility Park program, Slovenia's role during FEVR presidency, EU Directive 2012/29/EU implementation, legislative proposals for Vision Zero implementation, and Vision Zero education programs. Discussions also addressed the central memorial for road traffic victims at Žale Cemetery in Ljubljana and road safety tender formats, resulting in agreements for future collaborations that will integrate society's most vulnerable groups into safe mobility initiatives across various Slovenian ministry and agency work areas. INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES FEVR General Assembly 2025 Adopts New Vision and Welcomes New Members   FEVR held its General Assembly online on May 19, 2025, following the Board's decision at the Ministerial Conference in Marrakesh in February 2025. The Assembly presented key updates including FEVR's vision and mission, annual activity and financial reports, membership updates, World Day of Remembrance activities, communications initiatives, and good practice examples from member organizations. Members unanimously adopted the new FEVR Vision and Mission while welcoming three new candidate members: Aktiv NS from Serbia, STEP from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Angels on the Road from Bulgaria, strengthening the network with renewed energy for greater inclusion, impact, and advocacy to ensure road victims' voices are heard at every level. European Transport Safety Council Meets in Kraków to Discuss Regional Road Safety Progress   Over 40 European road traffic safety experts and ETSC members gathered in Kraków on April 3-4, 2025, at the invitation of the Małopolska Road Safety Council, welcomed by Marshal Łukasz Smółka and General Secretary Katarzyna Dobrzańska-Junco.   ETSC President Professor Walter Eichendorf and Director Antonio Avenoso praised Małopolska's active role in European road safety improvements and noted Kraków's significant infrastructure and transport development in recent years.   The two-day program included a General Assembly at the Marshal's Office, presentations on European road safety projects, and a meeting at Kraków University of Technology's Senate Hall hosted by Rector Professor Andrzej Szarata, where specific examples of Kraków's safety improvements were presented by Dr. Mariusz Kieć and FEVR board members showcased regional activities, European projects, and World Day of Remembrance campaigns including "That Day" and the Ministerial Conference in Marrakesh. The ETSC PIN report The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has published its 19th Annual Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) Report, warning that the EU is falling significantly short of its 2030 goal to halve road deaths and serious injuries based on 2019 levels. In 2024 alone, 20,017 people lost their lives on EU roads – a decrease of only 2% compared to 2023. This pace is far below the necessary annual reduction of 6.1% required to stay on track toward the 2030 target.   Norway stands out as a model of vision and sustained political action. With only 16 road deaths per million inhabitants, Norway remains Europe’s safest country and the winner of the 2025 ETSC PIN Award. The country’s comprehensive Safe System strategy, youth-focused reforms, local innovation, and commitment to in-depth investigation of fatal crashes demonstrate that real change is achievable. 8th UN Global Road Safety Week Focused on Pedestrian and Cyclist Protection   The 8th UN Global Road Safety Week (May 12-18, 2025) addressed the urgent need to protect vulnerable road users, highlighting that road crashes claim 1.2 million lives and injure 50 million people annually, with young people aged 5-29 most affected and pedestrians and cyclists accounting for over 25% of global road deaths. WHO Director Etienne Krug emphasized that of the 3,200 daily road fatalities worldwide, roughly one in four are pedestrians and cyclists, stating that walking and cycling should be the most ordinary and therefore safest modes of transport. The campaign called for accelerated political action on proven measures including better laws and enforcement, improved vehicles and infrastructure, and enhanced emergency care systems to achieve ambitious fatality-reduction targets and promote healthy, green, and safe mobility for people and the planet. European Mobility Week 2025: Safe Mobility for Everyone!   The European Mobility Week 2025 (16–22 September) promoted the theme “Safe Mobility for Everyone!”, reminding us that sustainable transport must be accessible, affordable, inclusive, and safe for all.   Across Europe, cities and organisations joined forces to raise awareness about transport poverty — the barriers many people face in accessing jobs, education, and essential services due to limited or costly transport options.   This year’s campaign called for collective action to make public transport, walking, and cycling truly fair and safe choices for everyone, reinforcing the vision of mobility that leaves no one behind. FEVR at the United Nations Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety in Geneva   In September, FEVR Vice President Katarzyna Dobrzańska-Junco represented the Federation at the UNECE Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety in Geneva. During the session, she presented FEVR’s ongoing activities and shared good practices on protecting vulnerable road users, with a particular focus on new mobility and micromobility.   