The Safe System made simple

18 November 2016

The new ITF Report: Zero Road Deaths and Serious Injuries: Leading a Paradigm Shift to a Safe System  is essential reading for all policy-makers and practitioners. The report is available here.

A Safe System  is based on the premise that road crashes are both predictable and preventable, and that it is possible to move towards zero road deaths and serious injuries. This, however, requires a fundamental rethink of the governance and implementation of road safety policy.

Some helpful material which helps to explain the Safe System is available on the ITF web site here including an excellent presentation by David Ward, Secretary General Global New Car Assessment Programme who explains it as being as simple as A, B, C: 

  • Avoids default to primary reliance on behavioural measures. 
  • Builds technology and infrastructure that aims to ‘hard wire’ sustainable road safety.  
  • Challenges public lack of demand for safety, poor perceptions of risk, and tolerance of road trauma.  
  • Demands constant improvement (as no level of death is acceptable) so reducing the risk of policy fatigue and complacency. 
  • Engages all stakeholders in a co-operative, transparent, and shared strategy. 
  • Future orientated as it encourages innovation and integration of technologies promoting road injury prevention.