The Transportation Research Board (TRB) organised with great success the 104th Annual Meeting, which was held in Washington DC, on 5-9 January 2025. More than 13.000 transportation experts were gathered around more than 600 workshops, thousand of innovative presentations and vivid discussions in view of unlocking the future mobility and transport in the era of Artificial Intelligence. 
NTUA actively contributed with the following road safety papers and presentations:
NTUA actively contributed with the following road safety papers and presentations:
Review of the effectiveness of city-wide 30 km/h speed limit- Review of 30 km/h speed limit benefits in Europe
Safety contributing factors analysis of elderly vulnerable road users: global and local perspectives- The traffic behavior of pedestrians with mild Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment in urban areas, and its neuropsychological predictors
- Identifying Crucial Indicators of Task Complexity and Coping Capacity Associated with Crash Risk through Machine Learning Techniques: A Comparative Study using On-Road and Simulator Data
- Interactions among Road, Vehicle and Driver Risk Factors for the Identification of Safety Tolerance Zone
- Validation Analysis of Traffic Simulation Safety Metrics with Real-World Crash Data
- Unsafe Traffic Events and Crash Occurrences: The Importance of Exploring Their Relationship Using Smartphone App Data
- Examining the Impact of Feedback on Traffic and Safety Behavior of Car Drivers in a Naturalistic Driving Study
- Detection of dangerous driving behaviour using machine learning techniques and big data
- AI-Driven Framework for Real-Time Prediction of Microscopic and Macroscopic Driving Risk Using Holistic Data
- Speed Impact on Interchange Ramps
- Assessing Aquaplaning Thresholds through Critical Vehicle and Freeway Geometric Parameters
- Driving Radius Impact on Interchange Ramps
This year we followed our dreams, promoting intensively road safety scientific excellence and safer mobility everywhere and for all, including also our major campaign for city-wide 30km/h speed limits; the new catalyzer for saving so many lives with so little change in our habits.
At mid-way to the decade -50% target, we need to further strengthen our individual and collective efforts to sincerely include traffic safety into the mobility agenda and persist in implementing the vision zero traffic fatalities.
We thank you all for the excellent cooperation and we are sending you our very best wishes for Merry Christmas and a Very Lucky New Year, full of personal and professional achievements. 
At a recent “Travelling Differently Podcast“, NTUA Professor George Yannis emphasized the necessity of city-wide 30km/h speed limits, highlighting significant safety benefits. He referred to several analyses data demonstrating that European cities implementing this measure have achieved an average 37% reduction in road fatalities. The importance of protecting vulnerable road users was highlighted, noting that the 30km/h speeds limits not only enhance road safety but also promotes walking, cycling and public transport. The need for a shift from policy intentions to concrete actions was emphasized, with focus on the role of Authorities in driving societal change. Professor George Yannis also pointed to the over-dependence on private cars in Greece, describing urban roads as “passenger car warehouses”. Particular emphasis should be given on the need to reimagine urban mobility, with the city-wide 30km/h speed limit identified as a unique pivotal measure for fostering safer and more sustainable cities. The full article and the related audio-podcast are now available. 
DRI investment management in cooperation with the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG) and the Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering (FGG) are organizing the 12th International Conference on Bearing Capacity of Roads, Railways, and Airfields (12 BCRRA 2026) which will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia on 22-24 June 2026. The main objective of this conference is to promote efficient design, construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure by addressing issues related to bearing capacity problems of roads, railways and airfields. Researchers can submit their abstracts until 24 March 2025.
The MobiLab Transport Research Group of the University of Luxembourg together with the EEE ITSS Benelux Chapter are organizing the 9th International Conference on Models and Technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems (MT-ITS 2025) which will be held in Luxembourg on 8-10 September 2025. This conference is a unique event where academia and practice meet and exchange ideas and results. Researchers can submit their abstracts until 1 March 2025.
