ERF – Recommendations for Sign Inspection, October 2024

The European Union Road Federation (ERF) has released the updated Recommendations for Sign Inspection. These guidelines provide the road community with important updated information on practices and technical recommendations to reduce roadside injuries and fatalities. The publication aligns with the EU’s Vision Zero goals, emphasizing the importance of safe infrastructure in accident prevention and injury mitigation pdf5

October 31st, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Powered Two-Wheelers Thematic Report, September 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Powered Two-Wheelers Thematic Report which refers to the safety of moped riders and motorcyclists as vulnerable road users. This Thematic Report describes how PTWs participate in traffic, as well as PTWs in relation to road safety hazards. Moreover, countermeasures regarding safer road users, vehicles and roads are suggested. link pdf5

October 18th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

TRB ACS10 Standing Committee Quarterly Meeting, online, September 2024

The TRB ACS10 Standing Committee organised with great success the Quarterly Meeting on Transport Safety Management Systems which was held online, on 25 September 2024. The primary focus of this meeting was the impact of the impact of the 30 km/h speed limit in urban areas. pdf5 NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

October 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

CCAM Quarterly Newsletter, October 2024

The Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility Association (CCAM) has released the Quarterly Newsletter which provides information on the latest CCAM news aiming to create a more user-centered and inclusive mobility system, increasing road safety while reducing congestion and environmental footprint. Established in 2021, the international not-for-profit organisation CCAM Association represents the private side of the CCAM Partnership, bringing together 230 innovation stakeholders involved in the connected, cooperative and automated mobility field. 

October 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Cost Benefit Analysis of Reducing Speed Limits in Athens to 30 Km/h, December 2024

A paper titled “Cost benefit analyst of reducing speed limits in Athens to 30 Km/h” authored by Stella Roussou, Virginia Petraki, Katerina Deliali, Armira Kontaxi and George Yannis has been published in Case Studies on Transport Policy. The study highlights the benefits of lowering speed limits in Athens from 50 km/h to 30 km/h, including a 30-40% reduction in traffic crashes and a 20-25% decrease in injury severity . Additionally, the policy could lead to lower by 10-15% CO2 emissions and improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. The overall benefits are projected to outweigh the costs by 3 to 5 times, making it a highly effective policy for safer, more sustainable urban mobility. doi

October 16th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

UNECE – Adaptation of Cycling Network Guidelines, October 2024

UNECE has introduced new Guidelines and Recommendations aimed at enhancing cycling networks and promoting cycling as a sustainable and safe mode of transportation. These Guidelines emphasize the need for well-connected cycling infrastructure and the integration of cycling into national transport systems. By prioritizing safer cycling routes, the Guidelines aim to achieve safer, healthier and more environmentally friendly urban and rural mobility. This initiative is expected to play a key role in shaping future transport policies across Europe.  pdf5

October 16th, 2024|Categories: News|

iRAP – New Enhanced Tool for Safer Road Design, October 2024

The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) announced at the IRF World Congress 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey, the enhancement of the Star Rating for Designs (SR4D), a Tool that allows the safety of road designs to be measured before the commencement of civil works. Using the Tool, road engineers and designers can define a road’s geometry and code its features to obtain a globally recognised iRAP safety Star Rating, along with fatal and serious injury estimations, and safety investment plans to optimise safety.  pdf5

October 15th, 2024|Categories: News|

metaCCAZE – 1st Newsletter, July 2024

The Horizon Europe research project metaCCAZE has recently released the metaCCAZE 1st 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. 

October 11th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ERF – European Road Statistics 2024

The European Union Road Federation (ERF) has released the Road Statistics Yearbook 2024” with the active contribution of NTUA. As for many years, this publication provides the road community with important updated information on road transport sector and road infrastructure in Europe and beyond as an essential key element of the global mobility with one section focusing on road safety. 

October 10th, 2024|Categories: Data, Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Road safety in the EU, October 2024

The European Commission published the latest figures on Road safety in the EU, showing that 20,400 people were killed in road crashes in 2023, a 1% decrease in relation to 2022. While the underlying long-term trend is downward (-10% compared to 2019), the current pace of decline falls short of the required 4.5% annual reduction needed to achieve the EU’s goal of halving road deaths by 2030.  Preliminary figures for the first six months of 2024 indicate the number of deaths on EU roads has remained the same, compared with the same period in 2023. 

October 10th, 2024|Categories: Data, Knowledge, News|

ESRA3 – Young and aging drivers Thematic Report, October 2024

The Young and aging drivers Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report describes  the self-declared behaviours and perceived acceptability (social and personal) related to driving while impaired, speeding, and distraction, among young and aging drivers. Furthermore, it includes comparisons among the participating countries as well as results in relation to age and gender.  pdf5

October 10th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ESRA3 – Speeding Thematic Report, October 2024

The Speeding Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report describes the self-declared behaviour, acceptability, attitudes and support for policy measures regarding speeding. Factors associated with speeding per area and road type are also analysed. Furthermore, it includes comparisons among the participating countries as well as results in relation to age and gender.  pdf5

October 10th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ESRA3 – Infrastructure Thematic Report, October 2024

The Infrastructure Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report describes the use and the safety perception of infrastructure among different road users, including car drivers, moped riders and motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. Furthermore, it includes comparisons among the participating countries as well as results in relation to age and gender.  pdf5

October 10th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Promoting Vulnerable Road Users Safety, September 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of  NTUA,  SWOV and KFV has launched a Vulnerable Road Users promotion activity focusing on children, cyclists, pedestrians and Powered Two-Wheelers (mopeds and motorcycles). According to the new Reports from the European Road Safety Observatorythe high vulnerability of non-motorised road users in urban areas is highlighted, with a disproportionately high number of fatalities in these areas for children (46% of total fatalities) and pedestrians (73%), compared to the average for all road users (38%). Recommendations to reduce fatalities among vulnerable users, including infrastructure improvements, protective equipment and vehicle design are also provided. link pdf5 pdf5 pdf5 

October 8th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

George Yannis was awarded an Honorary Distinction for his campaign promoting 30km/h speed limits, Athens, September 2024

NTUA Professor George Yannis has been awarded an Honorary Distinction during the Environmental Awards 2024, organised by Boussias events, held on 30 September 2024 in Athens. Professor George Yannis was awarded for his campaign promoting city-wide 30km/h speed limits in as many cities as possible worldwide, as a key policy for safer, healthier and greener cities, through his challenge of 30 Marathons in 30 months. These unique Awards highlight and reward good practices and initiatives for environmental protection and sustainability, as well as innovative “green” projects, technologies or programmes. link 

October 8th, 2024|Categories: News|

Eva Michelaraki PhD – Improving Driver Safety Tolerance Zone, October 2024

Eva Michelaraki has successfully defended her PhD dissertation titled: Improving driver safety tolerance zone through holistic analysis of road, vehicle and behavioural risk factors, under the supervision of NTUA Prof. George Yannis. Data from 190 drivers who participated in a large on-road and simulator driving experiment were exploited. An innovative methodology, consisting of both statistical analyses (Generalized Linear Models, Structural Equation Models) and machine learning techniques (Decision Trees, k-Nearest Neighbors, Neural Networks and Random Forests) was implemented. Results indicated that RF models outperformed the DT and kNN models across all metrics, making them the most effective for predicting speeding and headway, with overall accuracy up to 90%. It was also revealed that task complexity was positively correlated with riskwhile coping capacity was negatively correlated with risk, indicating that drivers with higher coping capacity are better equipped to handle challenging driving situations. pdf5 ppt5

October 7th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Road Safety Atlas Application, 2024

The European Commission is making available within the European Road Safety Observatory, the Road Safety Atlas application, exploiting data from the CARE database, the EU database with disaggregate data. It is an application openly available with several detailed thematic maps on road fatalities and extended backround data available, including statistics per country and comparisons between countries. It provides a user-friendly interface to discover up to date road safety indicators for European countries.  pdf5 

October 1st, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

NTUA Professors among the top 2% researchers in the world, November 2024

In a recently published study conducted at Stanford University (USA), using a range of parameters for each scientist’s research contribution and influence, million scientists data from Scopus database were analysed. According to this study 1,019 Greek scientists are contained in the global top 2%, among which 159 researchers from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). 25 Professors from the School of Civil Engineering of NTUA are among the top 2% researchers in the world (4 within the top-ten of NTUA), while 7 of them from the Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering, (5 within the top-ten of the School of Civil Engineering). 

