Author: Ioannis Papadogiorgakis
A paper titled “Effectiveness of 30 km/h speed limit – A literature review” authored by George Yannis and Eva Michelaraki has been published in Journal of Safety Research. This study evaluates the impact of 30 km/h speed limits on road safety, emissions, fuel consumption, traffic flow, livability and public health. Results from 60 simulation studies and estimations demonstrated significant reductions of over 40% of road crash fatalities, alongside significant subsequent increase of active travelling (pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooters) and Public Transport passengers, as mobility conditions become more user friendly to the vulnerable road users. Such a high societal impact for such a small change in our habits. 
The Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT/CERTH) in cooperation with the Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers (HITE) are organizing the 12th International Congress on Transportation Research (ICTR 2025), which will take place on 16-18 October 2025 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The spotlight theme of the 2025 Congress is “Transportation in the era of Artificial Intelligence”. Researchers can submit their abstracts until 31 January 2025. 
The Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) organized with great success the 24th Road Safety Hackathon, which took place in Riga, Latvia, on November 15-17, 2024. This event aimed to collaborate, innovate and create solutions to improve road safety. Particular emphasis was given to vulnerable road users and accessibility, emergency response and medical care, sustainability, smart infrastructure and urban design and vehicle safety. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentations:
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentations:
The University of Twente together with TRAIL organized with great success the Cycling, Micromobility and Road Safety Seminar in Enschede, Netherlands on 1 November 2024. The primary focus of this seminar was to support micromoblility efforts toward safer roads across Europe. Experiences and lessons learned from across Europe were shared, identifying best practice which can address the changing patterns of micromobilty in the European cities. NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following presentation:
POLIS, the European Cities Network, has organized with great success the Safety and Security Working Group Meeting which was held online on 30 October 2024. The POLIS Safety and Security Working Group focused on the effectiveness of lower speed limits and Low-Traffic Neighborhoods in enhancing road safety. NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following presentation:
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has published a Position Paper titled “EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034 Funds for Road Safety“. In this paper, ETSC presents recommendations for funding for road safety initiatives within the next long-term EU budget, known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). These recommendations should support work towards meeting EU’s Vision Zero target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030, paving the way for safer roads across Europe.
The European Union Road Federation (ERF) has released the updated Recommendations for Sign Inspection. These guidelines provide the road community with important updated information on practices and technical recommendations to reduce roadside injuries and fatalities. The publication aligns with the EU’s Vision Zero goals, emphasizing the importance of safe infrastructure in accident prevention and injury mitigation.
The Horizon Europe research project IMPROVA has recently released the IMPROVA 1st Newsletter, which provides information on the latest outcomes of the EU-funded IMPROVA project focusing on enhancing road safety by addressing the complexities of long-term consequences (LTC) caused by road traffic accidents. With a commitment to improving the quality of life for all road users, IMPROVA goes beyond simply saving lives by focusing on understanding, quantifying, and mitigating the impact of LTC. The project also advances injury mitigation strategies to support the achievement of Vision Zero, aligned with the European Commission’s Transport and Mobility sector goals.
The International Transport Forum (ITF) has recently published a new Summary Report titled “Advancing Sustainable Mobility in Greece: Supporting SUMPs uptake“. This initiative supports Greek cities in developing and implementing Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) that focus on environmentally friendly and safe transport solutions, such as walking, cycling, and public transport. It offers Greek local authorities practical guidance and tools to optimize transport planning, ensuring safer and more sustainable urban mobility systems, in order to achieve climate neutrality by the year 2030.
A paper titled “Cost benefit analyst of reducing speed limits in Athens to 30 Km/h” authored by Stella Roussou, Virginia Petraki, Katerina Deliali, Armira Kontaxi and George Yannis has been published in Case Studies on Transport Policy. The study highlights the benefits of lowering speed limits in Athens from 50 km/h to 30 km/h, including a 30-40% reduction in traffic crashes and a 20-25% decrease in injury severity . Additionally, the policy could lead to lower by 10-15% CO2 emissions and improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. The overall benefits are projected to outweigh the costs by 3 to 5 times, making it a highly effective policy for safer, more sustainable urban mobility.
UNECE has introduced new Guidelines and Recommendations aimed at enhancing cycling networks and promoting cycling as a sustainable and safe mode of transportation. These Guidelines emphasize the need for well-connected cycling infrastructure and the integration of cycling into national transport systems. By prioritizing safer cycling routes, the Guidelines aim to achieve safer, healthier and more environmentally friendly urban and rural mobility. This initiative is expected to play a key role in shaping future transport policies across Europe.
The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) announced at the IRF World Congress 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey, the enhancement of the Star Rating for Designs (SR4D), a Tool that allows the safety of road designs to be measured before the commencement of civil works. Using the Tool, road engineers and designers can define a road’s geometry and code its features to obtain a globally recognised iRAP safety Star Rating, along with fatal and serious injury estimations, and safety investment plans to optimise safety.
Road Safety Support organized with great success the National Safer Roads Partnerships Conference which took place in Manchester, on 25-26 September 2024. Key topics discussed in this conference were science and technology within policing, a new way to measure traffic safety and road safety as a government priority. NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following key-note presentation:
