The European Commission together with 2Zero, ERTRAC, CCAM and BATT4EU are organizing the Road Transport Research Results Conference (RTR Conference) will take place in Brussels, on 10-12 February 2026. For the past eight years, the RTR Conference has been a unique entry point into the achievements of EU-funded projects in road transport. This year’s 9th edition Conference is expected to attract its largest audience to date, with more than 500 participants on-site, emphasizing the importance of pre-competitive collaborative research in road transport at the European level.   

A paper titled Investigating the impact of in-vehicle warning information complexity on drivers: The role of working memory capacity and cognitive load authored by Kunchen Li, Wei Yuan, George Yannis, Fuwei Wu and Chang Wang has been published in Accident Analysis & Prevention. This Paper investigates the impact of the complexity of the warning messages on the behavior and physiological states of the driver, taking into account individual differences in working memory capacity and cognitive load levels. A total of 37 participants were recruited to conduct a mixed design driving simulation experiment, with working memory capacity treated as a between-subjects factor. The analysis included correlation as well as a Generalized Linear Mixed-effects Model (GLMM). The findings suggest that visually rich warnings lead to increased braking reaction times, especially between drivers having low working memory capacity and under high cognitive load. These findings offer theoretical insights to assist manufacturers in designing human-centered, personalized, and adaptive in-vehicle warning systems. 

The European Survey of Road users’ safety Attitudes (ESRA) together with VIAS Institute organized with great success the ESRA: 10 years event of global road safety insights and impact which took place in Brussels, Belgium on 24 June 2025. This event reflected on the evolution of the ESRA initiative and its impact on road safety policy. Key findings from 10 years of research unveiled a dedicated Report and the new ESRA dashboard which can drive future improvements in road safety. Furthermore, ESRA4 was introduced, the next phase in the mission to create safer roads through data-driven strategies.   NTUA actively contributed with the following presentations:

•   ESRA3 final event
•   The use of ESRA data in the European Road Safety Observatory

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has released the 19th Annual PIN Report during the 2025 ETSC Road Safety Performance Index Conference which took place in Brussels, Belgium on 24 June 2025. According to this Annual PIN Report, 20,017 deaths on EU roads in 2024, a collective decrease of 2% compared to 2023, falling far short of the 6.1% annual reduction needed to achieve the EU target of a 50% reduction by 2030. ETSC also presented the PIN Award to Norway for its outstanding progress in improving road safety. Particular emphasis was given on how reducing speed could help reach the 2030 target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50%.      within an experts’ panel discussion, during which NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

•   Benefits of reducing urban speed limits to 30km/h

The 10th Road Safety & Simulation International Conference 2026 (RSS2026) hosted by the University of Naples Federico II will be held in Napoli, on 23-26 June 2026,  under the theme “Advancing Towards the Safe System Approach”. The Conference aims to explore how the Safe System Approach has been embraced by the transportation community as an effective way to prevent fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways. Researchers can submit their abstracts until 31 October 2025. 

A paper titled E-scooter riders: A cross-cultural analysis of traffic safety attitudes and behaviors authored by Milad Delavary, Craig Lyon, Ward G.M. Vanlaar, Robyn D. Robertson, Dimitrios Nikolaou and George Yannis has been published in IATSS Research. This study aims to analyze the prevalence of self-reported risky behaviors across various demographic groups and regions, and to assess factors contributing to the likelihood of unsafe e-scooter riding behavior. To achieve this, data from the third edition of the E-Survey of Road users’ Attitudes (ESRA) were utilized, focusing on responses from 39 countries worldwide. This paper included descriptive analysis and also mixed-effects logistic regression models were employed. The findings suggest that younger individuals and males are more likely to use e-scooters and engage in risky behaviors. Key factors influencing or associated with these behaviors included previous crash involvement, student status, and permissive attitudes toward safety regulations. Furthermore the study highlights the need for targeted safety interventions that address infrastructural factors as well as behavioral factors, including demographic and attitudinal influences. 

