A new government resolution on road safety is being prepared
The Ministry of Transport and Communications is preparing a new government resolution on road safety. The draft text is being circulated for comments until 28 November 2016. The current government resolution was published in 2012.
The new resolution will take into account impacts of digitalisation, robotics and automation on road transport and road safety. The proposed targets and measures are in line with the Government key projects.
"Now that the draft resolution is being circulated for comments I hope that other ministries especially will provide active and refreshing ideas about how their administrative branches can improve road safety," said Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner.
"The government resolution on road safety is an important policy paper but also a practical principle for improving road traffic legislation and safety efforts. After we have decided the key reforms, we will send a government proposal on a new Road Traffic Act for comments," Minister Berner says.
The proposal for a government resolution consists of seven themes that have an impact on road safety. These include streamlining of traffic regulations, more efficient traffic control, increasing the number of safer vehicles, reforming of the driving test system as well as reducing drink driving and other factors affecting driving ability.
The ongoing preparations for a total reform of the Road Traffic Act aim to streamline the road traffic rules. The aim is increase the efficiency of surveillance and sanctions in road traffic by streamlining and extending the sanction system for traffic violations.
Advanced driver assistance systems will become more widespread once the average age of the vehicle population gets lower. New models for funding the transport network will be examined and the impacts of transport funding and taxation reforms on lowering the average age of the vehicle population will be assessed.
The safety and data security of automatic vehicles will also be considered in this context. These can be promoted by creating an information exchange network for sharing safety data generated by automatic traffic. The safety of intelligent transport systems is also safeguarded by incorporating the Directive on security of network and information systems into the national legislation.
Driving instruction practices will be reformed and modernised to promote a more widespread use of new digital teaching and learning methods. A reform of the legislation on driving licences is already underway.
Accident risks due to reduced driving ability could be decreased by increasing the attractiveness and use of transport services as alternative to private motoring. The Government will also act towards ensuring that the EU will enforce alcolock as a mandatory fixture in all new cars.
The implementation of the government resolution would be monitored with indicators. Moreover, a group would be established at the Finnish Transport Safety Agency (Trafi) whose task would be to monitor the overall implementation of the resolution.
Inquiries
Leif Beilinson, Senior Adviser, tel. tel. +358 295 34 2572, [email protected]
Timo Kievari, Director of Unit, tel. tel. +358 295 34 2420, [email protected]
