The EU-funded Road Safety Exchange project, seen as a catalyst for life-saving initiatives across Europe, is poised for expansion, encompassing 19 countries including Ireland, in its mission to fast-track road safety improvements over the next three years.
Against the backdrop of the successes of the three-year pilot project, including the adoption of Dutch-inspired cycling infrastructure improvements in Lithuania, harmonised day and night-time urban speed limits in Poland, and the roll-out of national road safety strategies in Greece and Portugal, this project has embarked on its second phase with an inaugural event in Brussels.
An initiative funded by the European Parliament and managed by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) on behalf of the European Commission, the Road Safety Exchange project brings together representatives from EU Member States. The partnership has been extended to span the next three years.
The project was presented with the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award by Prince Michael of Kent (HRH), in recognition of its impact on enhancing road safety, at an award ceremony in London in December.
Teams of specialists from the participating countries are poised to join forces in a series of immersive study visits and collaborative meetings, providing first-hand exposure to best practices in road safety. The project’s initial phase encompassed critical areas such as speed management, drink and drug driving prevention, cyclist and pedestrian safety and data collection.
Participants have had the chance to witness cutting-edge road safety enforcement technologies, such as the pioneering use of AI-based cameras to detect hand-held mobile phone use while driving in the Netherlands.
In Ireland, experts observed roadside testing for drug use, while in Sweden, they delved into the integration of medical data with police-generated statistics, offering policymakers a more accurate understanding of key road safety challenges.
European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean described the EU Road Safety Exchange project as “an example of European co-operation, uniting experts from 19 Member States with a shared dedication to exchanging knowledge, ideas, and technology to save lives on our roads”.