The European Commission is organising the TRAVisions competitions for transport research awards to be announced in a prestigious award ceremony within the Transport Research Arena Conference (TRA) on 18-21 May 2026 in Budapest (abstract submission deadline: 30/6/2025): 

• TRAVisions 2026 Young Researcher Competition, is aimed at University and Technical Institute students pursuing bachelor, master and PhD degrees 
• TRAVisions 2026 Senior Researcher Competition, a competition for Senior Researchers in the field of innovative surface transport concepts based on results only from EU-funded projects 

A paper titled Validating traffic simulation for crash risk assessment using field crash data authored by Maria Oikonomou and George Yannis has been published in Journal of Safety Research. This study aims to bridge the gap between simulation models and real-world safety observations, contributing to the advancement of more robust safety assessment methodologies. Utilizing Aimsun Next, simulation data were analyzed to extract traffic conflicts, which were then converted into crash risk levels, as well ass real-world crash data between 2017 and 2019. The analysis of simulation and observational data revealed two distinct clusters: roads with low and high crash risks, clearly distinguished with minimal overlap. The findings suggest approximately 87.7% accuracy in predicting road crash risk classifications through traffic simulation, confirming its reliability for safety assessment. This paper validates a framework ready for future research applications in scenarios where direct observation is impractical, enhancing road safety and guiding interventions within evolving traffic conditions and technologies. 

The International Road Traffic Safety Analysis and Data (IRTAD) Group of  the International Transport Forum (ITF) has recently launched a new and highly useful interactive Road Safety Dashboard, showcasing up-to-date crash and mortality data from 35 IRTAD member countries. This Dashboard is exploiting the long-standing IRTAD database, with data collected directly from relevant national data providers. This data includes county strategies and targets, road fatality data from 2013 to 2023 with country comparisons and country profiles with road fatalities by user group and mortality rate by age. 

The European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures (ASECAP) is organizing for the third year a European day awareness Campaign on 25 June 2025, to draw public attention on safety of staff working on motorways. This Campaign titled “Strengthening Patroller Safety on European Roads” aims to take a European dimension supported throughout the network operated by ASECAP members. This year, with the engagement of new concessionaires and countries, the Campaign aims to go even further – promoting mutual respect, empathy, and concrete action between all road users.  

EIT Urban Mobility has just published the EIT Urban Mobility Academic Research Board Annual Report: Strategic Research Priorities and Gaps, with the active contribution of NTUA. This Report outlines key challenges in urban mobility across Europe and highlights five core priority areas: economic productivity, resilience and adaptation, decarbonization, health and safety, and accessibility and inclusion. The Report presents a high-level perspective on knowledge gaps and future research priorities which are examined in the context of societal goals, systemic pressures, and critical policy levers, bringing together leading researchers from across Europe and beyond. 

A paper titled Mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease dementia, and predictors of driving cessation: A 7-year longitudinal prospective study authored by Petros Stamatelos, Ion Beratis, Panagiota Hatzaki, Alexandra Economou, Nikolaos Andronas, Dimosthenis Pavlou, Stella Fragkiadaki, Dionysia Kontaxopoulou, Anastasios Bonakis, Leonidas Stefanis, George Yannis and Sokratis Papageorgiou has been published in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. This paper aims to identify predictors of driving cessation among patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild Alzheimer’s disease dementia (AD). The 109 participants underwent a neurological, neuropsychological and driving simulator assessment with re-evaluations after 48 and 84 months including a structured interview with the patients and their caregiver. Primary endpoints were driving cessation, death and progression to dementia. The findings suggest that age, SVF and mTWT are significant predictors of driving cessation among MCI and AD patients. Furthermore, driving simulator may be a promising component of driving evaluation. 

The Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) in cooperation with Austroads are organizing the Australasian Road Safety Conference 2025 (ARSC), which will be held in Perth, Australia on 20-23 October 2025. This Conference under the theme “Equity, Elasticity and Evolution” is expected to bring together road safety stakeholders and decision-makers from Australasia and international jurisdictions to facilitate collaboration and share information.   Researchers can register until 19 October 2025.