October 1st, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Detection of dangerous driving behaviour with wide-scale data from smart systems and machine learning techniques, November 2024

A paper titled “Detection of dangerous driving behaviour with wide-scale data from smart systems and machine learning techniques” authored by Hector KamvoussiorasThodoris GarefalakisEva MichelarakiChristos Katrakazas and George Yannis has been published in Advances in Transportation Studies. Specifically, four classification models: Ridge Classifier (RC), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forests (RF), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) – were developed. These models were utilized to categorize driving behaviour into three defined levels of “Safety Tolerance Zone (STZ)”. The results revealed that the RF and XGBoost models achieved high accuracy, reaching 95% in prediction accuracy. By identifying the factors that influence risky driving behaviour, this framework offers valuable insights for guiding safety interventions , ultimately contributing to enhanced road safety. doi

September 25th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Modeling and Sustainability Implications of Harsh Driving Events: A Predictive Machine Learning Approach, July 2024

A paper titled “Modeling and Sustainability Implications of Harsh Driving Events: A Predictive Machine Learning Approach” authored by Antonis Kostopoulos, Thodoris Garefalakis, Eva Michelaraki, Christos Katrakazas and George Yannis has been published in Sustainability. This study addresses the complex task of predicting dangerous driving behaviors through a comprehensive analysis of over 356,000 trips, enhancing existing knowledge in the field and promoting sustainability and road safety. Findings indicate that Gradient Boosting and Multilayer Perceptron excel, achieving recall rates of approximately 67% to 68% for both harsh acceleration and braking events. The application of machine learning algorithms, feature selection, and k-means clustering offers a promising approach for improving road safety and reducing socio-economic costs through sustainable practices. doi

September 13th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

United Nations – World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, November 2024

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is observed on the third Sunday of November each year (this year on November 17), launched in 1995 by the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR) and since 2005 adopted by the United Nations and is dedicated to remembering the many millions killed or injured in road crashes and their families and communities, as well as to pay tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police and medical professionals who daily deal with the traumatic aftermath of road death and injury.  pdf5

September 6th, 2024|Categories: News|

iRAP/IRF/FIA Foundation – Safer Roads Pledge Campaign launched, August 2024

The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP), the International Road Federation (IRF) and the FIA Foundation have launched a SaferRoadsPledge campaign calling on organisations involved in designing and financing roads to pledge their commitment to safer roads ahead of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety. The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety recommends using Road Safety Audits and Star Ratings to lift the safety of roads and designs. Road designers and financing institutions from the government and private sector are called on to commit their support for safer roads that enable more sustainable mobility. 

August 27th, 2024|Categories: News|

Analysis of harsh braking and harsh acceleration occurrence via explainable imbalanced machine learning using high-resolution smartphone telematics and traffic data, August 2024

A paper titled “Analysis of harsh braking and harsh acceleration occurrence via explainable imbalanced machine learning using high-resolution smartphone telematics and traffic data” authored by Apostolos Ziakopoulos has been published in Accident Analysis & Prevention. Subsequently, Synthetic Minority Oversampling TEchnique (SMOTE) was applied due to class imbalance and then binary classification was conducted to detect factors leading to harsh brakes (HB) and harsh accelerations (HA) occurrence.  Results reveal strong nonlinear effects on harsh event occurrence, with individual speed and traffic flow parameters showing the highest influence, followed by exposure parameters such as segment length and pass count. However, network characteristics such as number of lanes, and speed limit had limited influence on harsh events occurrence, as did behaviors such as mobile phone engagement and speeding. doi

August 26th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

WHO – Road traffic deaths rise in Africa contrary to the global trend, July 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently published the 2023 Status Report on Road Safety for the Africa Region. According to this Report, road traffic death rates during the period 2010-2021 have increased significantly in the African region, with 17% increase in road-related fatalities, despite being home to only 15% of the world’s population, and 3% of its vehicles. Conversely, global rates fell by 5% during the same period. WHO recommends concerted efforts to implement a range of interventions, in order to strengthen national road safety strategies in Africa.  pdf5

July 31st, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ESRA3 – Moped Riders & Motorcyclists Thematic Report, July 2024

The Moped Riders & Motorcyclists Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report describes the frequency of riding a moped or a motorcycle, the use of infrastructure, the road crash involvement, the acceptability of unsafe traffic behaviour, the safety perception of using moped and motorcycle, the rates of self-declared behaviour and factors associated with risky riding behaviours. Furthermore, it includes comparisons among the participating countries as well as results in relation to age and gender.  pdf5

July 30th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Traffic Law Enforcement Thematic Report, July 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Traffic Law Enforcement (TLE) Thematic Report which can be defined as the entire penal procedure designed to persuade road users to obey traffic laws and regulations through threat of detection of violation and the imposition of a penalty. This Thematic Report describes the working mechanisms of TLE in Europe, as well as how effective are for road safety the enforcement of speeding, red light running, drug-impaired driving, drink-driving, mobile phone use and seat belt use. Moreover, enforcement support measures such as legislation, sanction types, data-driven enforcement operations and public communication are suggested. link pdf5

July 30th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ESRA3 – E-Scooter Riders Thematic Report, July 2024

The E-Scooter Riders Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report provides an in-depth examination of road safety issues associated with e-scooter , including an extensive analysis of self-declared unsafe behaviours in traffic, the utilization frequency of e-scooters, and the incidence of involvement in road crashes among e-scooter riders. Moreover, the Report investigates determinants that may elevate the risk of crash involvement for e-scooter riders, offering a detailed perspective on the complexities of e-scooter road safety.  pdf5

July 26th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Pedestrians Thematic Report, July 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Pedestrians Thematic Report which refers to the safety of vulnerable road users that suffer the most severe consequences in collisions with other road users. This Thematic Report describes how pedestrians participate in traffic, as well as pedestrians in relation to road safety hazards. Furthermore, countermeasures about land use planning, road design, visibility, vehicle design of crash opponents, education, training and enforcement are suggested. link pdf5

July 26th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Urban Areas Facts and Figures Report, July 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Urban Areas Facts and Figures Report which refers to public roads inside urban boundary signs. According to this Report, the number of fatalities on urban roads decreased by 22%, which is similar to the 21% decrease on other roads (rural roads and motorways). Furthermore, vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, mopeds, motorcycles) make up 68% of fatalities on urban roads, while pedestrians are involved in 33% of all fatalities. link pdf5

July 25th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Rural Areas Facts and Figures Report, July 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Rural Areas Facts and Figures Report which refers to public roads outside urban boundary signs, excluding motorways. In 2022, 53% of all road fatalities in the EU27 occurred on rural roads. Between 2012 and 2022, the number of fatalities on rural roads decreased by 24%, compared to 18% decrease on urban roads and motorways. Remarkable is that car occupants make up more than half (56%) of all fatalities on rural roads. link pdf5

July 25th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ESRA3 – Subjective Safety & Risk Perception Thematic Report, July 2024

The Subjective Safety & Risk Perception Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report describes the perceived levels of safety when using different transport modes and the assessment of various risk factors in traffic (e.g. alcohol, speed, fatigue) regarding their contribution to crashes. Furthermore, it includes comparisons amongst the participating countries, as well as results in relation to age and gender.  pdf5

July 25th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Junctions Facts and Figures Report, July 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Junctions Facts and Figures Report which refers to road fatalities at junctions, which are locations where two or more roads meet and traffic can change between different routes, directions, or sometimes modes of travel. According to this report, 18% of all road fatalities in the EU27 occurred at junctions and road fatalities at junctions in the EU have decreased by 10% since 2019. Moreover, 57% of junction fatalities in the EU27 occur on urban roads. Remarkable is that vulnerable road users are being involved in more than half of all fatalities at junctions (63%). link pdf5

July 24th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Car Occupants Facts and Figures Report, July 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory the Car Occupants Facts and Figures Report which refers to car drivers as well as car passengers (front or rear seat). According to this report, the total number of car occupant fatalities in the EU27 has decreased by 9% since 2019 and 45% of all road fatalities in the EU27 in 2022 were car occupants. Furthermore, 82% of fatally injured car drivers are men, with the highest rates in single vehicle crashes being recorded for the age group 20 to 24 years old. Remarkable is that two thirds of car occupant fatalities in the EU occurred on rural roads. link pdf5

July 24th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

SHOW – 9th Newsletter, July 2024

The Horizon 2020 research project SHOW (SHared automation Operating models for Worldwide adoption) has recently released the SHOW 9th Newsletter. The Newsletter provides information on the latest outcomes of the project. The SHOW Dashboard brings all the pilot sites in a cohesive and user-friendly interface. The combined efforts have brought real-life pilots to over 15 cities across Europe, paving the way for some countries to embark on their inaugural operations with shared Automated Vehicles. SHOW’s aim is to enhance urban mobility and automation by understanding people’s needs. 