Katarzyna highlighted the remarkable achievement of Helsinki, which reached zero road fatalities in 2024, and expressed appreciation to Finland for its leadership. She also reminded participants of the upcoming World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, encouraging all governments and organisations to Remember, Support, and Act.   FEVR’s continued engagement with the United Nations underscores the vital importance of international cooperation to improve post-crash care and promote effective road safety measures worldwide. FEVR Vice President Wulf Hoffmann at City Flows 2025   As part of European Mobility Week 2025, FEVR Vice President Wulf Hoffmann took part in City Flows 2025 — an international conference held in Perugia and online, organised by Fondazione Unipolis, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), and Consigli Regionali Unipol (CRU). The initiative was held under the patronage of the Umbria Region, the Municipality of Perugia, and the University of Perugia. The event brought together road safety experts, policymakers, and urban planners to exchange ideas on how to make cities more sustainable, inclusive, and safe. Representing the German Road Safety Association – Landesverkehrswacht Saxony-Anhalt, Wulf Hoffmann presented a best practice example on training and integrating refugees through road safety education, illustrating how inclusive mobility initiatives can strengthen both safety and social cohesion. FEVR at the EU Road Safety Exchange II Final Event in Brussels   On 16 October in Brussels, the EU Road Safety Exchange II Final Event marked the conclusion of a three-year collaborative project connecting 19 EU Member States in their shared mission to make Europe’s roads safer.   Through the EU-funded initiative led by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), experts worked together on key challenges such as reducing speed, improving infrastructure, strengthening enforcement and data collection, and protecting vulnerable road users in urban areas. FEVR Vice President Katarzyna Dobrzańska-Junco, representing Poland, actively participated in this exchange.   The final event brought together representatives from across Europe, as well as senior EU officials — including Claire Depré (European Commission) and MEPs Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi and Elena Kountoura — who underlined the project’s political importance and long-term contribution to road safety.   The EU Road Safety Exchange has become one of the most dynamic European platforms for cooperation, inspiring new ideas, partnerships, and concrete actions to achieve safer roads for all. VOICE OF ROAD VICTIMS Among us are exceptional individuals and numerous life stories that can offer us lessons, reflections, encouragement, and inspiration. This section is dedicated to you. Please send us your stories. "High Speed, Great Void" Campaign   Excessive speed is the most common cause of fatal road crashes and serious injuries in Slovenia, and due to excessive speed, an average of 33 people lose their lives and 2,242 people suffer injuries in Slovenia every year. However, numbers don't tell the whole story. At Zavod Varna pot, we have been warning for more than 17 years that crashes are not just statistics. Every fatal road crash affects an average of 113 people – from family members and friends to witnesses and first responders (source: BASt). Even in non-fatal crashes, injured persons and participants can suffer from psychological and physical problems for years afterward. The "High Speed, Great Void" campaign, developed together with Generali Insurance Slovenia, highlights the consequences of inappropriate speed driving and gives voice to the stories of those who live with the consequences of road crashes every day. As long-term partners, we connected and used real stories to highlight the magnitude of consequences from speeding in Slovenia. Six of our ambassadors share their painful experiences – stories of the void that speed left in their lives. Read more. ADVOCACY What is integrated into the system of one country and is a completely inherent right for all road traffic victims may be merely a silent wish in others, and viceversa. Therefore, the EU sets Directives and guidelines for minimum standards for victims of crime, covering rights in areas such as law, social services, healthcare, compensation, etc. We encourage you to share your activities, efforts, challenges, and dilemmas. European Coalition Urges EU Commission to Reject US Vehicle Standards in Trade Talks   ETSC and a coalition of prominent European organizations, including FEVR, wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging her to reject mutual recognition of US vehicle safety and environmental standards in upcoming trade negotiations with the United States. The coalition argued that granting equivalence to US vehicle standards would undermine the EU's single market, compromise automotive safety, and create unfair competition, emphasizing that EU vehicles are significantly safer than US counterparts, particularly following major EU standard updates implemented in 2022. The signatories highlighted the lack of mandatory pedestrian protection standards in the US and stressed that protecting European citizens from road deaths and serious injuries remains non-negotiable in any trade agreement discussions.   Read more.