Accidents: more vulnerable road users are always the worst affected

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Accidents: more vulnerable road users are always the worst affected

17 October 2018

The number of accidents involving the most vulnerable road users continues to rise, as do the most frequent errors, such as driver distraction, failure to give way and speeding (40.8% overall). This is the picture that emerged from the ISTAT (Italian National Institute of Statistics) report on road accidents in 2017.

Last year, the number of pedestrian fatalities rose by 5.3% compared with the previous year, a total of 600 people involved, and the statistics show a substantial increase in the number of motorcyclist fatalities (735, +11.9%). On the other hand, the figures for motorists were stable (1,464, -0.4%) and those for mopeds (92, -20.7%) and cyclists (254, -7.6%) were down.

While the urgent need to protect vulnerable road users remains, there is an equally urgent need to introduce monitoring and training measures to counter a critical worldwide trend.

The added safety provided by the application of advanced technology to urban and non-urban road traffic control and the strengthening of a valid road safety culture, especially among young people, are increasingly seen as essential tools for achieving national safety objectives.