Author: Konstantinos Kaselouris
POLIS, the European Cities Network, organised with great success the 2024 Annual Polis Conference, which took place in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, on 27-28 November 2024. The POLIS Annual Conference is Europe’s leading sustainable urban mobility event, providing an opportunity for cities and regions to showcase their transport achievements, including recent safety developments, to a large audience of mobility experts, practitioners, and decision-makers from both the public and private sector. Urban Road Safety is a key conference priority. 
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
The International Road Traffic Safety Analysis and Data (IRTAD) Group and the International Transport Forum (ITF) organised with great success the 38th Meeting which was hosted by VIA Traffic Solutions Software in s’-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, on 13-14 November 2024. In this meeting, the latest international road safety developments were discussed. Members and observers from many countries enriched the discussion aimed to help improve road safety across the globe. Particular emphasis was given to road safety data collection and analysis. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
The International Cooperation on Theories and Concepts in Traffic safety (ICTCT) together with the Traffic and Transportation Safety Lab of Delft University of Technology organized with great success the 36th Conference which was held in The Hague, Netherlands, on 17-18 October 2024. This conference with theme “Inclusive and interdisciplinary road safety research” served as a platform for global leaders, industry experts, academia and diverse public and private stakeholders to engage in insightful discussions and collaborative efforts. Particular emphasis was given to vulnerable road users, micromobility, road infrastructure design, innovative research methodologies and inclusive road safety policies. 
NTUA actively contributed with 2 presentations:
NTUA actively contributed with 2 presentations:
The International Road Federation (IRF) in cooperation with the Turkish Road Association organized with great success the IRF World Congress 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey, on 15-18 October 2024. This conference with theme “Connecting to Empower Mobility: Roads as Enablers of a Sustainable Future for All” served as a platform for global leaders, industry experts, academia, and diverse public and private stakeholders to engage in insightful discussions and collaborative efforts, addressing pivotal issues and exploring innovations within the road and mobility sectors.
NTUA actively contributed with 7 innovative presentations:
NTUA actively contributed with 7 innovative presentations:
Assessing the effectiveness of 30km/h speed limit in cities- Quantifying the impact of driver, vehicle and environment on crash risk using big data
- Exploring the Influencing Factors of Active Commuting Choices for Work-Related Trips: The Case of Athens
- Exploring the Relationship Between Unsafe Traffic Events and Crash Occurrences Using Smartphone App Data
- Enhancing cyclist safety: Predictive analysis of injury severity and advocacy for evidence-based interventions
- The ESRA initiative
- Key results on vulnerable road users’ performance and attitudes across 39 countries
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has published at the European Road Safety Observatory, the Powered Two-Wheelers Thematic Report which refers to the safety of moped riders and motorcyclists as vulnerable road users. This Thematic Report highlights the key risks associated to PTWs traffic, in terms of rider characteristics and behaviour, road infrastructure, traffic patterns and safety culture. Moreover, a series of specific countermeasures regarding safer road users, vehicles and roads are suggested in view of minimising both crash risk and severity.
The TRB ACS10 Standing Committee organised with great success the Quarterly Meeting on Transport Safety Management Systems which was held online, on 25 September 2024. The primary focus of this meeting was the impact of the impact of the 30 km/h speed limit in urban areas. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
The Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility Association (CCAM) has released the Quarterly Newsletter which provides information on the latest CCAM news aiming to create a more user-centered and inclusive mobility system, increasing road safety while reducing congestion and environmental footprint. Established in 2021, the international not-for-profit organisation CCAM Association represents the private side of the CCAM Partnership, bringing together 230 innovation stakeholders involved in the connected, cooperative and automated mobility field.
The Road Traffic Safety Agency (RTSA) of the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with several Serbian and international road safety Governmental, Academic and other organizations, is organising the 20th International Conference Road Safety in Local Communities (RSLC 2025) in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia, on 23-26 April 2025. The Conference was organized within the second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030) and the second national strategy for road safety (2023-2030) highlighting the significant changes in road safety regulations. Researchers can submit their abstracts until 25 November 2025.
The Horizon Europe research project metaCCAZE has recently released the metaCCAZE 1st 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. The potential of zero emission shared mobility solutions in real and diverse urban environments were tested in four Trailblazer Cities (i.e. Amsterdam, Munich, Limassol, Tampere).
