o18: vulnerable road users - is there a way to protect?

road traffic accident (rta) is a global burden of disease. more than 1.25 million people per year are killed by rtas. more than half of the fatalities strike vulnerable road users (e. g. pedestrians, skaters, cyclists and other non-protected road users). the ongoing challenge is to protect vulnerable road users (vru). as a vru is neither shielded by seatbelts or crumple zones nor by airbags, the adverse party´s vehicle should be protecting the vru. while steel should protect a human from being injured, one might think this as hard to achieve as squaring a circle -. however, it is possible! the newest achievements of engineering skills such as active engine hoods or soft radiator grilles or automatically emergency brake systems can protect a vru. these developments will guide the future of vru protection that has just begun!