July 19th, 2024|Categories: News|

European Commission – Main Figures Facts and Figures Report, July 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Main Figures Facts and Figures Report which examines road fatalities on European roads. According to this Report, there has been a 9% decrease in road fatalities for the EU27 between 2019 and 2022, with far more males than females being killed in road crashes. Moreover, 47% of total road fatalities are vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, moped riders and motorcyclists) and over a half of road fatalities occur on rural roads (53%). On urban roads, the share of killed pedestrians is highest with 33%. link pdf5

July 15th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Light Goods Vehicles Facts and Figures Report, July 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) Facts and Figures Report which refers to lorries under 3.5 tonnes. The development of the number of fatalities in LGV crashes throughout the years varies across European countries, with Northern and Central European countries having a lower share of fatalities in LGV crashes in the total number of road fatalities than countries in Southern and Southeastern Europe. Furthermore, LGV crash fatalities display a different distribution during the week compared to all road crash fatalities, but show some similarities compared to HGV crash fatalities. link pdf5

July 15th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ESRA3 – Distraction & Fatigue Thematic Report, July 2024

The Distraction & Fatigue Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report concerns distraction and fatigue in traffic. Results on distraction focus on the use of a mobile phone while driving a car, while only results for car drivers are included for fatigued driving. The report also includes comparisons among the regions as well as results by age and gender group within each region, by country, and the identification of factors that influence the self-declared behaviour of talking on a handheld mobile phone while driving a car and driving a car while fatigued.  pdf5

July 15th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Unfolding the dynamics of driving behavior: a machine learning analysis from Germany and Belgium, July 2024

A paper titled “Unfolding the dynamics of driving behavior: a machine learning analysis from Germany and Belgium” authored by Stella Roussou, Eva Michelaraki, Christos Katrakazas, Amir Pooyan AfghariChristelle Al HaddadMd Rakibul Alam, Constantinos Antoniou, Eleonora PapadimitriouTom Brijs and George Yannis  has been published in European Transport Research Review. Thirty German drivers’ trips and Forty-Three Belgian drivers were analyzed using Long-Short-Term-Memory Networks and shallow Neural Networks, revealing factors contributing to risky behavior. Results indicate i-DREAMS interventions significantly enhance driving behavior, with Neural Networks displaying superior performance among the algorithms considered. doi

July 3rd, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

PHOEBE – 3rd Newsletter, July 2024

The Horizon 2020 research project PHOEBE has recently released the PHOEBE 3rd Newsletter, which provides information on the latest outcomes of the EU-funded ‘Predictive Approaches for Safer Urban Environment’ (PHOEBE) project aiming to increase the road safety of vulnerable road users, especially those who use active mobility and e-scooters. Special focus is given to the assessment of current mobility pilot plans in Athens, carried out by NTUA

July 2nd, 2024|Categories: News|

Safety evaluation via conflict classification during automated shuttle bus service operations, June 2024

A paper titled “Safety evaluation via conflict classification during automated shuttle bus service operations” authored by Apostolos Ziakopoulos, Maria OikonomouMarios Sekadakis and George Yannis  has been published in European Transport Research Review. To investigate impacts of autonomous shuttle bus services and to further examine their operational speed, the microscopic simulation method was performed.  By analyzing the trajectory data extracted from microsimulation, traffic conflicts were identified and further analyzed by developing Mixed-Effects Multinomial Logit Regression models (ME-MLMs) in order to associate conflict type taking into account network characteristics as well as traffic conditions. The analysis yielded several significant findings that provide quantitative measurements and assessments of the effects observed, enabling a better understanding of the safety implications associated with the widespread adoption of automated services. doi

July 2nd, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

United Nations – General Assembly urges speedier action to reduce fatalities worldwide, June 2024

The 92nd General Assembly of the United Nations urged accelerated action to reduce deaths and injuries from traffic crashes worldwide by implementing the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030. Precisely, it urged Member States and relevant actors to accelerate and scale up efforts to implement the Global Plan, making road safety a political priority and ensuring its relevance in the broader sustainable development agenda. Furthermore, the General Assembly invited Member States to consider adopting comprehensive legislation on key risk factors, including the non-use of seat belts, child restraints and helmets, and driving under the influence. 

June 28th, 2024|Categories: News|

NTUA / Marie Curie – New PhD Vacancy – Data fusion of traffic, behaviour & infrastructure for holistic driver assistance, June 2024

Within the framework of the Horizon Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Industrial Doctoral Network IVORY Artificial Intelligence for Vision Zero in Road Safety, a call for applications for the following Industrial PhD candidate has been launched, to be hosted by National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a Centre of Road Safety Research Excellence with global recognition. The submissions deadline is set for 26 July 2024. Detailed description, including the required mobility rules, can be found below and at: pdf5


PhD title

PhD #7 Data fusion of traffic, behaviour & infrastructure for holistic driver assistance 

Vacancy description

Within the IVORY doctoral network, this PhD position aims to exploit multi-parametric data for the creation of a holistic AI framework for road safety-related evaluation of driver behaviours, to define appropriate traffic, behaviour and infrastructure parameters or other Key Performance Indicators to be collected and used in the AI-based models, to create new AI algorithms harmonising the selected parameters to comparable datasets and to integrate the developed AI algorithms to telematics-based applications focusing on driver assistance and support.

The position contributes to road safety research by acquiring new knowledge on integration and harmonisation of traffic, behaviour and infrastructure big data parameters, and developing a functional AI framework incorporating these elements based on driver telematics with transferability evaluations, that will lead to the development of new and seamless road safety solutions.

A case-study utilising driver telematics in an urban area will be conducted, with actionable results, compatible with the vision and activities of OSeven. The related framework can be used to develop an app providing personalised recommendations to drivers based on their trip/route habits.

Project description

IVORY (ivory-network.eu) is a Horizon Europe MARIE SKLODOWSKA-CURIE ACTION Industrial Doctoral Network consisting of 22 partners (universities, industry, and non-governmental organizations). The project aims to develop a new framework for the integration of AI in road safety and train a new generation of leading researchers in the field, in order to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals target 3.6 (halving the number of traffic fatalities by 2030) and EC ‘Vision Zero’ strategy (eliminating traffic fatalities by 2050).

PhD students will obtain their PhD degree from the relevant academic partner, and spend at least 50% of their PhD time at the relevant non-academic partner.

Academic host:  National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Athens, Greece

School of Civil Engineering, Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering

Months 19-36 of PhD

Industry host: OSeven, Athens, Greece, Months 1-18 of PhD

Secondment(s): Royal Haskoning DHV, Amersfoort, the Netherlands, Duration:4 months

Research field(s): Transport engineering; Traffic safety; Data science; Driver telematics

Type of contract: Fixed-term

Employment status: Full time (1.0 fte)

Eligibility criteria

  • A Master’s degree (or equivalent);
  • Not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment;
  • Recruited applicants can be of any nationality and must undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. In particular, at the time of selection, the recruited applicant for this position must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Greece for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.

Required skills

  • A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in computer science, mathematics, computer/electrical engineering; other Master’s degrees (i.e. physics, civil/transport/mechanical engineering) will also be considered, if you have experience in algorithm development
  • Familiarity and hands-on experience with machine learning algorithms
  • Familiarity with statistics (statistical tests and regression)
  • Coding skills in Python
  • Strong conceptual and analytical skills
  • Proven capacity to undertake research
  • Excellent research, academic writing and presentation skills
  • The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
  • High level of proficiency in English
  • Commitment to undertaking multi-year (3 years or more) doctoral research

Optional skills (preferred but not required)

  • Familiarity with data handling and manipulation, experience working with big data
  • Passion about road infrastructure and transport safety fields

 

English requirements

Proof of English language proficiency at a Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level of C1, or an MSc degree in English, or IELTS: minimum 8.0 / TOEFL: minimum 110

Salary

The successful candidate will receive an attractive salary following the MSCA regulations for doctoral candidates. The exact salary will vary depending on the country of the host partner and will be confirmed upon appointment. The salary includes a living allowance, a mobility allowance, and a family allowance (if the recruited doctoral candidate has or acquires family obligations during the duration of the fellowship), and is very competitive overall.

Other benefits

In addition, the doctoral candidate will benefit from extensive training within the IVORY network, which includes internships/secondments in other laboratories, a variety of training courses (including transferable skills), and active participation in workshops and conferences.

Application process

Candidates should apply electronically using the link indicated in the PhD position(s) of their interest;

Candidates should provide the following documents:

  • Detailed CV, including information on the candidate’s proficiency in English;
  • Motivation letter (1 page), describing why the position fits the applicant
  • Contact information of 2 references

Application deadline: 26 July 2024

Applications to be sent to:  Prof. George Yannis: geyannis@central.ntua.gr

Academic host

The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) is the oldest Engineering University in Greece and it plays a paragon role in the scientific, technical and economic development of Greece but also in Europe and worldwide, consistently ranking as the best Greek technical university. Currently, it is ranked among the top engineering and technology universities (3rd in Europe and 7th worldwide) by Shanghai World University Rankings. NTUA has been involved in more than 160 road safety research projects since the early 1990s, comprising 70 European Commission projects, 14 International Organisation projects (UN-ECE, WHO, EIB, World Bank, ITF, CEDR) and 76 Greek projects. NTUA has well established communication channels to promote research findings: more than 800 road safety scientific publications highly cited globally, including more than 220 in scientific journals and 550 in scientific conferences. The NTUA Road Safety Observatory (NRSO) (www.nrso.ntua.gr) has a widespread recognition at the global road safety community as a center of research and innovation excellence on road safety, having received during the last 10 years more than 150.000 road safety visitors and more than 2,800,000 visits (today steadily more than 3.000 visits per month).

