About 10,000 deaths were recorded on provincial roads in the European Union in 2022

Nearly 10,000 on provincial roads off the highways, which make up half of the number of motor vehicles in total, were recorded in 2022. Provincial roads can be more dangerous than other types of roads. The national governments of the European Union must invest in improving roads to ensure road safety in order to achieve the collective objective of reducing road collision deaths by half by 2030. Often provincial roads do not have a safety breast in the centre or side and there are great differences in speed and weight between vehicles using them, from trucks to vulnerable cyclists and pedestrians. The collisions of a vehicle, where a tired driver does not properly appreciate a turn and goes off the road, are common. Frontal conflicts are common and are usually fatal, says the new report published by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). This highlights the significant challenge that EU Member States will face in the coming years, as the scope of EU rules on road infrastructure safety management has been extended to cover a greater proportion of national road networks. While safety rules apply to the main road network and motorways, new rules agreed in 2019 extend coverage to national roads and to all roads benefiting from EU funds. The installation of side and central security posts, the removal of obstacles from the side of the road and the construction of separate lanes for cyclists and pedestrian pedestrians are among the recommendations for safer provincial roads. Although it is often considered a matter of road safety in cities, as half the deaths of cyclists occur on provincial roads as they mix in traffic with much heavier and faster vehicles. Electric bicycles enhance the percentage of cycling in rural areas, often among elderly riders for leisure and are a factor that local and national authorities should take into account when planning road investments. The report contains many examples of remarkable life-saving interventions throughout Europe. France, Spain and the Belgian region of Flanders have reduced speed limits throughout the provincial road network. Sweden has invested a lot in roads that have a centre breast and safety priority design. In Scotland, tests were conducted with special markings for motorcyclists on the roadway leading them to abrupt turns, achieving impressive results. In the area of West Pomerania, Poland, 800 km of high-quality cycling routes were built in rural areas in five years. Speed remains an important risk factor, as a large number of drivers still lead above the legal limit on provincial roads in many countries, despite the use of automated recording technology of violations, such as speed cameras. Research authors note that the safest countries of those studied usually have a lower standard speed limit on provincial roads, set at 70 or 80 km/h. Finally, ETSC also wants to see the ‘eCall’ automatic emergency call system, which is mandatory on all new cars in the EU, to extend to other types of vehicles, especially motorcycles. In rural areas, the eCall system, could save the life of an injured driver or rider who cannot call for help, as it can send location information directly to emergency services.