CLARE SIMPSON, COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE, ROADSAFE
The road, the road user and the vehicle are the key components in road safety. Of all three, it is road users, and drivers in particular, that cause the majority of collisions. It is impossible to eliminate the chance of human error. This means vehicles should give drivers all the help they can to avoid or lessen the effects of a crash.
Engineers and manufacturers have led the way in improving vehicle safety but many of the developments are taking time to get onto the market. Electronic stability control, for example, has been around in various forms for more than 10 years. Safety campaigners describe it as the greatest invention since the seatbelt, yet it is only available in around 60 per cent of new cars, and will not be compulsory in all new cars sold in the UK until late in 2014.
The automotive sector, like most industries, is driven by market demand. So to get the life saving technologies into vehicles and onto roads, there is a need to tell consumers and decision makers about them.
This is where the eSafety Challenge shines. It is the only European event that specifically publicises the range of systems available. By creating an event for journalists and people who influence multiple purchases, eSafetyAware manages to send its message to a wider audience than those on the guest list.
The driver experiences offered are a major attraction. They provide a rare and important opportunity to feel the difference the technologies make, unravel the jargon and see the value of the systems in our everyday lives.
The research eSafetyAware commissions and distributes adds value, and with information from exhibitors, guests have no excuse for ignoring the importance of vehicle safety and the advantages that modern technology can provide.
RoadSafe supports eSafetyAware and the eSafety Challenge. We are a UK-based charity that aims to reduce road casualties by sharing knowledge, encouraging innovation and promoting the safe design and use of vehicles and roads.
RoadSafe director, Adrian Walsh says: “By working with the automotive industry, traffic engineers, road safety professionals and authorities, we realise the importance that technology found in modern cars, can play in helping drivers detect dangers and avoid collisions.
“This is particularly true now, as the UK government is placing increasing responsibility for road safety delivery on local communities, individuals and businesses.”
The UK government and European Commission are also legislating to ensure some systems become a legal requirement in new vehicles. In addition, the EC is looking into making vehicle owners fit some equipment retrospectively.
This legislation is likely to have a big impact on fleets, and RoadSafe’s government-backed campaign, Driving for Better Business, is working to help fleet decision makers aware of this.
As Driving for Better Business campaign director, Caroline Scurr, says: “Improving fleet safety is good for businesses in a number of ways. It protects employees and other road users, reduces long-term costs and helps improve public image.
“Lots of businesses already know this, and we use them as case studies to inspire others to follow their lead. Some of the most successful organisations, in terms of safety, are those that procure vehicles with eSafety technology and educate their drivers about its use.
“Many organisations know it makes business sense to invest in it, especially if the government and EC are looking to make some systems a legal requirement in the next few years."
The eSafety Challenge is doing an important job in promoting the latest electronic safety systems for vehicles. This life-saving technology can and will help reduce the number and severity of crashes in Europe, but it was not designed for our benefit alone.
European governments, businesses and individuals have a role to play in leading by example. We must use the technology to our advantage and share our expertise with the wider world.
Road crashes are the leading cause of death and injury around the world, killing almost 1.2m people every year, and injuring millions more. Most of these tragedies occur in middle to low income countries, where individuals, families, communities and governments may struggle to support those affected.
This is a growing problem for developing countries with rapidly expanding economies, where an increase in wealth can lead to an increase in vehicles. In India, for example, the number of cars rose from 19m to 72m between 1990 and 2006. By 2035, the Asian Development Bank expects the number to reach 373m.
The United Nations says such rapid motorisation is contributing to a significant rise in casualties. To counter this, the UN has declared a Decade for Action on Road Safety 2011-2020. This will involve sharing knowledge and best practice on all three areas of road safety: the road, road user and vehicle.
The eSafety Challenge contributes to this by highlighting innovations in modern vehicle technology. This is something eSafetyAware’s members and supporters should be proud of, as millions of lives could be saved if we continue to provide and promote eSafety systems for all markets at home and abroad.
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