Nowa Polityka Wschodnia (Dec 2021)
Wpływ środków transportu na śmiertelność uczestników ruchu drogowego w Unii Europejskiej
Abstract
Road safety is one of the priorities of the European Commission, which is referred to in strategic documents of the European Union. For many years, ambitious goals have been set to reduce the number of road accidents and their deaths. Annual statistics confirm their gradual decline, but not in the amounts assumed. The aim of the research aimed at solving a practical problem, the conclusions of which were included in the article, was to demonstrate the impact of means of transport on the mortality of road users in the European Union. The main research problem to be solved by the quantitative and qualitative analysis of road accidents in the EU for 2010-2019 was included in the question: What impact do means of transport have on the mortality of road users in the European Union? Road accidents that occurred in 2010-2020 in all Member States were investigated. Nevertheless, statistical data on road accidents for 2010-2019 were used for detailed research. The resignation from the presentation of data for 2020 was caused by the lack of their reliability. The European Commission estimated that lower traffic volumes related to the COVID-19 pandemic could have contributed to fewer road accidents and fatalities. Seven main categories of vehicles that were involved in fatal road accidents were selected for the study. They include bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, passenger cars, delivery vans, trucks (<3.5t), buses and coaches. Due to the significant share of pedestrians as victims of road accidents in the total number of fatalities, this category was also examined. The conducted research confirmed that the number of road accidents with the participation of the analyzed means of transport had a direct proportional influence on the number of fatalities, while maintaining the percentage ratio at an almost unchanged level. This statement shows that the goals of reducing the number of road fatalities set by the European Commission are incorrect, especially the vision of zero road fatalities by 2050.
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