Every Accident is One Too Many Every Accident is One ... - UNECE

Chapter 1
Every accident is one too many
The vision ‘Every accident is one too many’ sees the Road Safety Commission setting a course
for a future traffic system without any road accidents whatsoever
Accidents involving a risk of serious injury are not accepted
within society in general. For example, such zero tolerance
applies to industrial injuries, where deaths and permanent
injury are considered unacceptable.
Similarly, the Road Safety Commission does not wish to see
road accidents being accepted as a necessary evil; a
burden which our society must bear to maintain our
present economic, social, and commercial rate of development.
Quite the opposite holds true; road accidents are a
problem which society as a whole must constantly strive to
counteract in better, more effective ways.
The vision ‘Every accident is one too many’ was inspired by
the Swedish ‘zero vision’, where the long-term objective is
to prevent road accidents from causing serious injury or
death. Man will always make mistakes - including
deliberate mistakes - in traffic. The object is to control the
consequences of such mistakes. This is the central concept
of the Swedish zero vision.
The vision ‘Every accident is one too many’ retains focus
on preventive measures. There is still plenty of scope for
new measures within road user awareness/training and
road improvement to help avoid road accidents.
adapted to reflect individual road users’ opportunities for
safe transport. For example, this may be carried out by
separating pedestrians, cyclists, and cars, or by ensuring
very low speeds where various types of road users need
to share a given space.
• Improvements in general training and information on
safe behaviour and risks in traffic. Many road users do
not know the real risk involved in various patterns of
traffic behaviour. Greater knowledge and awareness of
these issues will cause road users to take a more active
part in efforts to avoid accidents altogether.
The seriousness and nature of injuries sustained by
individual persons as a result of such mistakes or
choices, and individual tolerance of such injuries
The following steps may be taken to limit the impact of
accidents.
• Adaptation of speed limits to avoid serious accidents.
Calculations show that the approach speed at the
moment of collision cannot exceed 60-70 km/hr without
subjecting drivers and passengers to great risks of death
or serious injury. This example applies only to relatively
new cars with modern safety equipment. Pedestrians and
The road safety issue can be described in the following
terms:
• The number of mistakes and violations made on the
roads and the consequences thereof,
• The seriousness and nature of injuries sustained by
individual persons as a result of such mistakes or
choices, and individual tolerance of such injuries,
• The quality and availability of first aid, health care, and
rehabilitation.
Together, these parameters result in an almost predestined
number of deaths and injuries. All three levels should be
targeted en route to fulfil the vision ‘Every accident is one
too many’.
The number of mistakes and violations made on
the roads and the consequences thereof
The following options/measures may be utilised to prevent
human error or poor choices:
• Development of safe and secure road and traffic systems,
as well as systems which are more specifically
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