Amid this shocking crisis there is an opportunity to transform road safety
ETSC's Executive Director Antonio Avenoso reflects on the way governments have reacted to the COVID-19 emergency and what it could mean for road safety policy.
We have already seen very significant reductions in the number of road deaths as a result of the big drops in traffic volumes due to confinement.
We are already seeing a few cities making rapid adjustments to infrastructure, and speed limits in response to the increases seen in cycling and walking. The city of Brussels is leading the charge – unimaginable a few years ago. As social distancing rules will overload already strained public transport networks pre-Covid, it is hoped that the car will not be seen as the first and safest option and that people will choose to walk and cycle.
Will we really want to go back to clogged city centres, heavy pollution and a dangerous environment for vulnerable road users? Let us hope, and work towards another path out of this crisis.