1. ETSCs Conference on Best Practice in Transport Safety, October 2004 1 Coping with higher speeds.... Improving Driving Habits on Highways CEO René la Cour Sell, The Danish Road Safety Council

2. Improving Driving Habits 2 Agenda The Road Safety Situation in Denmark The Political Situation 130 km/h on Danish Highways (Motorways) The Campaign Current status

3. Improving Driving Habits 3 The Situation in Denmark 2003 432 killed, 3868 badly injured, 4544 injured (less critically) 9 people killed per week (8 per 100000 inhabitants) Population c. 5,3 mio. Area c. 43000 km 2

4. Improving Driving Habits 4 1960 - 2003 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 19701972 1974 1976 1978 1980198219841986 1988 1990 1992 1994 19961998 2000 2002 2004 20062008 2010 2012 killed 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Traffic mia km Killed Traffic Speed-limits, Safety belt 90-8060-50 435 in 2003

5. Improving Driving Habits 5 Challenges Bulge in birth-rates Large youth generation on its way A growing group of elderly people Both groups are high risk groups in traffic, so the numbers are working against us.

6. Improving Driving Habits 6 The Political Situation In 2001 the present Danish Government won the election and the political majority in the Parliament (Folketinget). A part of the electioneering campaign was a promise to raise the speed limits on motorways from 110 km/h to 130 km/h The law was to enter into force April 30 2004.

7. Improving Driving Habits 7 Selecting the motorways Not all of the Danish motorways were safe for the new speed limit. (The lanes were to narrow, the crash barriers insufficient etc.etc.) The Danish Road Directorate and the local Police authorities had to select c. 50 pct. of the motorways for the new speed limit

8. Improving Driving Habits 8 Preparing the motorways 115 mio DKkr (c. 17 mio ) were spent on preparation – crash barriers, road signs, physical preparations etc. Police Authorities studied local statistics on road accidents on the selected motorways

9. Improving Driving Habits 9 The Task The Danish Road Safety Council has an obligation to inform about new traffic resolutions In this case a rather delicate matter, since the raising of speed limits did not seem to be a step in the right direction towards reducing the number of killed and injured in road accidents Concern – increasing number of fatal accidents. Not only on motorway, but also a epidemic effect on highways in general Possibility – chance to improve the existing driving habits

10. Improving Driving Habits 10 Restrictions and penalties Restrictions and penalties increased with the new law – intensified police control on the motorways. Rather than focusing on the new speed limit, we decided to focus on a) driving habits and b) control and penalties.

11. Improving Driving Habits 11 Key Messages Address behaviour and driving habits: Keep distance Keep right Show your intensions (indicate when overtaking and emergency braking) Slow down (when leaving the motorway) Address fear of being caught: Beware of intensified control and bigger penalties

12. Improving Driving Habits 12 See you on the road… As long as I dont lose my drivers license…! Fear of being caught is bigger than fear of getting hurt or hurting others… …hence we will be watching you! SEE YOU ON THE ROAD

13. Improving Driving Habits 13 Campaign Elements Posters (acceleration and deceleration lanes) Advertisements Internet www.130.dkwww.130.dk Radiospot Media coverage TV-spot…

14. Improving Driving Habits 14 Political Status October 2004 Legislation moving in the right direction. Penalties for speeding have increased further – also on other roads than motorways A drivers license is on probation for the first three years If you commit three serious and hazardious actions in traffic within three years your drivers license will be suspended

15. Improving Driving Habits 15 Road Safety Status August 2004 The first couple of months with the new speed limit are promising and limits are respected. Speed went down (110-area): 115,1 km/h to 111,0 km/h Speed didn't go up (130-area): 120,4 km/h (August 2003/2004) We shall, however, have to wait at least a year to draw conclusions, our concerns thus remain the same: Will the number of accidents increase? Will they not only increase on motorways, but on the rest of the roads as well?