12,000 killed in cars in EU in 2012

29 April 2014

Transport safety campaigners are calling on the European Union to accelerate progress on reducing the number of people killed in cars every year in the EU, as new research shows 12,345 car occupants were fatally injured in 2012.

The report “Ranking EU Progress on Car Occupant Safety” is based on analysis of EU data overseen by a panel of 32 road safety experts from across Europe.

Published today by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), it found that 900 lives could be saved every year in the EU if car manufacturers were required to fit seat-belt reminder sensors to front and rear passenger seats to help prevent deaths from failure to wear belts.

The European Commission is currently revising vehicle safety rules with new proposals expected next year.
Despite improvements in vehicle safety, drink driving and inappropriate speed are still contributing to many deaths on European roads. ETSC estimates that 5600 deaths, half of them in cars, could be prevented annually by eliminating drink driving and a further 1300 if the average speed on all roads was cut by just 1km/h. 

Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of ETSC said, “While huge progress has been made in cutting the number of people killed in cars on Europe’s roads it is simply wrong that 12000 still die every year for reasons that are mostly avoidable. Simple measures like seat belt reminders in front and rear passenger seats, better enforcement of speed limits, and measures to prevent repeat drink drivers from getting behind the wheel could put the EU’s target of halving the number of road deaths by 2020 firmly within reach.”