Author: Konstantinos Kaselouris
The Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) in cooperation with the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) are co-organising the Africa Road Safety Seminar, which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 8-9 October 2024. This key regional seminar will include leading topics in current road safety conversation and is designed to give participants a deeper understanding of effective, evidence-based interventions which can be applied towards the goals of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030. 
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Seniors Facts and Figures Report which refers to people aged 65 years and older. According to this report, seniors have the second highest mortality rate among all age groups, with an average of about 64 senior fatalities per million senior inhabitants in road traffic within the EU27. Moreover, when considering the mode of transportation, seniors experienced a considerably high number of fatalities in the most vulnerable modes. Specifically, in 2022 29% of senior fatalities were pedestrians, while 17% were cyclists. 
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Motorways Facts and Figures Report which refers to motorways, which are public roads with dual carriageways, and at least two lanes each way. In 2022, 9% of all road fatalities in the EU27 occurred on motorways. Remarkable is that 68% of motorway fatalities were between 25 and 64 years old, compared to 54% on other roads (rural and urban roads).
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Buses & Heavy Goods Vehicles Facts and Figures Report which refers to fatalities of buses/coaches and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) on European roads. In 2022, 14% of all road fatalities in the EU27 occurred in crashes involving HGVs and 2% of road fatalities in the EU27 occurred in crashes involving buses/coaches. Moreover, remarkable is that female share in fatalities in crashes involving buses/coaches (32%) is remarkably higher than the respective share in crashes involving HGVs and all crashes (23%).
The Fondation VINCI Autoroutes has recently published the results of the 12th 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 (83%) that use their mobile phone during driving in Europe (EU average 75%). Furthermore, almost half of Greek drivers (46%) admitted continuing driving even when they feel tired, whereas the respective EU average is 42%.
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Support for Policy Measures Report which focuses on the public support of many road safety policy measures, including zero tolerance for alcohol (0.0‰) for all drivers, installation of an alcohol ‘interlock’ system and the legal obligation to install ISA in new vehicles. Furthermore, the public support of the zero tolerance for using any type of mobile phone while driving for all drivers, the requirement for all cyclists to wear a helmet, as well as the requirement for cyclists to wear reflective material when cycling in the dark, are presented.
The Road Safety Support International (RSSI) has been honoured with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. This recognition highlights the organisation’s exceptional dedication and exemplary efforts to promote road safety on a global scale. Over the years Road Safety Support International (RSSI) has been tirelessly working to reduce road collisions and fatalities through extensive education, advocacy, and the implementation of effective safety measures.
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Protective Equipment Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) Report which focuses on the prevalence and the road safety effects of road users’ use or non-use of bicycle helmets, motorcycle helmets, seat belts and Child Restraint Systems (CRS). Moreover, where feasible, these reports look at whether SPIs are related to existing policies and regulations, providing possible effective interventions to increase safe behaviour, or discourage unsafe behaviour.
The International Transport Forum (ITF) organised with great success the Safer Micromobility – Ask the Author session which was held online, on 17 April 2024. During this question and answer session, Philippe Crist (ITF) together with George Yannis and Virginia Petraki (NTUA) presented the findings of the latest ITF Report titled Safer Micromobility. According to this Report Micromobility is becoming safer (per miles driven), but an increase in severe injuries from e-scooter crashes is cause for concern and a comprehensive set of recommendations in line with the Safe System Approach are proposed.
The European Commission organised with great success the EU Road Safety Conference which was held in Dublin, Ireland, on 16 April 2024. The Conference provided an opportunity to engage with EU Member States Authorities, Experts and all Stakeholders across the road safety community. In addition, it facilitated exchanging views and experiences on the efforts to reach Vision Zero.
NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following key-note presentation:
NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following key-note presentation:
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Main Factors causing Fatal Crashes Thematic Report, in which the role of key risk factors is quantified and discussed, based on the most recent international literature. These factors concern speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, distraction and other psychoactive substances, and non-use of protective equipment. Addressing in priority the above causes of fatalities in Europe, through safe-by-design thinking, i.e. prevention, control and mitigation of the consequences of these errors, can contribute significantly towards the ambitious EU targets of halving fatalities by 2030 and eliminating them by 2050.
