Amsterdam is actually very dangerous with all those 30 km/h roads. The figures for seriously injured people in traffic in 2022.
The reason you zip through the city in Amsterdam at a maximum speed of 30 km/h? A lower speed means a lower chance of accidents with serious injuries. The whole idea behind it is that the number of accidents will decrease
Because road safety in our country is not going well at all. This is evident from the new figures from the national scientific research agency for road safety (SWOV). Traffic in the Netherlands had more serious injuries in 2022 compared to 2021.
Seriously injured in traffic 2022
In 2022, 8,300 people were seriously injured in traffic. An increase of over 20 percent compared to 2021, when 6,800 people were seriously injured in traffic. The largest group is and remains older cyclists, particularly those aged 60 and over.
It is a vulnerable group. And a collision doesn't even have to be the cause. That disrespectfully said elderly person can also fall off the bike himself. Then I say the latter politely. Without a helmet, the risk of head injury is much greater. Before you know it, the senior is in the seriously injured category after a hard fall.
SWOV can only conclude that 2022 was a particularly bad year for road safety. It is not only the number of seriously injured people in traffic that is increasing. Also the number of deaths, as became apparent in April this year. More than half of both road fatalities and serious injuries last year involved people over 60.
The most effective solution is to ban all people over 60 from participating in traffic. Problem solved! Can we book 50 again in the city! That solution is not very social. So other solutions must be looked at. A bicycle helmet is already a step in the right direction.
30 km/h roads are the deadliest
To come back to that maximum speed of 30 km/h. Ironically, these were the deadliest roads in 2022. Roads with these speed limits caused around 100 traffic deaths last year. An increase of 86 percent compared to the period 2019-2022. The biggest increase is among – there it is again – cyclists.
SWOV calls for action. Some ideas include a more secure infrastructure, protection of vulnerable road users and greater enforcement of safe traffic behavior.
Photo: Ferrari Cycling Holiday via @rietdekker
This article Most traffic victims on 30 km/h roads first appeared on Autoblog.nl.
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