Recommendations on Road Transport Safety on Rural Roads in Europe

• The report on " Strategies to improve safety on rural roads " [CEMT/CM(2002)17]. • That there are large differences between the best countries and the rest. Policies therefore need to be developed to help reduce the differences between countries and encourage the best to do better. RECOMMENDS that the Governments of ECMT Member countries, as far as safety on rural roads is concerned and in the context of development and implementation of a road safety plan, • Develop suitable institutional structures to enable all the actors concerned, from both public and private sectors, to work with each other. These include highway authorities, local authorities, police authorities, education and health services as well as private sector firms, insurance companies and associations. • Ensure that all participants are motivated, well trained and have the knowledge and resources they need to fulfil their duties. • Improve the gathering and processing of accident data so that, on a comparable basis, the causes and impact of accidents can be accurately identified and adequate measures taken and subsequently evaluated, particularly from the standpoint of cost-effectiveness. • In view of the very uneven road safety results from one Member country to another, further familiarise themselves with the different elements of successful policies (" best practice " , benchmarking), evaluate them and adapt them to their domestic circumstances, and to that end: • Ensure the transfer of knowledge, at both the institutional and practical levels and between countries and individuals alike. As regards user behaviour Taking the necessary measures to ensure, first of all, that users adjust their speed to the characteristics of the road network on which they are travelling. This is especially important in bad weather and in the presence of vulnerable road users. This will require raising user awareness, which can be done through education at any age, by targeted information and awareness campaigns, and by using regular spot-checks as a deterrent. Ensuring that safety belts are actually worn in both the front and rear seats of passenger cars and in other vehicles where they are fitted, on all roads, whether urban or rural. Because of the higher speeds on rural roads, seat belts and child restraints are particularly important. Child restraints should therefore deserve the same attention. More checks are needed and penalties for non-compliance applied. Stepping up prevention and checks for drink driving. In the same vein, actively considering, evaluating or imposing …