The European Road Safety Charter

30 July 2009

A European Road Safety Charter presentation and signing event was held on July 8, 2009 in
London, in conjunction with the UK Department for Transport. 20 British organisations including
companies and non-governmental organisations signed new commitments to help
save lives on the UK’s roads, while three existing signatories renewed their commitments.

Paul Clark MP, the UK’s Minister for Road Safety, gave a speech on Road Safety Policies in the
UK, in which he echoed the British government’s support for the Charter. He also revealed the good
news that the UK has already achieved its 2010 target on reducing deaths and serious injuries.
In 2008, deaths on the UK’s roads fell by 14% to 2,538, marking the largest percentage in a single
year since the Second World War, while serious injuries fell by 6%.

The UK and the Charter’s common aims include educating young people, targeting employers and
employees who drive for work, improving the enforcement of driving laws and engineering of
vehicles and roads.

This was followed by the signing ceremony in which 20 British organisations joined the
Charter family. 3M, Arval Group Ltd, Bethell Group Plc, British Gas,
British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), Drive Alive, Driving Research Group, Cranfield University, M&G Vehicle Hire ltd, Nestlé UK, Occupational Road Safety Alliance (ORSA) and Wolseley signed their unique commitments to actively contribute to reducing the number of accidents on their nation and continent’s roads.  

For more information see: www.erscharter.eu