The Dutch Institute for Road Safety (SWOV) organized with great success the Trendline 2025 Conference which took place in The Hague, Netherlands on 10-11 June 2025, a key event for professionals working with road safety data, policy, and innovation. This Conference presented the results of the initial road safety KPIs, compared these with the Baseline values, discussed the methodologies for the new KPIs, and showed how KPIs can be used to support road safety policies.    NTUA actively contributed with the following presentations:

•  KPI Speed
•  KPI Alternative Speeding Indicators
• KPI Enforcement of Traffic Regulations

 

A paper titled Exploring the impact of driver feedback on safety: A systematic review of studies in real-world driving conditions authored by Armira Kontaxi, Apostolos Ziakopoulos and George Yannis has been published in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour. This study systematically investigates the role of driver feedback towards improving driving behavior, by utilizing the the PRISMA framework and by reviewing 34 studies. The studies are analyzed in terms of their experimental frameworks, including sample sizes, feedback delivery methods, and feedback phases, along with statistical models employed to assess the impact of feedback on driving behavior and road safety. The findings suggest that driver feedback can significantly reduce crash risks and improve driving behavior, but further research is required to explore its long-term effects and broader applicability. 

The fourth edition of Road Safety Manual (RSM) developed by the World Road Association (PIARC) is now available. It is designed to help countries at every stage of infrastructure development to fulfil road safety objectives and it is aligned with key pillars for the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030: Pillar 1: Multimodal transport and land use planning, Pillar 2: Safe Road Infrastrucure and Pillar 4: Safe Road Use. This comprehensive resource builds on the broad range of knowledge and experience provided by PIARC in the previous editions. It includes new thinking on road safety and offers a clear argument on why adopting a Safe System approach is crucial for all countries. 

The Foundation VINCI Autoroutes has recently published the results of the 15^th Euro-Barometer for Responsible Driving by Ipsos, in which representative attitudes of Europeans at the wheel are recorded, enabling also the monitoring of the evolution of risky driving and good practices to better target prevention messages in European countries. According to this study, Greece has the highest rate of drivers (82%) that use their mobile phone during driving in Europe (EU average 77%). Furthermore, most of the Greek drivers (81%) admits exceeding the speed limit by a few km/h. In addition, 40% of drivers in Greece admitted continuing driving even when they feel tired, whereas the respective EU average is 32%. 

A paper titled Eco-driving in rural areas: a sustainable approach to reducing emissions and enhancing road safety authored by  Marios Sekadakis, Penny Kourenti, Thodoris Garefalakis, Apostolos Ziakopoulos and George Yannis has been published in Case Studies on Transport Policy. This study aims to examine the advantages of eco-driving in rural and mountainous rural settings by employing an experimental methodology and utilizing data collected from 39 participants across a range of driving simulation scenarios and their characteristics through a questionnaire survey. To achieve this goal linear and logistic regression models were implemented. The analysis revealed that eco-driving significantly reduces pollutant emissions reduces fuel consumption by 7%, and reduces the probability of crashes by 66.2%. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis confirmed that mountainous rural networks, due to their topographical complexity, are associated with higher emissions, increased fuel consumption, and elevated crash risk compared to flatter rural environments, highlighting the need for terrain-specific eco-driving strategies. These findings highlight the promise of eco-driving practices in improving environmental sustainability and safety, particularly in rural environments. 

A paper titled Systematic review and meta-analysis of take-over time from automated driving at SAE levels 2 and 3 to manual control authored by Marios Sekadakis and George Yannis has been published in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.  This study systematically investigates how Take-Over Time (TOT) is affected by road environments, traffic volumes , SAE levels, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) designs and Take-Over Requests (TORs) alerts, utilizing the the PRISMA framework, by reviewing 51 studies. Meta-regression and sensitivity analyses were conducted to quantify the effects of key factors on TOT. Findings suggest significant correlations between shorter TOT and higher maximum longitudinal and lateral accelerations, greater lane variability, and a moderate increase in crash rates, highlighting potential safety concerns. This study highlights the critical role of adaptive systems tailored to specific driving contexts, road conditions, and automation levels. 

