Denmark

eSafety is an important pillar in the Danish Road Safety Plan, whose pillars are: safer roads, safer vehicles, and Use of new technologies (eSafety) to improve the interaction between road and vehicle.

Denmark is active in promoting autonomous vehicle systems in three ways:

• Through legislation;
• Using tax incentives: ESC is a valid example. Today more than half of the new passenger are fitted with ESC;
• Through information campaigns (for example Euro NCAP).

The infrastructure-related eSafety systems implementation, like for ISA and eCall, requiring the cooperation of many stakeholders, is more difficult to bring forward. As for eCall, discussions are taking place nationally, but a limited enthusiasm was shown so far.

•RTTI is regularly covering the territory and is used for public broadcast.

•Lane departure warning systems were tested on coaches.

•Test and trials currently running are: Speed Alert, a black box field trial, and two Intelligent Speed Adaptation trials (one aimed at young drivers, another one aimed at light commercial vehicles).

•Dynamic traffic management system is in use on M3 extension around Copenhagen.

Road Safety Vision, Plans, and Targets for Denmark

The vision and central theme of the Danish road safety strategy is "Every Accident is One too Many." It was launched in the Danish Government's Action Plan on road safety, and it is to constitute the common overall vision for all stakeholders and players within Danish road safety. The vision sets a course towards a future road system without any road accidents whatsoever and retains a focus on preventive measures.

Although the vision is to prevent all road accidents, the road safety policy objective for 2012 is to reduce the number of fatalities and seriously injured by at least 40% in 2012 compared to the base year of 1998. This means that nationwide, in absolute numbers the number of traffic fatalities may not exceed 300 and the number of seriously injured may not exceed 2443. Approximately half of Danish  municipalities have also formulated their own targets.

Road Safety Priorities

Approximately 85% of all road accidents in Denmark involve one or more of the four elements: speeding, alcohol, cyclists, and/or junctions. The Danish Commission on Road Safety has therefore recommended continual emphasis on these four focus areas.

Speeding

Although most accidents happen in urban areas, the greatest number of serious accidents occur on rural roads. On rural roads, emphasis is given to:

• accidents with oncoming traffic (head-on collisions)
• road marking at dangerous curves
• local reduction of speed limits in curves and junctions
• nationwide information on the necessity of observing speed limits on primary roads

The accident risk in urban areas is three times higher in urban areas than on main roads (motorways) and primary rural roads. More than 80% of these accidents involve vulnerable road users. This means that there is great potential for reducing the number of accidents, as well as injury risk, by addressing speed in urban areas by, for instance:

• local speed plans
• categorisation of urban roads by function (urban thoroughfares, local roads, residential areas, industrial roads, school roads, etc.)
• speed differentiation where motorised and non-motorised traffic have to share their space
• speed restrictions and traffic calming by infrastructural means (e.g. speed bumps, roundabouts, bottlenecks, rumble strips, etc.)

Two-thirds of all local authorities have implemented measures against speeding.

Cyclists

Denmark has a high incidence of cyclist traffic. Every year, approximately 60 cyclists are killed and 2000 injured on Danish roads and cyclists remain a high-risk group. Cycling must be made safe and attractive and for many years, the city of Odense has taken the lead when it comes to safe and comfortable cycling conditions. Specific cycling measures (apart from those under speeding and junctions) are, for instance:

• traffic segregation (road marking, zoning or cycle paths)
• cycle path networks
• redesigning road junctions to take cyclists' safety into account
• proper cycle path maintenance
• new vehicle requirements (e.g. car fronts that are "friendlier" for cyclists)
• cycle safety equipment (e.g. cycle helmets, bicycle lighting, reflectors, proper bicycle maintenance)
• integration of cyclist safety in local road safety plans
• addressing cyclist behaviour to observe traffic rules

Road junctions

Almost half of all road accidents in Denmark happen at junctions, killing almost 200 people and injuring approximately 4800. The two typical accident factors involved are speeding and failure to observe priority rules. Specific measures that are taken in Denmark are:

• roundabouts instead of junctions
• speed reductions at junctions
• stop signs
• better traffic lights and traffic light control (longer pauses, better timing)
• black-spot treatment

