Released during road safety week, the report (Progressing the UK towards Safe System implementation) explains how safe speeds, safe roads, safe vehicles, safe road users and post collision response make up the Safe System and identifies some of the challenges around implementation in the UK. Focusing on the safe speeds and safe roads elements of the Safe System, the report highlights some of the actions required to overcome these barriers and identifies actions that stakeholders can take towards alleviating them. 

Sue Percy CBE, Chief Executive, CIHT said:

CIHT is committed to delivering and disseminating good practice in the field of road safety, and we are well placed to foster strong engagement between stakeholders on the need for sector-wide steps to implement the Safe System in the UK. Already, much discussion has taken place around the Safe System and there is now a need for practical actions focused on implementation and delivery.” 

“As part of the report, we have produced a set of recommended actions for the UK Government that, if implemented, we believe will ensure progress is made in reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on UK roads.

The key recommendations and priority actions for the UK Government are:

1. Show leadership and coordination 
   • We welcome the commitment from the UK Government for a new road safety strategy. This strategy should fully embrace the principles of the Safe System and set ambitious long-term and interim targets and performance metrics for tracking progress.
   • We call for a road safety board to oversee strategic implementation and coordination to be established with representation from all relevant government departments and devolved administrations.
2. Take legislative and regulatory action 
   • We call for the UK Government to work with devolved governments and road authorities to ensure that speed limits, and guidance on setting speed limits, are better aligned with survivable speeds.
   • We call for adoption of the General Safety Regulations and embracing of vehicle technologies such as intelligent speed assistance (ISA) to maximise their impact.
3. Develop knowledge through research and monitoring
   • We call for the establishment of a national road safety investigation branch to investigate collisions throughout the UK.
   • We call for the creation of a data-sharing approach to enable thematic learning on systemic action.
   • We recommend a strategic review investigating the impact of road safety outcomes on the NHS, social care, and productivity, to be used to better inform the business case for investment in improved road safety outcomes.

Dr Suzy Charman, chair of the project group and Executive Director, Road Safety Foundation said:

To break our current stagnation in the numbers of people being killed or seriously injured on our roads, a step change is required. Many road safety partnerships, road authorities, and policymakers recognise the need to reimagine our current road transport system and reach for Vision Zero through the implementation of the Safe System. Systemic action across all elements of the Safe System will be needed to create a road transport system free from death and serious injury, delivered through the systematic removal of the potential for road collisions to result in death and serious injury.

More information including a copy of the report can be found at https://www.ciht.org.uk/safesystem or by contacting e: technical@ciht.org.uk

What is the Safe System?

The Safe System aims to ensure the safety of all road users. Every aspect of a transport system needs to be considered. When a collision happens, the system elements must work in combination to mitigate the chance of death or serious injury.
The Safe System is composed of five core elements that support the systemic action required to improve road safety outcomes. For this to work, these elements need to operate in conjunction with each other. The Safe System cannot function if these elements operate in isolation.

The core elements of the Safe System are:

• Safe speeds: Ensuring that speed limits and travelled speeds are safe and appropriate for all road users present.
• Safe vehicles: Well-maintained vehicles that have both primary technologies (crash avoidance technologies such as lane keep assist) and secondary technologies (severity mitigation such as airbags) to reduce the risk of collision or the likelihood of harm to road users.
• Safe roads and roadsides: Ensuring that roads are well maintained, and that their layouts and characteristics are safe for the different users present. Roads can be designed to be self-explaining (to reduce fatal and serious crash likelihood) and forgiving (to reduce crash severity).
• Safe road users: Road users take responsibility for their own and others’ safety by knowing and complying with road rules. The Safe System is designed to deal with different types of behaviours. For example, educational campaigns address knowledge gaps, and behavioural change programmes with enforcement and deterrence address intentional violation. Vehicle systems and road infrastructure can also influence behaviour of road users (such as self-explaining or enforcing roads and alcolocks).
• Post-collision response: In the event of a collision, responses are effective and appropriate. This includes the immediate response for the injured from emergency professionals, medical treatment and longer-term rehabilitation (including mental health support), as well as support for bereaved families. Effective post-collision investigation not only identifies culpability but also supports systemic learning.

About the report

• Part 1: Provides a general overview of the Safe System and presents the argument for a change in UK road safety practices. It is aimed at those interested in gaining a better understanding of the Safe System.
• Part 2: Looks at some of the core challenges and possible solutions that need to be addressed to progress road safety and has been informed by consultation with sector stakeholders. It is aimed at policymakers, road authorities, and practitioners.
• Part 3: Features a technical matrix composed of issues, actions, and responsibilities aimed at delivery stakeholders. It details issues that need to be addressed, the practical actions required to mitigate them, and the ownership of each action. It aims to provide some indicative actions that could be progressed to support delivery of safe speeds and safe road infrastructure.
• Appendix: Provides case studies that have informed our overview of the Safe System and some of the actions detailed in the Safe System matrix.

You can find a copy of the full report and supporting information here