Preparation of a transport safety strategy that will cover all modes of transport is starting

The strategy will be prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. In the work, safety will be approached and examined in terms of all transport modes.  

"Traffic accidents cause loss of human life and material losses. Any traffic casualty or fatality is one too many. I expect that the work we are now starting will provide us with effective ways and means to help improve transport safety," says Minister of Transport Sanna Marin.

The concept of transport safety is often understood to include only road safety. However, the future strategy will look at transport safety more extensively, from the perspective of all transport modes.

The aim is to improve transport safety comprehensively.

In addition to road safety, the strategy will cover safety in rail, water and air transport.  It will also examine the effects of transport digitalisation and traffic behaviour.

The safety of the transport infrastructure will be addressed in connection with the work related to the national transport system plan. That process will be coordinated with the strategy work that is now being launched.

What is the transport safety strategy about? 

The transport safety strategy will serve as a plan for preventing and reducing traffic accidents.

It is based on the Government Programme of Prime Minister Antti Rinne and on the road safety objectives by the European Union. The aim set out in the Government Programme is to respond to the EU scenario of zero traffic fatalities by 2050. The goal is that by 2050 no one will die because of road traffic in the EU Member States

The EU transport ministers have also set a target of halving the number of traffic injuries from the 2020 levels by 2030.

In Finland, the national road safety work has been guided by road safety plans and government resolutions. Previous plans and resolutions were carried out in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2012 and 2016.

What next?

At the beginning of December, the Ministry of Transport and Communications will send requests to stakeholders for nomination to various working groups and a steering group.

Once the nomination process has been completed, the names of the representatives will be published in the Government Project Information Service. 

The strategy will be prepared in broad cooperation with many different parties. The preparation will be carried out in working groups specific to each transport mode. The work will be guided and supported by the steering group.

Additionally, a number of different stakeholders will be consulted during the preparation of the strategy. External experts may also be invited to take part in the working group meetings.

The aim is to get a draft strategy for a consultation round in spring 2021.  The work should be ready by the end of 2021.

Inquiries:

Laura Vilkkonen, Director General, tel. +358 50 438 7734

Government Projects: transport safety strategy (LVM054:00/2019)
https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/project?tunnus=LVM054:00/2019