The Road Traffic Safety Agency (RTSA) of the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with several Serbian and international road safety Governmental, Academic and other organizations, organised with great success the 19th International Conference Road Safety in Local Communities (RSCL 2024) in Zlatibor, Serbia, on 17-20 April 2024. The Conference was organized within second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030) and the second national strategy for road safety (2023-2030) highlighting the significant changes in road safety regulations. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
The International Road Traffic Safety Analysis and Data (IRTAD) Group and of the International Transport Forum (ITF) organised with great success the 37th Meeting which was held in Helsinki and online, on 10-11 April 2024. In this meeting, the latest international road safety developments were discussed. 80 members and observers from more than 40 countries enriched the discussion aimed to help improve road safety across the globe. Particular emphasis was given to safer micromobility and the evaluation of road safety measures. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentations:
World Bank/GRSF – Improving Road Traffic Injury Statistics in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, 2023
The World Bank Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF) has published a Knowledge Report titled Improving Road Traffic Injury Statistics in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. This Report identifies the reasons behind statistical discrepancies between Low- and Middle-Income Countries and outlines strategies to strengthen modeling efforts. Furthermore, in this Report key findings and recommendations for more accurate reporting of traffic injuries were included.
The World Bank Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF) has published a Knowledge Report titled Estimating the Disability Burden of Road Traffic Injuries. This Report provides valuable insights into the prevalence, causes, and long-term impacts of crash-related disabilities. By broadening the discussion beyond fatalities to the often-overlooked issue of disability, the report paves the way for a more holistic perspective on road safety impacts, which can inform more effective road safety policies.
The Centro Nazionale per Mobilità Sostenibile (MOST) in cooperation with Politecnico of Milano organised with great success the G7 Transport Academic Workshop, which was held in Milan, on 10 April 2024. This workshop with theme “Planning for Resilient Transport Systems” consisted of 4 sessions, including issues related to road safety, such as principles and measures for network resilience, decision-making and trade-offs and policies and practices for mitigation and adaptation. The Workshop results were presented to the Meeting of the Ministers of the G7 world’s advanced economies. NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following presentation:
NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following presentation:
The new EU road fatalities by age and gender table of the NTUA Road Safety Observatory, based on European Commission CARE data for 2022, provides an overall view of the distribution of fatalities between the different age groups and genders. It can be clearly observed that far more males than females are killed in road crashes in all EU countries. Furthermore, most road fatalities occurred within the 65+ age group, while the lowest rates are recorded for children under 15 years old. 
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Subjective Safety Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) Report which focuses on the subjective experience of feeling safe or unsafe in road traffic using different transport modes. Based on data from the ESRA project it is shown that road users feel safer in order importance as: pedestrians (6.7-8.8), car drivers (5.9-8.3), cyclists (4.5-7.3) and motorcyclists (4.5-6.5).
Dimitris Nikolaou has successfully defended his PhD dissertation titled: Machine learning-based road crash risk assessment fusing infrastructure, traffic and driver behaviour data, under the supervisoon of NTUA Prof. George Yannis. Τwo distinct databases were developed; the first one concerned motorway segments and included road crash, traffic, road geometry and driver behaviour data (OSeven telematics), while the second database concerned urban and interurban road segments of a broader area. The results revealed that crash frequency on motorway segments is positively correlated with the traffic volume, the segment length, the number of harsh accelerations and the number of harsh brakings per segment trips. Furthermore, it was concluded that harsh brakings can serve as a valid subcategory of Surrogate Safety Measures under naturalistic driving conditions, which can be used as the dependent variable either in proactive road safety analyses or in cases where detailed crash data are unavailable. It was found that harsh brakings were positively correlated with road segment length, number of trips per segment, speeding and mobile phone use. 
The European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures (ASECAP), supported by the Associazone Italiana Societa Concessionarie Autostrade e Trafori (AISCAT), is organising the 51st ASECAP Study & information days conference, which will be held in Milan, on 13-15 May 2024. This conference with theme “Innovation as a key tool to reach safe, inclusive and green mobility solutions” will focus on how to provide equal access to mobility services being a key point for social and economic developments.
A paper titled “RSS2022 Conference: Advanced Road Safety Analyses” authored by George Yannis and Eleonora Papadimitriou has been published in Safety Science. This collection reflects a concerted effort to advance scientific knowledge in road safety, aiming to mitigate crash fatalities and injuries in the digital era through innovative quantitative research methods. 
An NTUA Diploma Thesis titled “Model for the assessment of cycling routes in Athens with high resolution data” was recently presented by Aristeidis-Vasileios Kanakis. For this purpose, the critical factors that influence the cycling trips carried out in the areas of Chalandri and Vrilissia, utilizing crowdsourced data from the “Strava Metro” platform, were identified. The results demonstrate a positive effect of the average speed of cycling on the number of cycling trips. The most critical influencing factors on cycling trips concern road infrastructure and traffic conditions on each road section, such as the average speed of cycling trips, the category of road section and its length.
An NTUA Diploma Thesis titled “The influence of the penetration of autonomous vehicles on road safety” was recently presented by Antonia Antonakaki. For this purpose, an analysis of simulation data was carried out around the Villaverde network in Madrid. The application of the models revealed that the factors influencing the above variables have to do with both traffic composition data (vehicle type) and road infrastructure data (road type, road capacity). It is highlighted that increasing the Market Penetration Rate (MPR) of autonomous vehicles in the network was found to have, quantifiable positive effects on road safety.
An NTUA Diploma Thesis titled “Investigation of employee preferences in Athens towards the “Bike to Work” scheme” was recently presented by Konstantinos Aggelakis. In order to achieve this, factors influencing the decisions of workers to use a soft mode of transportation such as bicycles and scooters (electric or conventional) for their commutes in Athens are examined, as well as how the existence of a bicycle lane network affects this decision. Polynomial models demonstrate that increased time and cost savings in commuting do not significantly affect the choice of bicycle or scooter as a commuting mode, contrary to health improvement, while commute duration and commuter age are also significant factors in the choice of micro-mobility modes.
AMRKS and Tempulli Academy are co-organising the 10th International Conference “AI – Cyber Security and Road Safety” which will be held in Prishtina, on 7 May 2024. In this conference, the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be discussed, as an important potential in increasing road safety. IA’s road safety and mobility initiative aims to increase road safety using innovative technologies to complement the action plans of the UN General Assembly Resolution on improving global road safety.
The I-Sense Group of the Institute of Communications & Computer Systems (ICCS) is organising “Hi Drive International Summer School 2024“, which will be held in Athens, Greece, on 25-26 September 2024. This Summer School session with theme “Navigating the Future with Advanced and Safe Automated Driving” aims to delve deeper into the latest advancements, challenges, and opportunities in the dynamic field of Automated Driving (AD), which is a major component of road safety. Participants can register until 30 April 2024.
The World Road Association (PIARC) recently published a Report titled “PIARC Global Road Safety Exchange“ with emphassis on Low and Middle Income countries, with the active contribution of NTUA. This Report reflects the wealth of information contained in PIARC multi-annual road safety work about safe infrastructure, the design and operation of road tunnels, speed management, the collection and analysis of road safety data, management, human behaviour, vulnerable road users and vehicles. PIARC recommendations will help to develop expertise in road safety and to adopt the «Safe System Approach» to reducing fatal and serious crashes on the road network worldwide.
The International Transport Forum (ITF) has recently published a new Report titled “Safer Micromobility“ co-authored by George Yannis, Virginia Petraki and Philippe Crist. This Report examines safety aspects associated with the increasing use of e-scooters and other forms of micromobility in cities. Micromobility is becoming safer (per miles driven), but an increase in severe injuries from e-scooter crashes is cause for concern. The Report considers a comprehensive set of recommendations in line with the Safe System Approach, to make urban traffic with micromobility safe, including in street layout, vehicle design and vehicle operation, user education and enforcement of rules. It also asks whether a shift towards micromobility can have potential overall traffic safety benefits.
The World Road Association – PIARC recently published a Report titled “Models for Sight Distance in Road Design“. This work provides an overview of the importance of comparing international road design standards to check their updated status and the degree of their readiness to face the forthcoming innovations in road mobility and safety. This report also assesses possibilities of transferring models to other road design standards mainly in Low- or Middle-Income Countries.
Τhe European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has published the 46th PIN Flash Report titled Reducing Road Deaths on Rural Roads. This Report examines the latest data on rural road deaths from across the EU and other countries that form part of ETSC’s Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) programme. It also looks at the main measures for reducing the risks to road deaths on rural roads including recommendations to national governments and EU about infrastructure, speeds and speed limits, vulnerable road users (VRUs) and vehicle safety.