Industry host

OSeven is a VC backed, high technology company and part of Endeavor Global network. The company provides world-class telematics solutions for insurance companies, banks, telecom, automotive, leasing, and fleet management companies around the globe. OSeven’s AI-enabled, Big-Data telematics solution analyses data collected from different sources (smartphones, OBD devices, Beacons, connected vehicles) to assess the risk associated with driving behaviour and record the vehicle’s mileage. Leveraging advanced Machine Learning, OSeven achieves with great accuracy the detection of several risk factors, including harsh braking and acceleration events, speed limit violations and mobile use while driving.

June 28th, 2024|Categories: News|

European Court of Auditors – Reaching EU Road Safety Objectives, June 2024

The European Court of Auditors has published a special Report titled ‘Reaching EU Road Safety Objectives – Time to move up a gear’, which provides an in-depth examination of the current state of play and trends in road safety in the EU. The text highlights the importance of investing on high-quality, resilient, and sustainable road infrastructure, and the related road safety planning obligations, as well as of interconnectivity and interoperability of data related to traffic to improve road safety management.  pdf5

June 21st, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Eurostat – Progress Report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the EU, June 2024

Eurostat has recently released a progress Report titled ‘Sustainable development in the European Union – monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context – 2024 edition’. This publication provides readers with a statistical overview of the EU’s progress towards its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on the assessment of the past five years of available data, the EU made progress towards most of the SDGs, while it fell slightly behind in a few goals. Specifically for road safety, the EU road safety policy framework 2021–2030 and Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy aim to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the road by 50% by 2030.  pdf5

June 21st, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ASECAP – Road Safety Awareness Campaign, June 2024

The European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures (ASECAP) organised with great success for the second year a European day awareness campaing to draw public attention on safety of staff working on motorways. This campaign titled “All lives matter” aims to take a European dimension supported throughout the network operated by ASECAP members. Drivers were able to take part in a wide range of workshops and simulations to illustrate in practical terms the risks they face daily to ensure the safety of everyone on the roads.  pdf5 pdf5

June 20th, 2024|Categories: News|

World Bank/GRSF – New Structure and Web, June 2024

The World Bank established a new dedicated Road Safety Unit that elevates the road safety agenda to an even higher priority level, housing also the multidonor Fund of the Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF). On that occasion, GRSF has  launched a new Business Plan for the years 2024-2027, as well as a new website showcasing the new  strategy, approach, and programs. To further promote road safety, the World Bank recently established the annual Hart Schafer Road Safety Award in order to recognize excellence in advancing road safety financing and innovation in low and middle-income countries. 

June 19th, 2024|Categories: News|

NTUA – Civil Engineering School ranked 19th in Europe, 2024

The Civil Engineering School of the National Technical University of Athens was ranked this year 19th in Europe and 51-100 worldwide among all Civil Engineering Schools. This ranking is produced by the QS Organisation (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024) based on the following criteria: Research, Teaching, Employability, Facilities, Internationalization, Innovation, Engagement and Access. NTUA road safety activities have contributed to this ranking. 

June 11th, 2024|Categories: News|

EFTHITA Rhodes – 20 Years of Action, June 2024

EFTHITA Rhodes completes 20 years of actions on road safety, for “a world without traffic injuries”. EFTHITA promotes traffic education and focuses on informing and raising public awareness for safer road traffic and harmonisation of legislation. Furthermore, the work and actions of this organization are in line with the strategies and actions of the European Commission  and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in order to achieve the goal of reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2030. link pdf5

June 5th, 2024|Categories: News|

WHO – Road Safety Country Profiles, June 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently published the Road Safety Country Profiles within the framework of the fifth Edition of the Global Status Report on Road safety 2023 (GSRRS) published in December 2023, with the active contribution of NTUA. These 170 Country Profiles are available through the WHO web and the WHO Road Safety Data app and contain a unique wealth of data and information on all road safety pillars, including safe road infrastructure, safe vehicles, post-crash response and road user behaviour

June 4th, 2024|Categories: Data, News|

RoSPA – Speed Limits Report, June 2024

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has recently published a Synthesis Report titled “Speed Limits” which focuses on the interventions regarding effective speed management. More precisely, new principles about setting speed limits are emerging, based on an assessment of the combined risk relating to the infrastructure, travel speeds, volume and mix of traffic by type (including vulnerable road users). Furthermore, signs are the primary way of communicating the speed limit of a road to drivers, with principles of effective speed limits signing been uniformity, consistency, simplicity, relevance and legibility. 

June 4th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

RoSPA – Speed, June 2024

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has recently published a Synthesis Report titled “Speed” which focuses on the relationship between speed and risk. Precisely, as average traffic speed reduces, so does the likelihood of a crash resulting in injury that is recorded by the police. Furthermore, effective speed management policies are likely to include an integrated package of measures, including credible speed limits, enforcement, education and engineering. RoSPA is a leading voice in health and safety that has campaigns to reduce avoidable crashes on the road. 

June 4th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

iRAP – 700,000 Deaths and Serious Injuries Saved, May 2024

Using the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) methodology, road safety infrastructure changes and safer speeds within more than 1,000 infrastructure projects have prevented almost 700,000 deaths and serious injuries in 74 countries since 2016, according to a new paper with Johns Hopkins University published in PLOS One. This study is the first to measure the impact of road projects financed by governments, development banks and private-sector road operators around the world using the iRAP methodology and tools. 

June 3rd, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Claes Tingvall – Vision Zero Fatalities, May 2024

BBC World News published an article about a revolutionary idea that changed the way Europe regarded road collisionsClaes Tingvall, as the head of Road Safety for the Swedish Road Adminstration in 1995, tried to balance road safety with other factors, including cost, driver preferences and the impact on the economy of changing traffic flows. Tingvall found that crash victims were not, as many in the road transport sector, assumed – drunk and irresponsible drivers but for the most part, they were people who made small mistakes. He introduced the Vision Zero fatalities as ultimum target and the Safe System approach as the way to share the responsibility also to the Authorities and all those involved in the design and the operation of the road and traffic system to be preventive and forgiving to human errors, eliminating the crash and injury risk. link

June 3rd, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

FERSI – Secondary roads: Road Safety challenges, May 2024

The Forum of European Road Safety Research Institutes (FERSI) published a paper titled “Secondary roads – Road Safety challenges“, which demonstrates the important contribution of secondary rural roads to the burden of road traffic injuries and fatalities. Furthermore, it identifies the most important road safety challenges and emphasizes the corresponding need for addressing these by introducing appropriate remedial road infrastructure measures and new technologies, supported by consistent research and innovation. link pdf5 

May 31st, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

NTUA – Ridesharing Services Study, May 2024

NTUA conducted a research titled “The Impact of Ridesharing Services in Athens” to investigate ridesharing socio-economic impact in Athens. The research concludes that the introduction of ridesharing in Athens has a significant positive impact to social welfare of the city improving environment quality, traffic conditions, road safety and economic growth, mainly due to the travel demand swift from private cars to ridesharing services. The emergence of ridesharing service in Greek islands is also discussed. pdf5 pdf5 ppt5 ppt5

May 20th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Young People Facts and Figures Report, May 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Young People Facts and Figures Report which examines the number of fatalities among persons aged 15 to 24 years old. The absolute number of fatalities among young people aged 15-17 decreased by 39% between 2012 and 2022, while the respective number of fatalities among young people aged 18-24 decreased by 38% during the same period. Furthermore, remarkable is that the mortality rate for the age group 15-17 was the second lowest among all age groups in 2022. link pdf5

May 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Seniors Facts and Figures Report, May 2024

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. link pdf5

May 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Motorways Facts and Figures Report, May 2024

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). link pdf5

May 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Buses & Heavy Goods Vehicles Facts and Figures Report, May 2024

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%). link pdf5

May 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Vinci Autoroutes – Euro-Barometer for responsible driving, May 2024

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%.  pdf5 pdf5

May 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Support for Policy Measures Report, May 2024

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.  link pdf5

May 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Road Safety Support International received King’s Award for Enterprise, May 2024

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. 

May 17th, 2024|Categories: News|

European Commission – Protective Equipment Safety Performance Indicator Report, May 2024

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. link pdf5

May 17th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Main Factors Causing Fatal Crashes Report, April 2024

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. link pdf5

April 15th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Subjective Safety Report, May 2024

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)link pdf5

April 10th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Dimitrios Nikolaou PhD – Machine Learning-based Road Crash Risk Assessment, March 2024

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 supervision of NTUA Prof. George Yannis. Two distinct databases were developed; the former concerned motorway segments and the latter concerned urban and interurban road segments. Several statistical models (e.g. Logistic and Negative Binomial Regression, Hierarchical Clustering, Spatial Error Model) and Machine Learning Algorithms (e.g. Decision Tree, Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbour and Support Vector Machine) were implemented. 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. It was also concluded that geometrical and behavioural parameters can be combined to meaningfully conduct road safety analysis spatially and proactively, as they are highly correlated with harsh braking Surrogate Safety Measures. pdf5 ppt5

April 9th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Traffic urban road fatalities collision matrix in the EU, March 2024

The European Commission published the road fatalities collision matrix in urban roads in the EU. The available EU-wide data for 2022 contained in the CARE database, demonstrate that 38% of road traffic fatalities occured in urban areas, with vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and users of powered two-wheelers) representing almost 70% of total fatalities. This collision matrix shows clearly that urban road user fatalities occur overwhelmingly when a crash involves cars and vulnerable road users, underlining the need to improve protection of these vulnerable road users. Furthermore, the high number (31% of the total crashes) of single vehicle crashes of cars and two-wheelers demosntrate the critical role of speeding in the cities.  pdf5 

March 20th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Traffic fatalities collision matrix in the EU, March 2024

The European Commission published a breakdown of fatalities in the EU by road user and (other) “main vehicle” involved in the crash. The matrix shows clearly that fatalities overwhelmingly occur in collisions involving cars, and the need  to increase the protection of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. EU policies are already evolving in this direction with the new mandatory safety measures introduced by the General Safety Regulation focused on VRUs.  pdf5

March 20th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ESRA3 – Global Road Users’ Attitudes Survey results Dashboard, March 2024

The results of the ESRA3 (E-Survey of Road users’ Attitudes) global survey on road users’ safety attitudes, self-declared behaviour on traffic and other background data such as exposure and traffic legislation, have recently been visualized through the ESRA3 DashboardVIAS, with the active contribution of NTUA, has produced the 39 Country Fact Sheets that show national results compared to regional average values. Several other Thematic Reports are expected to be published in 2024. link

March 19th, 2024|Categories: News|

European Commission – Urban Mobility Recommendations, February 2024

The Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM)  of the European Commission has recently delivered its first set of Recommendations. These Recommendations focused on three pillars: how to ensure prioritisation of public transport in urban areas, how to increase public transport inclusiveness and how to deal with the worker shortage and evolving skill requirements of the public transport sector. Road safety is an important component of these Recommendations. pdf5 pdf5 pdf5 pdf5 

February 29th, 2024|Categories: News|

European Commission – Road Safety Country Profiles, February 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Road Safety Country Profiles, which provide a comprehensive overview of the road safety status in the 27 EU Member States and three EFTA countries for the period 2012 to 2021. These country profiles exploit data and information from a range of sources, including the CARE and other international databases, as well as national sources, in order to highlight current road safety outcomes, performance indicators, policy & measures and structure & culture for each country. link

February 22nd, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Cyclists Thematic Report, February 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Cyclists Thematic Report which refers to users of a conventional bicycle or a pedelec/e-bike, i.e., an electric powered bicycle offering pedal assistance up to approximately 25 km/h. This Thematic Report describes how cyclists participate in traffic, as well as cyclists in relation to road safety hazards. Furthermore, countermeasures about infrastructure, bicycle-related measures, protective measures, enforcement and traffic education are suggested. link pdf5

February 15th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

European Commission – Seniors Thematic Report, January 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Seniors Thematic Report which refers to people aged 65 years and over. This Thematic Report describes how seniors participate in traffic, as well as seniors in relation to road safety hazards.  Moreover, countermeasures about infrastructure, road users fitness-to-drive and training, vehicles systems, automation and bicycles for seniors are suggested. link pdf5

February 15th, 2024|Categories: Knowledge, News|

NTUA – New SafeRoadsMap Tool, November 2023

The SafeRoadsMap is a new and open access powerful road safety benchmarking tool with interactive maps throughout Greece (soon globally) demonstrating road crash risk and related KPIs per road segment. The SafeRoadsMap tool has been developed by NTUA, OSeven and Global Link, within the SmartMaps research project under the EPAnEK Operational Program of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF).  It is a complete and comprehensive tool to promote safer and more environmentally friendly driving behavior, based on specially developed algorithms exploiting for the first time most key road risk factors: driver behaviour, road geometry and road crash data. 

February 6th, 2024|Categories: News|

SHOW – Dashboard of Autonomous Vehicle Fleets, January 2024

The Horizon 2020 research project SHOW (SHared automation Operating models for Worldwide adoption) has recently released the SHOW Dashboard  with the active contribution of NTUA. The SHOW Dashboard provides a unified view of all SHOW Autonomous Vehicles pilot sites in a cohesive and user-friendly interface, in terms of performance monitoring and visualisation of real-time vehicle information. This Dashboard enables access to various Autonomous Vehicle (AV) data to optimise operations and get an insight of the impacts of the fleet operation on the environment, traffic flow or safety. Beyond the SHOW project, the information panel of the Dashboard contains available data, which are available and accessible to the wider AV-interested audience. 

January 24th, 2024|Categories: News|

European Commission – EU Urban Mobility Observatory, January 2024

The European Commission  developed the EU Urban Mobility Observatory,  a new virtual space for experts working on sustainable urban mobility across the European Union. This space includes case studies, success stories, as well as sustainable urban mobility plans, which include road safety as a major component. Furthermore, through this site researchers can find out insights, trends, tools and sustainable solutions for city transport across Europe. 

January 22nd, 2024|Categories: News|

European Commission – Promoting Safe Mobility: Driver Distraction, January 2024

The European Commission with the active contribution of  NTUA,  SWOV and KFV has launched a safe mobility promotion activity focusing on driver distraction. According to three new Reports from the European Road Safety Observatorymobile phone use is one of the most common sources of driver distraction and the usage of a hand-held phone increases the crash risk by around 2.5 times. These Reports also highlight effective measures against distracted driving, which include: strict enforcement of not using handheld devices, building rumble strips into road infrastructure, awareness campaigns, driver education through licensing and in-vehicle technology that warns or intervenes when departing from a lane or approaching too close to a vehicle in front. link pdf5 pdf5 pdf5 ppt5

January 11th, 2024|Categories: News|

European Commission – Fatigue Safety Performance Indicator Report, December 2023

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Fatigue Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) Report which focuses on the percentage of drivers driving non-fatigued. This report aims to give insight into the differences between groups of countries regarding their road user behaviour or attitude. According to this report, the mean percentage of self-reported fatigued driving (during the previous 30 days) in Europe is 23%. link pdf5

December 31st, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Safe Mobility everywhere and for all in 2024

Getting into 2024, we steadily progress in our scientific excellence quests with persistence, dedication and passion to promoting evidence based safe mobility everywhere and for all. For reaching the decade -50% target we need to further strengthen our individual and collective efforts to sincerely include traffic safety into the mobility agenda and start implementing the vision zero traffic fatalities.

We thank you all for the excellent cooperation and we are sending you our very best wishes for Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year, full of personal and professional achievements. pdf5

December 29th, 2023|Categories: News|

SHOW – 8th Newsletter, December 2023

The Horizon 2020 research project SHOW (SHared automation Operating models for Worldwide adoption) has recently released the SHOW 8th Newsletter. The SHOW Dashboard brings all the pilot sites in a cohesive and user-friendly interface. The combined efforts have brought real-life pilots to over 15 cities across Europe, paving the way for some countries to embark on their inaugural operations with shared Automated Vehicles. SHOW’s aim is to enhance urban mobility and automation by understanding people’s needs. 

December 28th, 2023|Categories: News|

NTUA / Marie Curie – 4 New PhD Vacancies on AI for Road Safety, January 2024

Within the framework of the Horizon Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Industrial Doctoral Network IVORY – Artificial Intelligence for Vision Zero in Road Safety, a call for applications for 15 new Industrial PhD candidates has been launched, 4 of them to be hosted by National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a Centre of Road Safety Research Excellence with global recognition. The 4 PhD Candidates will be recruited for 3 years, shared between Academia and Industry and are expected to be strongly focused and motivated on advanced research and quantitative analysis for innovative road safety solutions.

Detailed description for each PhD position, including the required mobility rules, can be found at: pdf5 pdf5 pdf5 pdf5

Applications by 16 February 2024, via email (cv & motivation letter) to: Prof. George Yannis geyannis@central.ntua.gr

December 21st, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

NTUA / Marie Curie – New PhD Vacancy – Road safety prediction on the basis of ethically sound physiological measurements, January 2024

Within the framework of the Horizon Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Industrial Doctoral Network IVORY Artificial Intelligence for Vision Zero in Road Safety, a call for applications for the following Industrial PhD candidate has been launched, to be hosted by National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a Centre of Road Safety Research Excellence with global recognition. Detailed description, including the required mobility rules, can be found below and at: pdf5


PhD title

PhD #14  Road safety prediction on the basis of ethically sound physiological measurements

Vacancy description

Within the IVORY doctoral network, this PhD position aims to understand and predict how the psychophysiological state of the driver contributes to overall road safety, particularly by using measurements of physiological data, such as the electrocardiogram (ECG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), blood pressure, among others. The goal is to create machine learning models that relate individual physiological dynamics with road safety indicators, with the ultimate objective of accurately and reliably detecting and warning, in real-time, when the driver is unfit for the driving task, regardless of automation level. Deep learning methodologies, such as convolutional neural networks, should be considered, as well as privacy-by-design frameworks.

The position contributes to road safety research by compiling a taxonomy of driver monitoring technologies, creating innovative algorithms for physiological-based, real-time prediction of driver capability and its impact on safety, in several real-world scenarios, and to explore and create frameworks to assess the ethical and privacy dimensions of the use of driver monitoring technologies.

Project description

IVORY (ivory-network.eu) is a Horizon Europe MARIE SKLODOWSKA-CURIE ACTION Industrial Doctoral Network consisting of 22 partners (universities, industry, and non-governmental organizations). The project aims to develop a new framework for the integration of AI in road safety and train a new generation of leading researchers in the field, in order to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals target 3.6 (halving the number of traffic fatalities by 2030) and EC ‘Vision Zero’ strategy (eliminating traffic fatalities by 2050).

PhD students will obtain their PhD degree from the relevant academic partner, and spend at least 50% of their PhD time at the relevant non-academic partner.

Academic host:  National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Athens, Greece

School of Civil Engineering, Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering

Months 19-36 of PhD

Industry host: CardioID Technologies Lda, Lisbon, Portugal
Months 1-18 of PhD

Secondment(s):

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Delft, The Netherlands

Duration: 4 months

Research field(s): Transport engineering; Data science; Physiological computing; AI ethics

Type of contract: Fixed-term

Employment status: Full time (1.0 fte)

Eligibility criteria

  • A Master’s degree (or equivalent);
  • Not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment;
  • Recruited applicants can be of any nationality and must undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. In particular, at the time of selection, the recruited applicant for this position must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.

Required skills

  • A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in biomedical engineering, transport engineering, computer science, or relevant fields; other Master’s degrees will also be considered if you have demonstrable expertise, for instance, in data science, signal processing, multi-variate analysis, modeling, or machine learning.
  • Familiarity with signal processing techniques (filtering, linear systems, transforms, discrete signals).
  • Strong conceptual and analytical skills.
  • Strong capacity to undertake research.
  • Excellent academic writing and presentation skills.
  • The ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
  • High level of proficiency in English.
  • Willingness to work in a multi-national, diverse environment.

Optional skills (preferred but not required)

  • Familiarity and hands-on experience with handling physiological signals (e.g., electrocardiogram, photoplethysmogram, electroencephalogram, electrodermal activity).
  • Capacity to conceptualize and conduct experiments to collect physiological data.
  • Familiarity with concepts related to human factors engineering.
  • Familiarity with machine learning algorithms, deep learning, and dynamic modeling.
  • Familiarity with advanced statistics (statistical tests and regression) and probability theory (probability distributions, Bayesian statistics).
  • Familiarity with concepts related to ethical and fair use of machine learning systems.
  • Familiarity with concepts related to data protection and privacy (e.g., GDPR).
  • Coding skills in Python.
  • Familiarity with Python libraries and frameworks for signal processing and machine learning (e.g., numpy, pandas, scikit-learn, tensorflow, keras, pytorch).
  • Familiarity with Git version control.

English requirements

Proof of English language proficiency at a Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level of C1, or an MSc degree in English, or IELTS: minimum 8.0 / TOEFL: minimum 110

Salary

The successful candidate will receive an attractive salary following the MSCA regulations for doctoral candidates. The exact salary will vary depending on the country of the host partner and will be confirmed upon appointment. The salary includes a living allowance, a mobility allowance, and a family allowance (if the recruited doctoral candidate has or acquires family obligations during the duration of the fellowship), and is very competitive overall.

Other benefits

In addition, the doctoral candidate will benefit from extensive training within the IVORY network, which includes internships/secondments in other laboratories, a variety of training courses (including transferable skills), and active participation in workshops and conferences.

Application process

Candidates should apply electronically using the link indicated in the PhD position(s) of their interest;

Candidates should provide the following documents:

  • Detailed CV, including information on the candidate’s proficiency in English;
  • Motivation letter (1 page), describing why the position fits the applicant
  • Contact information of 2 references

Application deadline: 16 February 2024

Applications to be sent to:  Prof. George Yannis: geyannis@central.ntua.gr

Academic host

The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) is the oldest Engineering University in Greece and it plays a paragon role in the scientific, technical and economic development of Greece but also in Europe and worldwide, consistently ranking as the best Greek technical university. Currently, it is ranked among the top engineering and technology universities (3rd in Europe and 7th worldwide) by Shanghai World University Rankings. NTUA has been involved in more than 160 road safety research projects since the early 1990s, comprising 70 European Commission projects, 14 International Organisation projects (UN-ECE, WHO, EIB, World Bank, ITF, CEDR) and 76 Greek projects. NTUA has well established communication channels to promote research findings: more than 800 road safety scientific publications highly cited globally, including more than 220 in scientific journals and 550 in scientific conferences. The NTUA Road Safety Observatory (NRSO) (www.nrso.ntua.gr) has a widespread recognition at the global road safety community as a center of research and innovation excellence on road safety, having received during the last 10 years more than 150.000 road safety visitors and more than 2,800,000 visits (today steadily more than 3.000 visits per month).

Industry host

CardioID was born out of research on Physiological Computing, studying ECG signals for biometrics, health, and wellbeing purposes, on the premise that each cardiac signal is unique. CardioID has developed several collaborative projects aimed at integrating its technology in the most diverse environments, such as in the automotive industry, critical facilities, and hospitals.

For CardioID, please contact Dr. André Lourenço – arl@cardio-id.com

December 21st, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

NTUA / Marie Curie – New PhD Vacancy – AI for road safety monitoring and crash prediction from micro to macro levels, January 2024

Within the framework of the Horizon Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Industrial Doctoral Network IVORY Artificial Intelligence for Vision Zero in Road Safety, a call for applications for the following Industrial PhD candidate has been launched, to be hosted by National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a Centre of Road Safety Research Excellence with global recognition. Detailed description, including the required mobility rules, can be found below and at: pdf5


PhD title

PhD #9  AI for road safety monitoring and crash prediction from micro to macro levels 

Vacancy description

Within the IVORY doctoral network, this PhD position aims to investigate the effect of spatial scale on road safety monitoring and crash prediction, to develop a new state-of-the-art AI framework to observe and analyse road safety Key Performance Indicators and predict crashes by achieving transition from smaller scales (e.g., on a segment, intersection or neighbourhood level) to larger ones (e.g., highway corridor or prefecture/county level), taking into account the time dimension, and to assess the effectiveness and scalability of microscopic road safety models for macroscopic crash prediction and vice versa.

The position contributes to road safety research by evaluating several scaling combinations that will also feature capabilities of ‘zooming in/zooming out’ of study areas using different levels of telematics (e.g., trip-based, driver-based or network-based using several drivers) and synthesizing knowledge on comparable advantages and disadvantages for each analysis scale. A case study utilising driver telematics in an urban area will be conducted, with actionable results, compatible with the vision and activities of OSeven – showcasing the impact of using AI for micro-analysis based on driver telematics and integrating the findings to larger scales.

Project description

IVORY (ivory-network.eu) is a Horizon Europe MARIE SKLODOWSKA-CURIE ACTION Industrial Doctoral Network consisting of 22 partners (universities, industry, and non-governmental organizations). The project aims to develop a new framework for the integration of AI in road safety and train a new generation of leading researchers in the field, in order to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals target 3.6 (halving the number of traffic fatalities by 2030) and EC ‘Vision Zero’ strategy (eliminating traffic fatalities by 2050).

PhD students will obtain their PhD degree from the relevant academic partner, and spend at least 50% of their PhD time at the relevant non-academic partner.

Academic host:  National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Athens, Greece

School of Civil Engineering, Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering

Months 19-36 of PhD

Industry host: OSeven, Athens, Greece, Months 1-18 of PhD

Secondment(s): EIRA-SI, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Duration: 4 months

Research field(s): Transport engineering; Traffic safety; Data science; Spatial analysis

Type of contract: Fixed-term

Employment status: Full time (1.0 fte)

Eligibility criteria

  • A Master’s degree (or equivalent);
  • Not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment;
  • Recruited applicants can be of any nationality and must undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. In particular, at the time of selection, the recruited applicant for this position must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Greece for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.

Required skills

  • A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in computer science, mathematics, computer/electrical engineering; other Master’s degrees (i.e. physics, civil/transport/mechanical engineering) will also be considered, if you have experience in algorithm development
  • Familiarity and hands-on experience with machine learning algorithms
  • Familiarity with statistics (statistical tests and regression) and probability distributions
  • Coding skills in Python
  • Strong conceptual and analytical skills
  • Proven capacity to undertake research
  • Excellent research, academic writing and presentation skills
  • The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
  • High level of proficiency in English
  • Commitment to undertaking multi-year (3 years or more) doctoral research

 

Optional skills (preferred but not required)

  • Familiarity with data handling and manipulation, experience working with big data
  • Passion about road infrastructure and transport safety fields
  • Commitment to undertaking multi-year (3 years or more) doctoral research

English requirements

Proof of English language proficiency at a Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level of C1, or an MSc degree in English, or IELTS: minimum 8.0 / TOEFL: minimum 110

Salary

The successful candidate will receive an attractive salary following the MSCA regulations for doctoral candidates. The exact salary will vary depending on the country of the host partner and will be confirmed upon appointment. The salary includes a living allowance, a mobility allowance, and a family allowance (if the recruited doctoral candidate has or acquires family obligations during the duration of the fellowship), and is very competitive overall.

Other benefits

In addition, the doctoral candidate will benefit from extensive training within the IVORY network, which includes internships/secondments in other laboratories, a variety of training courses (including transferable skills), and active participation in workshops and conferences.

Application process

Candidates should apply electronically using the link indicated in the PhD position(s) of their interest;

Candidates should provide the following documents:

Detailed CV, including information on the candidate’s proficiency in English;

Motivation letter (1 page), describing why the position fits the applicant

Contact information of 2 references

Application deadline: 16 February 2024

Applications to be sent to:  Prof. George Yannis: geyannis@central.ntua.gr

Academic host

The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) is the oldest Engineering University in Greece and it plays a paragon role in the scientific, technical and economic development of Greece but also in Europe and worldwide, consistently ranking as the best Greek technical university. Currently, it is ranked among the top engineering and technology universities (3rd in Europe and 7th worldwide) by Shanghai World University Rankings. NTUA has been involved in more than 160 road safety research projects since the early 1990s, comprising 70 European Commission projects, 14 International Organisation projects (UN-ECE, WHO, EIB, World Bank, ITF, CEDR) and 76 Greek projects. NTUA has well established communication channels to promote research findings: more than 800 road safety scientific publications highly cited globally, including more than 220 in scientific journals and 550 in scientific conferences. The NTUA Road Safety Observatory (NRSO) (www.nrso.ntua.gr) has a widespread recognition at the global road safety community as a center of research and innovation excellence on road safety, having received during the last 10 years more than 150.000 road safety visitors and more than 2,800,000 visits (today steadily more than 3.000 visits per month).

Industry host

OSeven is a VC backed, high technology company and part of Endeavor Global network. The company provides world-class telematics solutions for insurance companies, banks, telecom, automotive, leasing, and fleet management companies around the globe. OSeven’s AI-enabled, Big-Data telematics solution analyses data collected from different sources (smartphones, OBD devices, Beacons, connected vehicles) to assess the risk associated with driving behaviour and record the vehicle’s mileage. Leveraging advanced Machine Learning, OSeven achieves with great accuracy the detection of several risk factors, including harsh braking and acceleration events, speed limit violations and mobile use while driving.

December 21st, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

NTUA / Marie Curie – New PhD Vacancy – Proactive risk mapping and infrastructure safety management, January 2024

Within the framework of the Horizon Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Industrial Doctoral Network IVORY Artificial Intelligence for Vision Zero in Road Safety, a call for applications for the following Industrial PhD candidate has been launched, to be hosted by National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a Centre of Road Safety Research Excellence with global recognition. Detailed description, including the required mobility rules, can be found below and at: pdf5


PhD title

PhD #8  Proactive risk mapping and infrastructure safety management

Vacancy description

Within the IVORY doctoral network, this PhD position aims to create an AI framework to process, harmonise, analyse and model an array of different available datasets and provide outputs in the form of risk mapping and network-level evaluations. It will develop new AI algorithms for road attribute collection, along with methodologies to assess and quantify their accuracies, suitable for network applications and including hybrid, e.g., manually collected data and will use the AI-augmented dataset creation effort for a suitable working methodology for the generation of hybrid road attribute data and enhanced proactive risk mapping.

The position contributes to road safety research by formulating a functional framework with the use of AI to exploit road risk information in a meaningful manner, transferable between networks. It will assess and quantify the influence of each examined factor on the output of AI algorithms for safety management. A case study with actionable results will be conducted, compatible with the mission and activities of iRAP – namely, a proactive risk mapping and evaluation of a network and comparison with existing risk-mapping results, and quantification of transferability to a second network.

Project description

IVORY (ivory-network.eu) is a Horizon Europe MARIE SKLODOWSKA-CURIE ACTION Industrial Doctoral Network consisting of 22 partners (universities, industry, and non-governmental organizations). The project aims to develop a new framework for the integration of AI in road safety and train a new generation of leading researchers in the field, in order to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals target 3.6 (halving the number of traffic fatalities by 2030) and EC ‘Vision Zero’ strategy (eliminating traffic fatalities by 2050).

PhD students will obtain their PhD degree from the relevant academic partner, and spend at least 50% of their PhD time at the relevant non-academic partner.

Academic host:  National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Athens, Greece

School of Civil Engineering, Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering

Months 19-36 of PhD

Industry host: iRAP, London, United Kingdom, Months 1-18 of PhD

Secondment(s): FRED Engineering, Rome, Italy, Duration: 4 months

OSeven, Athens, Greece, Duration: 9 months

Research field(s): Transport engineering; Traffic safety; Data science; Spatial analysis

Type of contract: Fixed-term

Employment status: Full time (1.0 fte)

Eligibility criteria

  • A Master’s degree (or equivalent);
  • Not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment;
  • Recruited applicants can be of any nationality and must undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. In particular, at the time of selection, the recruited applicant for this position must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the United Kingdom for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.

Required skills

  • A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any technical science
  • Familiarity and hands-on experience with machine learning algorithms
  • Familiarity with statistics (statistical tests and regression) and probability distributions
  • Coding skills in Python or R
  • Strong conceptual and analytical skills
  • Proven capacity to undertake research
  • Excellent research, academic writing and presentation skills
  • The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
  • High level of proficiency in English

Optional skills (preferred but not required)

  • Familiarity with data handling and manipulation, experience working with big data
  • Passion about road infrastructure and transport safety fields
  • Commitment to undertaking multi-year (3 years or more) doctoral research

English requirements

Proof of English language proficiency at a Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level of C1, or an MSc degree in English, or IELTS: minimum 8.0 / TOEFL: minimum 110

Salary

The successful candidate will receive an attractive salary following the MSCA regulations for doctoral candidates. The exact salary will vary depending on the country of the host partner and will be confirmed upon appointment. The salary includes a living allowance, a mobility allowance, and a family allowance (if the recruited doctoral candidate has or acquires family obligations during the duration of the fellowship), and is very competitive overall.

Other benefits

In addition, the doctoral candidate will benefit from extensive training within the IVORY network, which includes internships/secondments in other laboratories, a variety of training courses (including transferable skills), and active participation in workshops and conferences.

Application process

Candidates should apply electronically using the link indicated in the PhD position(s) of their interest;

Candidates should provide the following documents:

  • Detailed CV, including information on the candidate’s proficiency in English;
  • Motivation letter (1 page), describing why the position fits the applicant
  • Contact information of 2 references

Application deadline: 16 February 2024

Applications to be sent to:  Prof. George Yannis: geyannis@central.ntua.gr

Academic host

The National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) is the oldest Engineering University in Greece and it plays a paragon role in the scientific, technical and economic development of Greece but also in Europe and worldwide, consistently ranking as the best Greek technical university. Currently, it is ranked among the top engineering and technology universities (3rd in Europe and 7th worldwide) by Shanghai World University Rankings. NTUA has been involved in more than 160 road safety research projects since the early 1990s, comprising 70 European Commission projects, 14 International Organisation projects (UN-ECE, WHO, EIB, World Bank, ITF, CEDR) and 76 Greek projects. NTUA has well established communication channels to promote research findings: more than 800 road safety scientific publications highly cited globally, including more than 220 in scientific journals and 550 in scientific conferences. The NTUA Road Safety Observatory (NRSO) (www.nrso.ntua.gr) has a widespread recognition at the global road safety community as a center of research and innovation excellence on road safety, having received during the last 10 years more than 150.000 road safety visitors and more than 2,800,000 visits (today steadily more than 3.000 visits per month).

Industry host

The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) is a registered charity dedicated to saving lives by eliminating high risk roads throughout the world. Like many life-saving charities working in the public health arena, we use a robust, evidence-based approach to prevent unnecessary deaths and suffering. iRAP works in partnership with governments, road authorities, mobility clubs, development banks, NGOs and research organisations to:

  • Inspect high-risk roads and develop Star Ratings, Risk Maps and Safer Roads Investment Plans
  • Provide training, technology and support that will build and sustain national, regional and local capability
  • Track road safety performance so that funding agencies can assess the benefits of their investments.

December 21st, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

PHOEBE – 2nd Newsletter, December 2023

The Horizon 2020 research project PHOEBE has recently released the PHOEBE 2nd Newsletter, which provides information on the latest outcomes of the EU-funded ‘Predictive Approaches for Safer Urban Environment’ (PHOEBE) project aiming to increase the road safety of vulnerable road users, especially those who use active mobility and e-scooters. Special focus is given to the assessment of current transport pilot plans in Athens, carried out by NTUA

December 18th, 2023|Categories: News|

European Commission – Young Novice Drivers Thematic Report, December 2023

The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Young Novice Drivers Thematic Report which refers to the safety of age group 16-24 years old drivers. This Thematic Report describes how novice drivers gain their driving license, as well as novice drivers in relation to road safety hazards. Furthermore, countermeasures about driver training, additional training, exposure, legislation and vehicles are suggested, with particular emphasis on the effectiveness of measures of higher-order skill training and testing in driving licence systems, such as hazard perception and risk awareness. link pdf5

December 15th, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

NTUA Professors among the top 2% researchers in the world, November 2023

In a recently published study conducted at Stanford University (USA), using a range of parameters for each scientist’s research contribution and influence, million scientists data from Scopus database were analysed. According to this study 971 Greek scientists are contained in the global top 2%, among which 130 researchers from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). 21 Professors from the School of Civil Engineering of NTUA are among the top 2% researchers in the world (5 within the top-ten of NTUA), while 6 of them from the Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering, (5 within the top-eleven of the School of Civil Engineering). 

December 6th, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Global Alliance NGOs – Strategic Plan 2024–2030, December 2023

The Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety launched a strategic plan for the period 2024-2030 that sets out the vision, mission, and how these will be achieved during the remaining years of the Decade of Action 2021-2030. It has been developed with inputs from Alliance members, the Board, partners and key scientists. Through this strategic plan, 350-plus member NGOs in more than 100 countries will be empowered, mobilized and supported pdf5 video

December 6th, 2023|Categories: News|

European Commission – Improved rights and better information for travellers, November 2023

The European Commission adopted a series of proposals designed to improve the experience of passengers and travellers by strengthening their rights. These proposals focuse on stronger passenger rights, protection of package travellers, better multimodal travel information services and the creation of a common European mobility data space. The new rules will also provide for safer and smoother journeys, especially those involving different travel services or transport modes, ensuring that passengers have access to direct support, and enhanced real-time information, for example on delays and cancellations.  link

November 30th, 2023|Categories: Conferences, Knowledge, News|

NTUA – Telematics boosting mobility behaviour Workshop, Athens, November 2023

The NTUA Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering organised with great success a Scientific Workshop titled “Telematics boosting mobility behaviour” which took place at the NTUA Campus in Athens on November 22nd, 2023. The rapid spread of innovative technologies in the field of telematics creates new opportunities to monitor, evaluate and improve driver behaviour through feedback tools, providing incentives to drivers for safer and greener behaviour, with spectacular results. During this workshop, the new interactive SafeRoadsMap tool for safe and green travelling in Greece was released. 

 

Workshop Presentations:

November 22nd, 2023|Categories: Conferences, News|

United Nations – World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, November 2023

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is observed on the third Sunday of November each year, launched in 1995 by the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR) and since 2005 adopted by the United Nations and is dedicated to remembering the many millions killed or injured in road crashes and their families and communities, as well as to pay tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police and medical professionals who daily deal with the traumatic aftermath of road death and injury. A book written by Jeannot Mersch and Briggite Chaudhry has been published for celebrating 30 years for the Day of Remembrance.   pdf5 video twitter

November 19th, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

Eurostat – Road fatalities in EU Regions 2021, November 2023

Based on the new interactive map of EUROSTAT on road safety performance of European Union regions (NUTS 2), there were 19,917 road fatalities on EU roads in 2021, equivalent to 45 road fatalities per million inhabitants. In total, there were 24 EU regions with at least 80 road fatalities per million inhabitants and the highest incidence rates for road fatalities were recorded in rural regions. In urban and capital regions much lower rates of road fatalities are reported with the lowest incidence rates observed in Brussels,Belgium (7 fatalities per million inhabitants), Wien, Austria (8), Stockholm, Sweden (9), and Bremen, Germany (9). 

November 17th, 2023|Categories: Data, News|

NTUA – Key Resources on Cities with 30km/h speed limit, November 2023

Several cities worldwide have started setting speed limits of 30 km/h in large parts of the city. Brussels, Paris and Vienna have introduced city-wide 30km/h speed limits, mixing safely traffic of pedestrians, cyclists and motorised vehicles, with significant results in reducing road crashes, emissions and noise and upgrading city liveability. Within the 30 Marathons in 30 months campaign-challenge of Prof. George Yannis, a comprehensive set of resources on cities experiences with 30km/h speed limit is made available: georgeruns30x30.com/resources

November 15th, 2023|Categories: News|

NTUA – Promoting city-wide 30km/h speed limit at the Media, June 2024

The NRSO campaign for the promotion of city-wide 30km/h speed limit in all cities by running 30 Marathons in 30 months by Prof. George Yannis has received wide publicity in the tv, the radio, newspapers, magazines and the social media, as well as in scientific journals, conferences and workshops, with the active support of the NTUA and several International Organisations (ETSC, ECTRI, UITP, POLISERF, IRF, FERSI, FEHRL, ECF, WALK21). This campaign has a particularly significant social impact, as depicted by international findings, demonstrating an average 37% reduction in fatalities in road crashes in cities which have adopted the 30km/h speed limit, together with significant environmental, energy and health benefits. All these media interventions are available at: https://georgeruns30x30.com/media

November 15th, 2023|Categories: News|

Carnis & Mignot – La Vitesse: Enjeux contemporains et politiques publiques, November 2023

A new book titled “La Vitesse: Enjeux contemporains et politiques publiques” authored by Laurent Carnis and Dominique Mignot, was recently publishedSpeed is at the heart of  society as it continues to structure everyday behavior, expressing a form of modernity and reflecting the relationship with time and risk. Furthermore, speed is also a matter of public policy, with road safety and public health at stake, along the interactions between behavior, vehicles and infrastructure. These policies must ensure that the measures taken are acceptable and effective on the ground, requiring though strong commitments by decision-makers. 

November 9th, 2023|Categories: Knowledge, News|

ETSC – Reducing Older People’s Deaths on European Roads, 45th PIN Flash Report, November 2023

Τhe European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has recently published the 45th PIN Flash Report titled “Reducing Older People’s Deaths on European Roads”. This report highlights road safety challenges faced by older road users examines the latest data regarding road deaths of older people across the EU and other countries that form part of ETSC’s Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) programme. Key measures aimed at reducing risks for older road users, encompassing strategies that address behaviour, infrastructure and vehicle safety, are provided. Remarkable is that 55% of older people road deaths are vulnerable road users, while one third of them are pedestrians. link pdf5

 

November 7th, 2023|Categories: News|

IVORY – Artificial Intelligence boosting Road Safety, November 2023

IVORY – AI for Vision Zero in Road Safety is a new Industrial Doctoral Network funded by the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks 2022 Framework of the EC, coordinated by TU Delft with the active contribution of NTUA. The objectives of IVORY is to develop a new framework for optimal integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in road safety research, and train a new generation of leading researchers in the field through state-of-the-art doctoral research. In total, 15 PhD candidates will be fostered within the project, 4 of which will be within NTUA. Their topics concern proactive risk mapping, multiscale crash prediction, multiparametric data fusion for road safety and ethical physiological measurements for road safety risk prediction. Potential PhD Applicants are welcome.

October 31st, 2023|Categories: News|

European Commission Rewards Effective Road Safety Initiatives, October 2023

The European Commission  hosted with great success the annual Excellence in Road Safety Awards on 19 October 2023 in Brussels, recognising the contributions of the European Road Safety Charter’s community of members towards the common goal of improved road safety across Europe. The award categories for 2023 included best use of data promoting road safety, best project promoting fitness to drive and supporting road safety in the e-commerce sector and best road safety project for road users with reduced mobility. Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT)  was chosen by the audience at the awards ceremony to receive the Jacques Barrot Award.  

October 23rd, 2023|Categories: Conferences, News|

European Commission – Road safety in the EU, October 2023

The European Commission published the latest figures on Road safety in the EU, showing that 20,640 people were killed in road crashes in 2022, a 4% increase in relation to 2021 as traffic levels recovered after the pandemic. While the underlying long-term trend is downward (-9% compared to pre-pandemic year), it is not decreasing at a fast enough pace to reach the EU target of halving the number of deaths by 2030.  Preliminary figures for the first six months of 2023 indicate the number of deaths on EU roads has fallen slightly, compared with the same period in 2022. 

October 23rd, 2023|Categories: Data, Knowledge, News|