Good practices

Children and young people (till 25 years old) make up 41% of the world’s population (United Nations, 2024) and about 25% of this age group is represented in the EU population (Eurostat, 2024). They are an active group, often dependent on public space for movement and social interaction. Yet, that public space is not designed with them in mind, nor does it reflect their world and needs. This has consequences. Every day in Flanders, an average of 10 students (aged 3 to 18) are involved in traffic crashes on their way to school (VIAS Institute, 2019–2023). Over 60% of those victims were walking or cycling. In Europe there were still 455 fatalities amongst children and 2 388 fatalities amongst youth which shows that mobility is not yet inclusive, safe and of high quality for all.
Poorly adapted public space brings dangers and challenges, but it also has more subtle barriers. Children and young people are becoming increasingly less physically active. Regular movement is however essential for both their physical and mental health. One way to encourage this movement is by promoting walking and cycling from an early stage and at a young age.
Inadequate public space also negatively affects the independence of children and young people. About a quarter of students in Flanders are driven by car even for short trips between home and school. That’s unfortunate, because travelling independently helps children learn how to navigate their environment, assess risks, and interact with other road users. This builds confidence and equips them with the skills—and the right—to travel alone.

Training local authorities, safety auditors, and consultants to understand and implement Safe System principles on Irish road projects. The Safe System approach, which aims to eliminate death and serious injury on roads, requires a fundamental shift in thinking—from blaming individual road users to designing a transport system that anticipates human error and minimizes its consequences. Many professionals involved in road planning and safety in Ireland may not yet be fully familiar with this paradigm or how to apply it effectively in practice. This creates a gap between policy aspirations and on-the-ground implementation. Training must therefore go beyond theoretical understanding; it must equip stakeholders with practical tools, case studies, and methodologies tailored to the Irish context. Additionally, integrating Safe System thinking into all stages of road project development—from planning and design to construction and maintenance—requires cross-sector collaboration and a shared commitment to safety. Overcoming institutional inertia, aligning with existing regulations, and ensuring consistent application across local authorities are further hurdles. Addressing these challenges through targeted education, continuous professional development, and supportive policy frameworks is essential to embedding Safe System principles into Ireland’s road safety culture and achieving long-term reductions in road trauma.

The 'EuroTarn' Association was set up in 1997 (by myself) to encourage young people to discover the countries of the European Union, and thus learn about other European cultures and languages. The association's motto from the outset was to inspire young people to 'move in a moving world'.
Between 1997 and 2007, we developed Universities exchanges with various regions. In 2007, we created some actions to attract young people (in the Tarn area) to be more interested in Europe, and to develop their 'European citizenship' and their feeling of belonging to a same European community; And Road safety was one of the very first topic that we decided to tackle with the very first European day of Road safety in April 2007. Therefore we decided to run campaigns to talk about Road safety and... Europe, and we decided to start to visit schools to educate young people.

The main road safety challenge that was addressed by the project is driving under the influence (DUI) and the impaired judgement and delayed reaction time as consequences. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs significantly impairs a driver's cognitive and motor functions, leading to poor decision-making and slower responses to hazards.

ARV-auto battles this challenge by:
o Creating awareness campaigns: Implementing targeted public education campaigns highlighting the dangers of impaired driving and promoting sober alternatives such as designated drivers and ride-sharing.
o Supporting law enforcement: Collaborating with local police on sobriety checkpoints and enhanced DUI patrols, especially during high-risk periods (e.g., weekends, holidays).
o Doing policy advocacy: Supporting stricter DUI laws, including lower blood alcohol content (BAC) limits and the use of ignition interlock devices for repeat offenders.

Based on our topic modelling study of road safety literature for older EU road users, we have identified several critical challenges that disproportionately affect the ageing population. First, older pedestrians and cyclists face significantly higher fatality rates due to frailty and vulnerability, especially in urban environments lacking safe infrastructure. Our findings highlight the urgent need for age-friendly design, including 30 km/h zones, improved crosswalks, and well-maintained sidewalks.
Second, while targeted driver training (cognitive, visual, and simulator-based) can reduce crash risk by up to 30%, these programs remain small-scale, methodologically inconsistent, and underfunded. Third, although technologies like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) offer safety benefits, they are underutilized by older drivers due to usability barriers.
We also address a key policy issue: the tension between safety and mobility. Arbitrary age-based licensing restrictions risk undermining elderly independence. Evidence-based, functional fitness-to-drive assessments are needed.
Lastly, our study reveals major gaps in research concerning emerging mobility modes (e.g., e-bikes, scooters) and underserved populations like older pedestrians. By applying a novel machine learning approach across multiple databases, we mapped these gaps and proposed evidence-driven solutions in infrastructure, education, vehicle technology, and licensing policy, aligned with EU Vision Zero goals and the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety