Police blog: Continued risk potential in Finnish road traffic

Publication date 5.4.2022 16.19
News item

Road traffic in Finland is safer than ever, especially in built-up areas. Finland has committed to the EU’s Vision Zero, which aims to move as close as possible to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050. The intermediate goal is to halve, compared to 2020 levels, the number of road deaths and serious injuries by 2030. 

Reaching the ambition to halve the number of fatalities is a somewhat challenging task requiring the contribution of the police and road users, among others. Traffic safety concerns everyone in society: no-one should have to feel unsafe when mobile irrespective of the mode of transport. 
This is what Mika Sutela, National Police Board data analyst, writes in his blog posted on the Police website. 

Despite the encouraging trend in road traffic safety, we shouldn’t be lulled into a sense of complacency, Sutela says. Road traffic in Finland shows a potential risk that could weaken the status of road traffic safety in the future. 

“More and more young people suspected of traffic offences have come to the notice of the police and this is likely to be the case going forward if a pending amendment to lower the age limit for a category B driving licence goes ahead,” Sutela says. 

Road safety also depends on what happens in an individual’s life off the road.  

“For example, life management and health issues or personality traits are also reflected in road traffic. Marginalisation is also reflected in driving-related phenomena on the road.  
According to Sutela, also alcohol, drugs and medicines used for intoxication purposes are the most significant risk factors not just in fatal road accidents but also in traffic otherwise.

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