The Private Passenger Car Owners Association of Greece organiszed with great success the Congestion – There is a Solution Conference, which took place on 25 May 2025 in Athens. This Association contributes to the improvement of the country’s road network safety, ensuring better traffic conditions for passenger cars. This Conference focused on solutions to the congestion problem and sustainable mobility, by inviting local initiatives and authorities. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

•   From congestion to sustainable mobility

NTUA within the framework of the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week organized with great success a Scientific Workshop titled  “Artificial Intelligence for Road Safety and Mobility” which was held in Athens (and online) on May 15th, 2025. The objective of this Workshop was to highlight through an intensive flow of presentations the main findings and challenges of key road safety and mobility research projects carried out within the NTUA Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering.    Workshop presentations:

1.   NTUA Road Safety Observatory – nrso
2.   Advanced Traffic Management
3.   Athens Mobility Observatory – amob
4.   AI for Vision Zero in Road Safety – Ivory
5.   Proactive risk mapping and infrastructure safety management – Ivory
6.   AI for road safety monitoring and crash prediction from micro- to macro levels – Ivory
7.   Data fusion of traffic, behaviour & infrastructure for holistic driver assistance – Ivory
8.   Road safety prediction on the basis of ethically sound physiological measurements – Ivory
9.   Predictive Approaches for Safer Urban Environments – Phoebe
10.   Smart city mapping for safer and eco driver behaviour – SmartMaps
11.   Optimising driver behaviour for safe, green and energy efficient mobility – OptiMo
12.   Exploring the relationship between unsafe traffic events and crash occurrence – Peve
13.   Support to the European Road Safety Observatory – ERSOnext 
14.   Development and Collection of Road Safety Key Performance Indicators – Trendline
15.   National Access Point Coordination Organisation for Europe – Napcore
16.   Injury Mitigation to Promote Vision-Zero Achievement– Improva
17.   E-Survey of Road users’ Attitudes – ESRA3
18.   Cultural, regional and societal factors to overcome barriers to connected, cooperative and automated mobility deployment – CulturalRoad
19.   Shared Automation Operating Models for Worldwide Adoption – Show
20.   Holistic Approach for Driver Role Integration and Automation Allocation for European Mobility Needs – Hadrian
21.   Safe System Design for CCAM services – Froddo
22.   Actionable Human in the Loop Traffic Forecasting for CCAM – Acumen
23.   Road Infrastructure Safety
24.   NTUA Campus Road Network Upgrade
25.   Traffic safety culture – A transition towards shared responsibility for safe and sustainable mobility – Trust
26.   Effectiveness of city-wide 30 km/h speed limits – 30 Marathons in 30 months
27.   Global Road Safety Knowledge Exchange – Piarc
28.   Financial incentives and benefits for vehicle insurance policies using telematics – SShCentre
29.   Road Safety for the New Attica Transportation Strategic Plan
30.   Flexibly adapted MetaInnovations, use cases, collaborative business and governance models to accelerate shared Zero Emission mobility for passengers and freight – MetaCCaze
31.   Green Cultural Oases – GreCo
32.   Proposed Operating Model for the Metropolitan Transport Authority of Attica
33.   Ridesharing Services Socioeconomic Impact
34.   Smart Payments in Public Transport

 Road Safety Panel Discussion  Mobility Panel Discussion

ITF together with Eurostat organized with great success the Workshop on Promoting Data-Driven Decision-Making which took place online, on 15 May 2025. The main objective of this Workshop was to promote data-driven decision-making and enhance statistical and data analytics capacity among statisticians in National Statistics Institutions and Other National Authorities, policymakers, transport authorities, researchers, academics, and industry stakeholders in Southeast Europe for effectively managing urban mobility performance. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

•  Implementing city-wide 30 km/h speed limit

A paper titled Quantifying the impact of COVID-19 on driving behavior and mobility patterns: A four-country comparative overview authored by Eva Michelaraki, Marios Sekadakis, Christos Katrakazas, Apostolos Ziakopoulos and George Yannis has been published in Case Studies on Transport Policy  The objective of this study was to quantify the impact of COVID- 19 on driving behavior, mobility patterns and road safety through the exploitation of data from sensors via a smartphone application developed by OSeven Telematics. To achieve this goal a random dataset from its database for four countries (i.e. Greece, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and Brazil) was collected and analyzed, utilizing a logistic regression model. The results revealed that speeding percentage, average driving speed, as well as harsh events (except for Cyprus) were increased during the lockdown period. Moreover, a significant decrease in traffic volumes and numbers of people walking in each country was demonstrated during the pandemic. These findings highlighted the need for enhanced traffic law enforcement, smart traffic management solutions and sustainable mobility planning to mitigate the heightened road safety risks observed during lockdown periods. 

