News

Today, the results of Sweden’s traffic safety efforts were presented at The Transport administation's Result Conference in Stockholm.

Although Sweden is still at the forefront of traffic safety, the number of fatalaties and seriously injured in traffic is decreasing too slow - more action is needed to reverse the trend. In 2016, 270 people died and 4600 were seriously injured while traveling in traffic. The Swedish Transport Administration's short-term measures will be increased focus on speed compliance and to reduced average speed. Other proposed actions presented were:

• Continue with middle separation to avoid meeting collisions. This is a very cost effective measure.
• Increased focus on drunk driving and speed control.
• Safe passages for bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Increase helmet use.
• Improved maintenance of roads.

In the longer term, more realistic and challenging stage goals were suggested beyond 2020 along with automated sobriety controls, increased research, especially with focus on unprotected road users.

Infrastructure Minister Anna Johansson, who also participated in the conference, believes that the government's most important focus areas are unprotected road users, increased work in the prevention of drugs and alcohol in traffic and technology development. She highlighted Sweden's leadership in automated vehicles and market introduction of preventative safety systems, such as autonomous braking, as good examples. The input from the Swedish Transport Administration's conference is an important basis for SAFER’s research and priorities within the Research areas’ project portfolios.

Read more at the Swedish Transport Administations site below.