Figure: EU Safe-system approach (Source ECA)

Considering the importance of well-maintained road signs for both human and ADAS detection, experts in the ERF working group of road signs have developed a practical checklist for a quick inspection of a road sign. We recommend this checklist to be included in existing tools for road safety inspection and audits. Converted to a smart phone application, a digital checklist can automatically issue reports with pictures and geolocation data.

How to achieve the Vision Zero targets? To See and to be seen.

The EU’s road safety initiatives led to a substantial decrease in fatalities, from 51,400 in 2001 to 19,800 in 2021. However, while the number of road deaths was halved during the first decade, progress later stagnated. In 2021, fatalities increased by 6% compared to 2020, indicating the need for renewed efforts. In response, the Council of the European Union, through its 2017 Valletta declaration, urged the Commission to launch new political initiatives for 2020-2030, focusing on reducing deaths and enhancing protection for road users (especially the vulnerable road users  like cyclists and pedestrians).

In its 2020 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the Commission confirmed its goal of achieving zero road fatalities by 2050 (the ‘Vision Zero’ objective) and halving the number of fatalities by 2030 compared to 2019 figures. A report by the European Court of Auditors , released in March 2024, acknowledged progress in EU road safety but stressed the member states to be more serious about the safe system approach. “Road safety is a competence shared between the EU and its member states. […] The Commission has set up a comprehensive framework to deal with road safety (the EU Safe System approach) […]. Based on current progress, and without additional efforts by the EU and member states, we consider that these strategic objectives of halving fatalities and serious injuries between 2020 and 2030, and of getting both close to zero by 2050, are unlikely to be reached[1]”

Next to safer vehicles and road user behaviour changes, road infrastructure safety management (Directive 2008/96/EC) completes the safe system approach through impact assessments at all stages of road construction, operation, or major modifications. The updated Directive on road infrastructure safety management was adopted and published in the Official Journal on 26 November 2019 (Directive (EU) 2019/1936).

In January 2023, the Commission issued guidelines on the methodology for assessing road infrastructure safety, offering Member States support in fulfilling their obligations under Directive (EU) 2019/1936.

In those guidelines, it is suggested that “for the assessment of markings and signs in the context of network-wide road safety assessment, a few more aspects should be considered […]  Regarding signs, they are point-level treatments and so their assessment is more challenging at the network-level. It is more meaningful to evaluate whether signs are placed at most critical points of the road (e.g., upstream of intersections, curves, etc.) and are readable[2]”.

[1] https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/publications/SR-2024-04

[2] https://road-safety.transport.ec.europa.eu/document/download/93e39cd2-9e71-4ee0-8a8e-4de4fddaf068_en?filename=NWA-Handbook8.pdf