Characteristics of future crashes in Sweden:​ identifying road safety challenges in 2020 and 2030

Strandroth, J.; Nilsson, P.; Sternlund, S.; Rizzi, M.; Krafft, M.

It has been proposed by the European Commission that the number of road fatalities within the European Union should move close to zero by 2050. In response to that, Sweden has set out to revise the national road safety targets of 2020 and 2030.

In order to address future safety challenges, there is a need to consider the characteristics of future crashes. The objective of this study was therefore to quantify and investigate the characteristics of severe crashes in 2020 and 2030. Injury crashes were reduced from a baseline in 2014 to a given time in the future based on the implementation of safety interventions. The material consisted of hospital admission data with AIS diagnoses.

Results show that the actions planned to be taken in Sweden between now and 2020 and 2030 will continue to increase the safety level for car occupants, but are estimated to be insufficient for vulnerable road users. It was concluded that there is a need to define a safety system for vulnerable road users that takes a holistic approach to sustainability by including both injury prevention measures and measures to encourage more health‐promoting and fossil‐free modes of transport.

Keywords: Road safety, vulnerable road users, future crashes, vehicle safety, road safety management

Year

Entry

2013

Tingvall C, Ifver J, Krafft M, Kullgren A, Lie A, Rizzi M, Sternlund S, Stigson H, Strandroth J. The consequences of adopting a MAIS 3 injury target for road safety in the EU: a comparison with targets based on fatalities and long‐term consequences. In: Proceedings of the 2013 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 11-13, 2013; Gothenburg, Sweden.1-11.

2013

Rizzi M, Stigson H, Krafft M. Cyclist injuries leading to permanent medical impairment in Sweden and the effect of bicycle helmets. In: Proceedings of the 2013 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 11-13, 2013; Gothenburg, Sweden.412-423.

2008

Malm S, Krafft M, Kullgren A, Ydenius A, Tingvall C. Risk of permanent medical impairment (RPMI) in road traffic accidents. In: 52nd Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 6-8, 2008; San Diego, CA.93-100.

2012

Strandroth J, Sternlund S, Tingvall C, Johansson R, Rizzi M, Kullgren A. A new method to evaluate future impact of vehicle safety technology in Sweden. Stapp Car Crash J. October 2012;56:497-509.

Year