Up To 40% Of Road Deaths In Europe Work-Related

Employers, national governments and the EU are being urged to take action to tackle work-related road risk, as latest estimates suggest that up to 40% of all road deaths in Europe are work-related.

The analysis of EU road safety data, published today by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), finds that a total of 25,671 lives were lost on the road in the European Union in 2016.

Although the exact number of work-related road (WRR) collisions is unknown, based on detailed analysis of data from across Europe, the authors estimate that up to 40% of all road deaths are work-related. In the UK, DfT figures find that at least one in three (31%) fatal crashes and one in four (26%) serious injury crashes in Britain involve someone driving for work.

In response – and as EU road death figures stagnate – the new ETSC report sets out that employers are essential to tackling road risk but says fleets need help and support from national governments and the EU to take action.

The authors also say that government and public authorities should lead by example and adopt work-related road safety management programmes for their employees and their fleets and include vehicle safety in public procurement requirements.

Another key recomendation for member states is to establish a centralised certification service for suppliers who are in compliance with work-related road risk management legal requirements and have safe work policies.

Ireland, along with France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and Germany performed best in data collection
and reporting of WWR deaths compared to the 32 countries covered in the report.

Commenting on the report, Jason Wakeford, spokesman for Brake, the UK road safety charity, said: "Reductions in the numbers killed on UK roads have stagnated in recent years. Road deaths fell by just 1.4% between 2010 and 2016 - way short of the EU target. All other EU countries, with the exception of Lithuania, Malta and Sweden, have made better progress and urgent action is needed. It's a disgrace that there are currently no UK targets for reducing the number of road deaths and we are calling for a UK target to be set as a priority for the Government".

Source/Report: European Transport Safety Council (ETSC)