Apart from these four priority areas, there is a miscellaneous category of familiar, yet effective road safety measures, such as:

Improved road lighting

• Measures to improve safety in curves
• Measures addressing "grey areas", i.e. stretches of road with high accident rates
• Improved intersections on rural roads

Road Safety Management Organisation

The Danish Commission on Road Safety has a central role in the development of road safety programmes. It was established by the Danish Ministry of Transport and is composed of members of parliament, representatives from ministries, counties, local authorities, and institutions with interests in road safety. The task of the Commission is to propose road safety initiatives to reduce the number of road accidents. To this end, the Commission shall:

• Set the overall central goals for road safety initiatives that can act as a signpost for efforts from other parties.
• Inspire interested parties to enhance their efforts, and new players to implement initiatives to promote road safety.
• Monitor closely nationwide developments in road accidents and carry out regular assessments of road safety with a view to identify where there are needs for stronger initiatives.
• Identify new areas that require initiatives.

Road safety programmes are financed mainly through the state budget and through local authority spending. Local authorities are free to decide how they arrange their decision making. One of the further objectives of the Danish Commission on Road Safety is to increase and intensify research efforts to support policy development, policy implementation, and evaluation. The Commission has identified the areas where more research is required where these are among:

• Information Technology solutions and telematics.
• Impacts of changes in road user behaviour.
• Elderly road users and future traffic.
• Speed as accident factor.
• Passive safety, both for car occupants and vulnerable road users.
• Road safety factors.
• International research (ensure high degree of Danish participation in international research).
• Accident Investigation Board for road accidents.

Road Safety Programme Monitoring and Evaluation

The three levels of road safety programmes each have their own monitoring and evaluation cycle. The Danish Commission on Road Safety is the agency responsible for evaluating the national road safety plan. The national plan is monitored three times per year, and evaluated every four years. Monitoring indicators are: the number of crashes, number of fatalities and serious injuries, speeds, drink-driving, accidents at intersections, and accidents involving cyclists.

The regional and local plans are evaluated once every four years, and the indicators used depend on the specific regional and local targets.

Relevant links

Trafikministeriet (Ministry of Transport, Denmark)

The Ministry of Transport has the general responsibility for the road sector, vehicle requirements and road traffic behaviour.

Danish Road Directorate
The Danish Road Directorate is a department of the Ministry of Transport and is responsible for the administration and operation of the 1,623 km national road network. Its tasks consist of planning, construction, improvement, maintenance and operation of the network and provision of services and traffic information to all road users.

Danish Transport Research Institute (Danmarks Transport Forskning)
The Danish Transport Research Institute is a sector research institute with expertise in many aspects of transport research, e.g. safety, environment and economy.

DANDOK
The DANDOK Database presents an overall picture of research in progress and published Danish research. The database has been established by the Ministry of Research and Information Technology

ITS Denmark

Danish organisation of industries and authorities working on developing ITS activities in Denmark.

Færdselsstyrelsen (Road Safety and Transport Agency)
Independent agency under the Ministry of Transport. Handles road safety, management of road traffic, public transport, environment and energy consumption.

Danmarks statistik (National statistical office for Denmark)

Foreningen for Bæredygtig Trafik
Organisation in Denmark promoting sustainable mobility

Transportøkonomisk forening (TØF)

Universities:

Aalborg Universitetet, TRG, Trafikforskningsgruppen (Aalborg University, Traffic Research Group)

Planning process, design and construction of infrastructure, road transport, public transport, road capacity

CITS – Centre for ITS

Research centre established in Aalborg to develop ITS research and development activities in Denmark.

Trafikdage i Aalborg

Yearly conference in Aalborg focused on transport research

Roskilde Universitetscenter, Institut for Miljø, Teknologi og Samfund (Tek-Sam), Center for transportforskning, FLUX (Transport and mobility, transport logistics, politics and transport planning)

Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, DTU, Center for Trafik og Transport, CTT (Technical University of Denmark, Center for Traffic- and Transportation)
Logistics, traffic models, GIS, RTI, traffic technology, traffic planning, road construction