A paper titled Explainable macroscopic and microscopic influences of COVID-19 on naturalistic driver aggressiveness derived from telematics through SHAP values of SVM and XGBoost algorithms authored by Apostolos Ziakopoulos, Marios Sekadakis, Christos Katrakazas, Marianthi Kallidoni, Eva Michelaraki and George Yannis has been published in Journal of Safety Research. This study aims to quantify the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on driver behavior as expressed by harsh accelerations (HA) measured from over 35,5000 naturalistic driving trips by smartphone telematics data using advanced machine learning algorithms, including SVM and XGBoost, combined with SHAP values. Key findings indicate that high speeding, total trip distance, and trip duration are associated with increased HA counts. Drivers perform more HAs on speeds between 30–50 km/h, while after 50 km/h, the contributions of speed lead to fewer HAs. Pandemic measurements were more influential on HA counts compared to policy measures taken by the state. 
The European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures (ASECAP) together with APCAP are organizing the 17th ASECAP Road Safety Conference which will be held in Cascais, Portugal on 11 March 2025. This conference will address critical topics shaping the future of road safety, including ghost drivers, measures to prevent staff accidents and enhance their safety, lifesaving chain and how innovation, C-ITS and AI can help to reach vision zero accident.
CRC Press has recently published a book written by Peter Sweatman titled “Approaches to Road Safety: Evolution, Challenges, and Emerging Technologies”. It examines the evolution of safety practices, explores the role of emerging technologies such as connected and automated vehicles in achieving safer roads and highlights ongoing challenges in reducing traffic injuries and fatalities, including the strategies of Vision Zero and the safe system. Offering valuable insights, this book will appeal to professionals in the fields of safety, human factors, the automotive industry, traffic control, vehicle standards and regulations, transportation systems and road safety policy.
A new book titled Using Artificial Intelligence to Solve Transportation Problems edited by Aleksander Sładkowski has been recently published. This book offers a comprehensive exploration of AI and digitalization solutions for diverse transportation challenges. The monograph examines various problems in the transport industry that find their solutions using AI, from fully autonomous vehicles to the use of AI as an assistant in solving logistics problems, using different approaches that exist in different countries, with different levels of economic development or well-being of the population. NTUA actively contributed with the following chapter, co-authored by Apostolos Ziakopoulos and George Yannis:
The Horizon Europe research project metaCCAZE has recently released the metaCCAZE 2nd Newsletter, which provides information on the latest outcomes of the EU-funded metaCCAZE project aiming to accelerate the deployment of smart systems that combine electric, automated and connected technologies and infrastructure, enabling zero-emission shared mobility services for both passengers and goods in European cities. Celebrating its first anniversary, metaCCAZE has made significant strides in its mission. The newsletter highlights the advancements in the four Trailblazer Cities—Amsterdam, Munich, Limassol, and Tampere—as they develop and implement innovative mobility solutions. These cities serve as pioneers in adopting and testing the project’s MetaInnovations toolkit. In addition to the Trailblazer Cities, six Follower Cities—Athens, Krakow, Gonzo, Milan, Miskolc, and the Paris region—are actively participating in the project. They are preparing to implement and demonstrate successful use cases and MetaInnovations, facilitating the transfer of knowledge and best practices across Europe. The newsletter also announces an Open Call for metaCCAZE Observer Cities, inviting additional municipalities to join the initiative. This expansion aims to broaden the project’s impact, fostering a collaborative environment for cities to share experiences and strategies in advancing zero-emission shared mobility services.
The Horizon 2020 research project PHOEBE has recently released the PHOEBE 4th Newsletter, which provides information on the latest outcomes of the EU-funded ‘Predictive Approaches for Safer Urban Environment’ (PHOEBE) project aiming to increase the road safety of vulnerable road users, especially those who use active mobility and e-scooters. Special focus was given to the recent PHOEBE Consortium Meeting in Valencia, in which the Community of Practice received a dedicated full day of activities, exchanging research and application experiences between its members and project participants. In addition, the Road Risk Workshop with stakeholders from West Midlands took place, which brought together key road safety stakeholders and served as a showcase of several tools and datasets that are currently available for understanding road risk in the West Midlands. Various upcoming 2025 events were also identified as appropriate for the dissemination activities of the project, including the TRB Annual Meeting, the RTR Conference and the Road Safety Conference on 5 Continents.