The European Union Road Federation (ERF) has released the Road Statistics Yearbook 2024” with the active contribution of NTUA. As for many years, this publication provides the road community with important updated information on road transport sector and road infrastructure in Europe and beyond as an essential key element of the global mobility with one section focusing on road safety.
The European Commission published the latest figures on Road safety in the EU, showing that 20,400 people were killed in road crashes in 2023, a 1% decrease in relation to 2022. While the underlying long-term trend is downward (-10% compared to 2019), the current pace of decline falls short of the required 4.5% annual reduction needed to achieve the EU’s goal of halving road deaths by 2030. Preliminary figures for the first six months of 2024 indicate the number of deaths on EU roads has remained the same, compared with the same period in 2023.
A new book titled “Governance Recommendations from Innovative Interdisciplinary Collaborations” authored by Imre Keserű, Samyajit Basu, Marianne Ryghaug and Tomas Moe Skjølsvold has been recently published. This book supports the transformation towards a more sustainable mobility and logistics system through its interdisciplinary approach and by formulating concrete policy recommendations. NTUA actively contributed with the following chapter, co-authored by Virginia Petraki, Apostolos Ziakopoulos and George Yannis:
The Young and aging drivers Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report describes the self-declared behaviours and perceived acceptability (social and personal) related to driving while impaired, speeding, and distraction, among young and aging drivers. Key findings show that aging drivers (65-74) are less likely than younger drivers to engage in risky behaviours like impaired driving, speeding, or distracted driving, such as using a hand-held phone or reading messages.
The Speeding Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report describes the self-declared behaviour, acceptability, attitudes and support for policy measures regarding speeding. Factors associated with speeding per area and road type are also analysed. Furthermore, it includes comparisons among the participating countries as well as results in relation to age and gender.
The Infrastructure Thematic Report of the European Survey of Road Users’ Safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published with the active contribution of NTUA, containing a wealth of information on road safety in 39 countries across Europe, America and Asia-Oceania, based on the ESRA3 survey. This Thematic ESRA3 Report describes the use and the safety perception of infrastructure among different road users, including car drivers, moped riders and motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. Furthermore, it includes comparisons among the participating countries as well as results in relation to age and gender.
The Transportation Infrastructure Scientific Association of Italy (ASIT) in cooperation with the Order of Engineers of the Province of Naples organized with great success the Traffic Moderation Conference, which was held online, on 9 October 2024. This conference aims to provide an overview of the results of the most recent national and European experiences related to the implementation of the speed limit of 30km/h in urban areas and traffic moderation. NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following key-note presentation:
NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following key-note presentation:
The Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM) of the European Commission has recently delivered a set of Recommendations for the Commission’s mid-term review of the EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030. Special focus is given on active mobility and road safety for Vulnerable Road Users, for which key risk factors and a set of Recommendations for people who walk, cycle and use light electric vehicles, micromobility devices and powered two-wheelers, are being provided.
The European Commission with the active contribution of NTUA, SWOV and KFV has launched a Vulnerable Road Users promotion activity focusing on children, cyclists, pedestrians and Powered Two-Wheelers (mopeds and motorcycles). According to the new Reports from the European Road Safety Observatory, the high vulnerability of non-motorised road users in urban areas is highlighted, with a disproportionately high number of fatalities in these areas for children (46% of total fatalities) and pedestrians (73%), compared to the average for all road users (38%). Recommendations to reduce fatalities among vulnerable users, including infrastructure improvements, protective equipment and vehicle design are also provided.
NTUA Professor George Yannis has been awarded an Honorary Distinction during the Environmental Awards 2024, organised by Boussias events, held on 30 September 2024 in Athens. Professor George Yannis was awarded for his campaign promoting city-wide 30km/h speed limits in as many cities as possible worldwide, as a key policy for safer, healthier and greener cities, through his challenge of 30 Marathons in 30 months. These unique Awards highlight and reward good practices and initiatives for environmental protection and sustainability, as well as innovative “green” projects, technologies or programmes.
The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is organising the 26th International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory (ISTTT) which will be held in Munich, Germany, on 20-24 July 2026. The primary objective of ISTTT is to facilitate scientific discourse and collaboration by convening leading experts and promising young researchers. Researchers can submit their abstracts until 9 December 2024.