The Faculty of Transport and Aviation Engineering of the Silesian University of Technology is organizing the Transport Problems XVII International Scientific Conference which will take place in Katowice, Poland & Online on 25-27 June 2025. Conference topics include some of the following areas: road transport, rail transport, air transport, sea transport and inland, municipal and bicycle transport, automation in transport, transport management in urban area & transport systems safety. Participants from 25 countries have already registered. Programme can be found here.

The International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS) organized with great success the 24th International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety Conference, which took place in Alcobaça, on 15-18 June 2025, under the theme “Time For Change: Traffic Safety for a Sustainable World“. This Event brings together world experts from a multidisciplinary perspective in key areas. This World Conference discussed the contribution of multiple interventions associated with research in the fields of safety, public health, traffic and transport psychology, law, medicine, economics, law enforcement, public policy, training and education, pharmacology, toxicology, forensic science, intervention, and rehabilitation related to driving under the influence. 

The Horizon Europe research project metaCCAZE has recently released the metaCCAZE 3rd Newsletter, which provides information on the latest outcomes of the EU-funded metaCCAZE project aiming to accelerate the deployment of smart systems that combine electric, automated and connected technologies and infrastructure, enabling zero-emission shared mobility services for both passengers and goods in European cities. This version of the Newsletter celebrates the 2^nd year of the EU-funded project, marking a key turning point: the spotlight is now equally on the Follower Cities—Athens, Gozo, Kraków, Milan, Miskolc, and Poissy in Yvelines, part of the Paris Region. Each city brings its own challenges, priorities, and ambitions—from Milan’s suburban e-pod mobility concept to Gozo’s autonomous shuttle, and Athens’ integration of electric buses using AI-supported planning. The diversity across these urban environments provides a proving ground for scalable, people-centred mobility solutions. 

The Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT) οf the Centre for Research and Technology (CERTH/EKETA) together with the Road Tolls Service – Electronic Management of Road Infrastructure (YOT-HDOY) organized with great success a two-day workshop titled “Data Quality and NAP Best Practices” in the framework of the European Commission NAPCORE project, which took place with great success in Athens, Greece on 5-6 May 2025. The aim of this Event was to bring together the project participants to discuss the current status, the future prospects and the progress of National Data Access Points in the EU.  NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

• Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and the Future of Road Safety

The Nordic Traffic Safety Academy (NTSA) together with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), organized with great success the NTSA Research School 2025, which took place in Trondheim, Norway on 13-16 May 2025. NTSA is a Nordic forum where academics meet to exchange information and experience in research and education. This Event targeted top-level experts in the subject sharing their experiences, as well as the early career researchers, primarily PhD students and postdocs, who had the opportunity to present their research work and ideas, receive feedback, and engage in discussions and networking. 

The Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move) of the European Commission recently published a Report to address the critical need for Safe and Secure Parking Areas (SSPAs) for professional drivers across the European Union, focusing on their availability, security standards, and development potential. This Report highlights persistent challenges in the road transport sector, including driver shortages, inadequate parking infrastructure, and security concerns, which hinder the sector’s operational efficiency and driver well-being. To address this issue, the Study recommends strategic investments, including the rapid upgrade and certification of existing parking areas that already meet the required safety and security standards. Furthermore, this Report highlights that improved connectivity and digitalisation are essential drivers for making SSPAs more accessible and attractive.  

The Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move) of the European Commission announced updated rules for safer roads, less air pollution and digital vehicle documents. The new rules will take into account the growing presence of electric vehicles and adapt to emerging technologies. They will introduce enhanced inspections, including periodic technical inspections for electric vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems, annual inspections for older cars and vans, and advanced emission testing methods to detect high-emitting vehicles to reduce fine particles pollution. The proposed changes reflect the EU’s commitment to safe and sustainable mobility while ensuring the free movement of people and goods. Between 2026 and 2050, it is estimated that these proposals will save around 7,000 lives and prevent around 65,000 serious injuries.