Vision Zero at the Global Conference
During the Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety the Vision Zero approach got a lot of attention, especially in the Swedish exhibition arranged by The Swedish Transport Administration and Government offices.
During the 22 years that Vison Zero has been a part of the systematic road safety work in Sweden it shows examples of measures that have had effect on traffic safety and how the numbers of fatalities i traffic accidents have been reduced. This illustrates how strong leadership and focus gives effect on traffic safety.
Traffic Safety as a part of the UN objectives
During the inspirational speech by Maria Krafft, Traffic Safety Director at Swedish Transport Administration, it gets clear that we face many challenges, but also plenty of opportunities. For example, being included in the UN’s objectives (SDG) is a great opportunity for the transport system. This means that more actors will contribute, and they need to do so. It is essential that we cooperate on a national and international level, and continue to learn from each other.
Through Vision Zero emphasing the importance and spreading the knowledge and experinence from Vison Zero in Sweden to the rest of the world.
– The importance of recognizing footprints in regards of road safety is the essence of Vision Zero. We all need to take responsiblity for the social act of driving, says Maria Krafft.
About Vision Zero
When the concept of Vision Zero was decided by the Swedish parlament in 1997, it turned the traditional view of road safety work upside down. From a focus on the prevention of accidents, the present direction is that no-one should die or be seriously injured in traffic.
Vizsion Zero timeline (pdf, 55 kB)
The basic starting point for Vision Zero is the ethical standpoint that no-one should be killed or suffer lifelong injury in road traffic. This means that the view of safety in the road transport system concurs with those values that apply for safety in society as a whole. In working life, and within the rail, shipping and air transport sectors, it goes without saying that no deaths should occur as a consequence of accidents.
According to Vision Zero, the main problem is not that accidents occur – it is instead whether the accidents lead to death or lifelong injury. Vision Zero stresses the fact that the road transport system is an entity, in which different components such as roads, vehicles and road users must be made to interact with each other so that safety can be guaranteed. In order to prevent serious results from accidents, it is essential for the roads, and the vehicles they carry, to be adapted to match the capabilities of the people that use them.