The Male and Female Road Users Thematic Report of the E-Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published, as prepared by the Université Gustave Eiffel, with the support of of NTUA. This report explores gender-based differences in self-declared risky behaviors, risk perception, and support for road safety policies across 39 countries. Results indicate that men engage more frequently in risky behaviors compared to women, while women exhibit higher support for road safety policies and greater risk perception. Notably, gender differences are less pronounced among cyclists and motorcyclists compared to car drivers.
The Cyclists Thematic Report of the E-Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published, as prepared by DTU, with the support of of NTUA. The report provides comprehensive insights into the frequency of cycling, infrastructure usage, and self-declared safety behaviors among cyclists in 39 countries. Key findings indicate that the Netherlands and Denmark lead in frequent bicycle use, while cycling without a helmet and listening to music are the most common risky behaviors. Recommendations include improving cycling infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, and encouraging helmet use among male cyclists.
The Support for policy measures and enforcement Thematic Report of the E-Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published, as prepared by SWOV, with the support of NTUA. This report analyzes public support for key road safety measures (e.g., drink-driving policies, speed limits, helmet mandates) and the perceived and actual enforcement of road safety laws. Results reveal strong regional variations, with higher support for helmet use and alcohol interlocks in America8 and AsiaOceania6. Results indicate that gender and age disparities influence attitudes towards these policies significantly.
The Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, drugs or medication Thematic Report of the E-Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published, as prepared by VIAS Institute, with the support of NTUA. The report provides a detailed analysis of self-declared behaviors, perceived acceptability, and attitudes towards impaired driving across 39 countries in Europe, America, and Asia-Oceania. Key findings show notable differences between regions, with higher self-declared DUI rates in Luxembourg, Thailand and Mexico, while countries like Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Japan report the lowest rates. The report also highlights the role of enforcement perception and the need for improved DUI countermeasures.
Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety has been awarded the prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award 2024 as recognition for its Accountability Toolkit, developed with the active contribution of NTUA. This Accountability Toolkit is an innovative product that equips NGOs to help their governments fulfill their accountability for reducing road deaths and injuries and the 2030 targets. The Toolkit is a practical resource for NGOs and other civil society advocates and is underpinned by five Priority Interventions that have been proven to be among the most effective in reducing road deaths and injuries.
The International Transport Forum (ITF) has recently published a new Report titled “Measuring New Mobility: Case Studies and Best Practices“. The Report features case studies from various countries, focusing on new mobility services such as ride-sharing, micro-mobility, and autonomous vehicles. Key findings emphasize the importance of robust data collection and analysis methods to assess the safety, efficiency, and environmental impacts of these services. The report provides recommendations for policymakers to design effective frameworks for integrating new mobility into existing transport systems.
ChiGreece together with Greek SIGCHI organized with great success the ACM GreekCHI Symposium 2024 which was held online, on December 7 2024. This conference focused on the theme “Designing for a Better World” and brought together researchers, professionals, and students from academia and industry to explore how Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and usability principles can foster inclusive, user-friendly designs. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
The European Association for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion (EuroSafe) in cooperation with the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) and LaHeRS are organizing the EU-Safety 2025 Conference which will take place in Heraklion, Greece on 1-2 October 2025. This conference aims to strengthen the field of injury prevention and safety promotion in Europe by facilitating the exchange of scientific knowledge and enabling networking opportuni10ties for researchers, safety organisations and academics.
The European Council has recently adopted the negotiating position on driving disqualifications in order to improve road safety in the EU aimed at improving road safety through the mutual recognition of driving disqualifications across EU member states. This initiative focuses on strengthening enforcement measures for serious traffic offenses, such as speeding, driving under the influence, and dangerous driving, ensuring that penalties are upheld across borders. The proposed rules aim to enhance road safety by closing legal gaps that allow offenders to evade penalties when driving in other EU countries.
