Switzerland

The new strategy aimed at enhancing the level of road traffic safety in Switzerland has been finalised, and experts have prepared an overview presenting a detailed analysis of accidents and specific measures to prevent fatalities and serious injuries (’VISION ZERO’).

Their report forms the basis for a road traffic safety policy that now needs to be formulated at various levels. Last year, 544 people lost their lives and 6,194 were seriously injured in road accidents. Switzerland’s new road traffic safety policy is based on the philosophy behind ’VISION ZERO’, according to which fatalities and serious injuries are no longer acceptable.

The basic premise of ’VISION ZERO’ is that human beings make mistakes, and in view of this our road traffic system needs to conceive so that any errors that may still occur do not have fatal consequences.The goal here is not to reduce mobility, but to make it accident-free.

Read more on:

 - the Swiss Federal Roads Authority: http://www.astra.admin.ch/index.html

 - Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (bfu) http://www.bfu.ch/english/index.html. 'bfu' is researching and drafting basic principles, compiling surveys on accident prevention and monitoring and evaluating accident statistics. bfu identifies common sources of accidents, examines measures taken and cooperates with international research agencies.