Good practices

The “It Can Happen to You” program addresses the high incidence of traffic accidents resulting in deaths and injuries in Spain. It emphasizes the importance of continuous road safety education to reduce these incidents. Targeting children, the program aims to instill lifelong safe behaviors as pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, passengers, and drivers. It focuses on key issues such as risk perception, distractions, speed, the effects of alcohol and drugs, and proper use of safety equipment. By illustrating the consequences of unsafe behaviors, the program fosters responsible and respectful attitudes towards road safety.

Nature in Gelderland is thriving, with a growing number of wild animals. This is a beautiful phenomenon, but unfortunately, it also brings an increased risk of accidents involving wild animals. The chances of a poor outcome for the animal are high, but there is also a significant risk of material damage and severe consequences for the driver. The risk of collisions with wildlife is especially higher during certain periods, specific times, and at certain locations. Think of dawn and dusk, and the transition to winter or summer time.

In the past, the Province of Gelderland has taken various measures by adjusting the infrastructure and influencing the behavior of wild animals. Examples of these measures include the installation of warning signs, wildlife grids, and boar disappearance blocks. However, it turns out that more is needed to tackle the problem.

Drivers often underestimate the risk of animals being along the roads in the forests. Despite the recommended speed limits, they often drive too fast and are not always aware of the risk of animals along the roads. Therefore, the province of Gelderland wants to place more emphasis on the behavior of road users. In response to this need, creative behavioral agency andc and behavioral agency Dijksterhuis and Van Baaren have developed a behavior-oriented approach, including interventions, to encourage road users to adhere to the recommended speed limits.

The ultimate road safety problems addressed by the LEARN! project are the road deaths and injuries among children, with the project’s aim to address this problem through improving traffic safety and mobility education in Europe. The LEARN! project contributes to addressing this road safety problem by focusing on the challenges faced by road safety education professionals. During the first European Traffic Education Seminar in 2017, the attending professionals identified several challenges. Firstly, as also confirmed in the LEARN! Status Report, there are vast differences in the quality as well as quantity of the road safety education received by children across Europe, both in terms of differences between countries and between levels of education. Secondly, the lack of a common European terminology and methodology for educational activities on road safety, which was a barrier to learn from, compare and discuss educational projects and activities from different parts of Europe. Thirdly, the lack of a European platform where experts and professionals could exchange, share and learn about best practices related to the improvement and implementation of road safety education, innovative and effective educational projects, as well as discuss common challenges with colleagues from across Europe. Starting in 2018, the LEARN! project addresses those challenges through the activities mentioned in point 4.1. Moreover, it has addressed and keeps addressing additional challenges that have been identified over the years, including specific problems that experts from across Europe identified as common when implementing road safety education in schools, as well as ‘thematic’ challenges (e.g. synergizing with sustainable mobility education).

In the Netherlands cycling is the most important way of daily transportation. Sadly, over the past 10 years the amount of bicycle casualties in the Netherlands has increased by 40%, which is expected to increase even more by the popularity of the E-bike. In 2023, 71.000 cyclists were treated in hospitals (60% of all traffic casualties) with 12.500 having traumatic brain injury (16%). Traumatic brain injury often leads to permanent disability as neurons have no or just little recovery potential. A very simple and effective intervention is the voluntary promotion of bicycle helmet with estimated reduction of death 70% and brain injury by 60%. In Denmark, voluntary promotion of bicycle helmets has been very effective in reducing the amount of casualties, especially in children. When we started in 2022 with the first National Day of the bicycle helmet only 2% of the Dutch cyclists were wearing helmets.

Motorcycle drivers are often involved in accidents or the outcome is worsened because of lack of skills. Our goal is to improve the skills and techniques of everyday motorcycle riders to better handle emergency situations and/or prevent driving off the road. The amount of driving lessons in driving schools is not sufficient and the quality varies. Also, there are plenty of riders who got their license a long time ago where the training was non-existent. Fortunately the situation is getting better but is still far from perfect.