Today is EDWARD Day, or European Day Without A Road Death.

The initiative has been devised by TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, with the aim of improving road safety, not just on 21 September, but every day.

TISPOL has highlighted that road traffic statistics paint a mixed picture of progress in reducing deaths and serious injuries on Europe’s roads. For the first few years of this decade, countries across the EU have been successful in pursuing the 2020 50 per cent reduction target. But the arrival of a second successive year of disappointing news shows that this downward trend has stagnated.

Brake, the road safety charity, is one of many organisations supporting Project EDWARD.

Alice Bailey, campaigns advisor for Brake, said: “Striving for zero road deaths is an ambitious but necessary long-term target. Preventable crashes tear apart families and communities and we should not accept any number. We must also acknowledge that the traffic causing these tragedies is a major contributor to carbon emissions, affecting the well-being and health of individuals and the planet. We should aspire to a world where governments, communities and companies work together to achieve zero road deaths and serious injuries, and streets that can be used without fear.â€

Project EDWARD is supported by all 30 members of TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, and will highlight all work being done by organisations to try and halve the number of road deaths in the EU by 2020.

With driver behaviour remaining the most important barrier to progress, Project EDWARD encourages all road users to reflect on their behaviour and attitude and sign a road safety pledge.

Below are a few examples from the pledge:

  • Remind my family, friends and colleagues to take extra care on the roads
  • Drive at speeds that are both legal and safe
  • Look as far ahead as possible and not tailgate other drivers
  • Not use my mobile phone while driving
  • Set a good example to my passengers by driving calmly and safely

Whether you represent a national government, a private organisation, a public agency, a charity, a school, college or university, or whether you simply care as an individual, you can make the pledge to support Project EDWARD, and play your role in improving road safety.

Click here to make the pledge.