The Horizon 2020 research project SHOW (SHared automation Operating models for Worldwide adoption) final event was held with great success in Tampere, Finland, on 26 September 2024. SHOW has generated a wealth of knowledge by directly addressing the mobility needs of passengers and logistics clients. The SHOW Final Event took stock of all project achievements, with a look forward to how that knowledge can be applied and replicated by cities. 
NTUA actively contributed with the following key-note presentation:
NTUA actively contributed with the following key-note presentation:
The European Commission is making available within the European Road Safety Observatory, the Road Safety Atlas application, exploiting data from the CARE database, the EU database with disaggregate data. It is an application openly available with several detailed thematic maps on road fatalities and extended backround data available, including statistics per country and comparisons between countries. It provides a user-friendly interface to discover up to date road safety indicators for European countries.
The 24th International Walk21 Conference on Walking and Liveable Communities will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, on 14-18 October 2024. The future city needs to be able to adapt to transitions with smart urban design and new mobility solutions. Key topic areas that will be discussed concern pedestrian safety and include positive public space, inclusivity, investing in walking and good governance. Researchers can register until 14 October 2024.
The European Commission together with 2Zero, ERTRAC, CCAM and BATT4EU are organising the Road Transport Research Results Conference (RTR Conference) which will be held in Brussels, on 11-13 February 2025. For the past seven years, the RTR Conference has been a unique entry point into the achievements of EU-funded projects in road transport. Once again this year, participants will have the chance to learn about results and expected impacts of CINEA supported Horizon 2020 projects, and the next steps in key areas for road transport research.
The I-Sense Group of the Institute of Communications & Computer Systems (ICCS) organised with great success the “Hi Drive International Summer School 2024“, which was held in Athens, Greece, on 25-26 September 2024. This Summer School session with theme “Navigating the Future with Advanced and Safe Automated Driving” aims to delve deeper into the latest advancements, challenges, and opportunities in the dynamic field of Automated Driving (AD), which is a major component of road safety.
A paper titled “Detection of dangerous driving behaviour with wide-scale data from smart systems and machine learning techniques” authored by Hector Kamvoussioras, Thodoris Garefalakis, Eva Michelaraki, Christos Katrakazas and George Yannis has been published in Advances in Transportation Studies. Specifically, four classification models: Ridge Classifier (RC), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forests (RF), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) – were developed. These models were utilized to categorize driving behaviour into three defined levels of “Safety Tolerance Zone (STZ)”. The results revealed that the RF and XGBoost models achieved high accuracy, reaching 95% in prediction accuracy. By identifying the factors that influence risky driving behaviour, this framework offers valuable insights for guiding safety interventions , ultimately contributing to enhanced road safety. 
ERTICO and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) co-organised with great success the 30th ITS World Congress which was held in Dubai, on 16-20 September 2024, under the theme: “Mobility Driven by ITS”. ITS World Congress is the forum to make meaningful connections, experience inventive conference program presented by industry experts, and see cutting-edge technology in the Exhibit Hall. ITS World Congress allows the smart mobility community to come together to explore the deployment of intelligent transportation technologies that saves lives, improves mobility, promotes sustainability, and increases efficiency and productivity. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentations:
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentations:
- Exploring the benefits from 30 km/h speed limit to enhance urban sustainability
- Examining Factors Affecting Takeover Time in Automated Driving using Machine Learning Algorithms
- Enhancing Road Safety: Insights from Delivery Drivers’ Perspectives in Attica Region
- Investigation of the Impact of Eco-driving on Fuel Consumption Using Smartphone Data
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and the Unipolis Foundation organised with great success in the framework of the European Mobility Week, the City Flows 2024 event which was held in Trento, Italy, on 20 September 2024. This year’s hybrid event with theme “Shared public space” focused on the promotion of a space in which people, different transportation modes and activities should contribute to social equity, road safety, pollution reduction and improved quality of life. NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following presentation:
NTUA Professor George Yannis actively contributed with the following presentation:
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) in cooperation with the Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency organised with great success the PIN Talk “Improving the safety of vulnerable road users”, which was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 19 September 2024. This event focused on improving the safety of vulnerable road users. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) in cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of Transport and the Latvian Road Traffic Safety Directorate organised with great success the PIN Talk “Speed and improving the safety of vulnerable road users”, which was held in Riga, Latvia, on 11 September 2024. This event focused on speed and improving the safety of vulnerable road users. Invited guests from Greece, Lithuania and France also shared work that they have done nationally to this direction. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:
