Any loss of life in traffic is unacceptable: Vision Zero

Transport systems are traditionally designed for maximum capacity and mobility, not safety. This means road users are held responsible for their own safety. The Vision Zero Initiative takes the opposite approach. We place the main burden for safety on system design because we recognize human weaknesses and low tolerance to mechanical force. Ultimately, no one should die or suffer serious injury in traffic.

From principle to law

The Vision Zero was first conceived in 1994. Like all good ideas, this one travelled fast. Just three years later, Parliament passed a Road Traffic Safety Bill that wrote the Vision Zero into Swedish law. The bill sets an ultimate target of no deaths or serious injuries on Sweden’s roads, and is not merely content to reduce accidents to an economically manageable level. Sweden has since modelled its road safety reform strategy on the Vision Zero approach.

 Involving all of society

 The Vision Zero also means putting an emphasis on market options and less on government enforcement and traffic education, because we believe that people really do care about safety. Our approach has produced positive effects throughout society. Swedish people now drive more responsibly on the roads and our private sector competes to save lives.

 i-           Infrastructure: Making mobility safe from the start

 The Vision Zero involves planning, designing and building roads and infrastructure to increase safety and reduce fatal accidents. Safety aspects must be built into the system and included when planning new infrastructure projects

Benefits

·         Architects

·         Consultants

·         Engineers

·         Environmental protection

·         High-capacity roads

·         Lives saved

·         Lower costs

·         Road builders

·         Traffic safety

ii-Vehicle technology suppliers have made great strides in improving driver, passenger and pedestrian safety. An array of new systems can drastically reduce traffic-related deaths and serious injuries.

Collapse Active or passive systems

Air cushion technology

·         Alcolocks

·         Automatic braking systems

·         Global vehicle suppliers

·         Life-saving technology

·         Scalable solutions

·         System designers

·         Vehicle safety

iii- Control and Surveillance Safety in information and traffic systems

 Road traffic control and surveillance can include systems for monitoring traffic flows and weather conditions or other measures that qualify as intelligent traffic systems

Benefits

Evaluation systems

Information processing

Intelligent traffic systems

Monitoring systems

Scalable solutions

System integration

 Traffic data evaluation

Traffic flow maintenance

Weather control

iv- Services and Education Providing safety through education and planning

 Public services and education are vital when it comes to implementing effective traffic safety solutions. Focus areas range from driver education to planning services at national and local level.

 Collapse

 Knowledge and experience are essential ingredients when designing and developing new infrastructure or building systems to increase traffic safety. A holistic approach involves collecting knowledge and extracting the most efficient methods, while keeping both cost and safety in mind.

 Services include infrastructure planning and design consultants, as well as partners that can evaluate and recommend the best solutions for each local Vision Zero initiative.

·         Benefits:

·         Consultants

·         Development skills

·         Driver education

·         Holistic approach

 ·         Infrastructure design

·         Planning competence

·         Planning services

·         Public services

·         Scalable solutions

·          Source: The Vision Zero- Sweden