1 Verona 4 Conference “Innovative Approaches to Road Safety” by A. Tsaglas Civil Engineer Director of OASP/D2 The Verona conference was launched at first time in the second half of 2003 by the Italian presidency of the E. U. at the time. The conference takes place every October or November in Verona, Italy as an informal meeting of the E.U. Transport Ministers.

2 The meeting, though informal, is obviously concerning some institutions dealing with Road Safety issues in the E.U. such as: 1. D.G. TREN- HLGRS (high level group on road safety) 2. CEDR – Group on Road Safety

3 For this reason the main activities linked with targets in the Road Safety field in the E.U. should also concern the Transport Ministers. For this reason the main activities linked with targets in the Road Safety field in the E.U. should also concern the Transport Ministers. 1.Halving the number of road accident victims in E.U. by the year Guidelines for Infrastructure Safety.

4 The next VERONA 4 Conference is scheduled to take place on November 3-4 The leading theme is: “Innovative Approaches to Road Safety” Four Sub-Themes were selected for closer consideration: 1. Children`s mobility and road safety awareness, including the Pilot Action Plan 2. The safety of two-wheel vehicle users 3. Road Safety planning and policies 4. Innovation in Road Safety, including new technologies

5 Sub-Theme 1: “Children`s mobility and road safety awareness, including the Pilot Action Plan” This sub-theme is linked with Verona 3 conference and action within the E.U. institutions. At the first working session of the conference the winners of the competition: “Pilot Action I – Action within the community to improve child road safety” will be awarded.

6 Sub-Theme 2: “safety of two-wheel vehicle users” This is a serious road safety issue, mainly in the European south as highlighted by chart. “Powered two wheels – killed and injured” in the Reflection note are proposed some measures taken from best practice in Finland, U.K., Netherlands and Sweden. I think there is a discrepancy between the nature of the problem in the European South and the action proposed. That means the problem is much more important in the European South because the powered two-wheel vehicles constitute a formidable mode of commuting in urban areas. So the issue there is linked with urban transportation deficiencies. My opinion is that the best innovative approach on the sub-theme issue is: Promote efficient intramodal schemes in urban and suburban transportation for two-wheel vehicle users.

7 Sub-Theme 3: “Road Safety planning and policies” The reflection note presents the situation and raises some questions for the future. I think two key issues are to be considered on this sub –theme: 1. Which results will be collected from the mid –term report? 2. How worked the European Road Safety Chapter for the benefit of Road Safety in the E.U.?

8 Sub-Theme 4: “Innovation in Road Safety, including new technologies” Issues on this sub-theme are: 1. Safety technology as a tool for managing the traffic and transport network as a whole 2. Safety technology in cars