Both frameworks emphasise shared responsibility between road users, system designers, and policymakers, integrating elements like vehicles, infrastructure, speed management, and post-crash care into a cohesive strategy. Rooted in the belief that no road death or serious injury is ethically acceptable, they prioritise protecting life and health above all else, making the Safe System a fundamental part of Vision Zero’s mission.
What is Vision Zero?
Vision Zero is a global road safety initiative focused on achieving a transportation system free from fatalities and serious injuries. First introduced in Sweden in 1995 and officially adopted by its parliament in 1997, the program is rooted in the belief that no death or serious injury on the road is ethically acceptable.
Unlike traditional methods that evaluate safety investments by assigning a monetary value to life and health, Vision Zero prioritises preserving life above all else. The initiative shifts the responsibility for road safety from solely road users to a shared accountability between transportation system designers and users.
Which other countries have introduced Vision Zero?
Norway: Adopted Vision Zero in 2001, focusing on road users and extensive safety measures.
Netherlands: Implemented a similar approach called “Sustainable Safety” in 1997, emphasising road design and speed management.
Denmark: Implemented Vision Zero strategies, contributing to a 36% reduction in traffic fatalities between 2010 and 2020.
Canada: Cities like Edmonton have adopted Vision Zero, achieving a 50% reduction in fatalities over six years.
United States: Several major cities, including New York, Chicago, Austin, and Boston, have implemented Vision Zero initiatives with varying outcomes.
Australia: States such as Victoria and Western Australia have adopted Vision Zero approaches.
New Zealand: Committed to a Vision Zero approach in its 2018 Policy Statement on Land Transport, aiming for a transport system free of deaths and serious injuries.
What is The Safe System?
The Safe System is a road safety framework that emphasises protecting human life and health, ensuring that the need to travel does not come at the cost of safety. It is based on the belief that every road death and serious injury is preventable and focuses on two key truths: people make mistakes on the road, and they are vulnerable to severe harm in crashes.
To address these realities, the Safe System ensures that all components of the road network (vehicles, infrastructure, speed limits, road users, and post-crash care) work together to reduce the risk of crashes and prevent severe outcomes when they occur. Its principles are integral to Vision Zero.
What are the 5 elements of The Safe System?
The Safe System approach to road safety is built on five key components, often referred to as the “five pillars” or “five parts”. These work together to minimise risks and reduce the likelihood of fatalities or serious injuries. These components work together holistically, recognising that no single intervention can solve all problems.
Safe Roads and Infrastructure
Designing and maintaining roadways to reduce crash risks and minimise harm, including features like roundabouts, median barriers, and clear signage.
Safe Speeds
Managing vehicle speeds to suit the road environment, ensuring that speed limits align with the level of safety provided by the infrastructure and the vulnerability of road users.
Safe Vehicles
Ensuring vehicles are equipped with safety technologies, such as TPMS systems, airbags, electronic stability control, and advanced driver-assistance systems, to protect occupants and reduce crash severity.
Safe Road Users
Promoting responsible behaviour among road users through education, enforcement, and measures to reduce risky behaviours like speeding, impaired driving, or distracted driving.
Post-Crash Response
Ensuring timely and effective medical care, emergency response, and rehabilitation to reduce the consequences of crashes and support victims in their recovery.
What success has been seen by implementing these strategies?
Vision Zero and the Safe System have led to significant reductions in road traffic fatalities and serious injuries in various regions. In Sweden, where Vision Zero began, road deaths dropped from 541 in 1997 to 192 in 2021, despite increased traffic. Similarly, Norway adopted Vision Zero in 1999 and achieved remarkable progress, recording fewer than 100 fatalities for the first time in 2020, an over 80% reduction since 1970.
In the United States, cities like New York have seen declines in traffic-related deaths after implementing Vision Zero measures, such as lowering speed limits and improving road safety infrastructure. These examples demonstrate the success of these approaches in creating safer road systems through systemic interventions.
Why the Safe System is in place
Road crashes are the leading global cause of death for people aged 5 to 29, claiming 1.35 million lives annually. Beyond fatalities, countless individuals suffer severe, life-altering injuries, including paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, and amputations.
Additionally, vehicle emissions contribute to global warming and air pollution, harming both the environment and public health. Excessive car use reduces opportunities for walking and cycling, leading to decreased physical activity, which, combined with polluted air, increases the risk of chronic illnesses and early death.
Overcrowded roads not only take up valuable space but also create fear, stress, noise, and social isolation. Low-income communities, which are less likely to own cars, are disproportionately affected, as they often live near high-traffic areas where they face greater risks of being struck by vehicles and endure prolonged exposure to air and noise pollution.
The economic toll of road crashes and pollution is immense, including the loss of productivity from those killed or disabled, the financial burden on loved ones and healthcare systems, and the costs of caring for dependents and individuals with resulting disabilities.