It was presented to the Senate DEKRA Road Safety Report 2024 which highlights the importance of designing safe road spaces in both urban areas and non-urban roads to reduce the number of crashes and, in particular, the number of fatalities and injuries worldwide. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, every year 1.2 million people are killed on the roads, with about 50 million permanently injured or disabled. Reasons? Speed, aging road networks and human behavior are responsible for more than 90% of accidents.
If we talk in more detail about Italian roads, then, according to Aci-Istat, in 2023, there were 166,525 personal injury accidents, resulting in 3,039 deaths.which is an average of 456 accidents and 8.3 deaths every day. Thus, there was a slight decrease in the number of victims. However, at the same time, the number of accidents and injuries is increasing, although to a limited extent.
Which provinces have seen the largest increase in absolute values of road deaths? Venice (+26 deaths), Bologna (+21), and Milan and Reggio Calabria (+20). At the regional level? According to the report, Rome and Latina, on the other hand, make Lazio the region with the highest increase in deaths compared to 2019 (+51), the year before the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the opposite source, the provinces that recorded the most significant decrease in the number of deaths are: Padua (-26 deaths), Novara (-23), Alessandria and Turin (-19).
The report highlights how new technologies will allow us to provide important assistance in the field of road safety. In fact, the need for integrated approach to solve critical mobility problems by taking advantage of well-designed infrastructure and advanced technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence. DEKRA explains:
These technologies will enable vehicles to communicate with infrastructure in real time, improving road safety, optimizing traffic flows and reducing emissions. AI will be able to recognize risky situations and intervene, for example by activating emergency braking. However, it is necessary to develop public policies that ensure transparency, data protection and security.
We also talk about the much debated topic of speed limits in city centres. In this regard, the report is very clear and states that 30 km/h zones can reduce accidents and are one of the most important infrastructure measures. It is also claimed that several studies indicate that reducing average speed by even 1 km/h could save 2,100 lives per year.
It is obvious that to ensure road safety responsible behaviorcorrect assessment of one’s abilities and high acceptance of the rules by all road users.
Investing in security is fundamental.. In this regard, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has planned investments in the road safety sector: 200 billion euros are expected for the decade 2023-2032. This plan includes more than 1,350 road maintenance projects and new works. Tony PurcaroExecutive Vice President of DEKRA Group and President of DEKRA Italia, commented:
DEKRA’s Road Safety Report 2024 highlights that the quality and condition of road infrastructure is critical to reducing accidents. The growing interconnection between vehicles and infrastructure, supported by advanced technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence, offers unprecedented opportunities for more efficient and safer traffic management. By investing in research and development of road infrastructure, we can look forward to a future in which the number of road accidents is reduced to a minimum, thereby creating the conditions for Vision Zero to become not just a vision to strive for, but also a realistic goal to achieve. .
Source: HD Motori
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.