Today, ECF presented its vision on road safety for cyclists at a world congress on road safety in Morocco. In a room full of ministers, researchers, academics, policy makers and road safety practitioners,  ECF Secretary General, Bernhard Ensink, called on governments to invest more in cycling infrastructure.

“Cycling is not an unsafe mode of transport,” advised Ensink in his speech. 

“It causes less danger on the road than any other form of transport. Road safety is a global problem mainly due to individual motorized transport.”

Addressing government officials and a room of full of road safety professionals, Ensink made clear that bicycle friendly countries and cities have relatively low levels road fatalities.

According to figures from the OECD, the Netherlands and Denmark are amongst the top ten performers when it comes to road safety, and they also have the highest levels of cycling, (27% and 17% respectively). Car-centric United States performs poorly with roads more dangerous than Serbia and Poland.

Source: IRTAD Road Fatality Rankings (2010)

Cyclist in Marrakesh Credit: "Q..."

“If you increase cycling in your country or city you will increase the road safety for cyclists,” Ensink explained, before adding, “ the best way to ensure cycling safety is with infrastructure”.

“ECF was at the International Transport Forum last month calling on National Ministers of Transport to more invest more in cycling,” said Ensink, “Now I’m calling on the Moroccan Minister of transport, an observer of the ITF, to do the same! Please invest in cycling and safer cycling infrastructure for the Moroccan people!”

With 4,200 people killed in traffic accidents in 2011, getting more cyclists into the transport mix would also be a huge help for Morocco.

Further Reading

• ECF's Road Safety Charter
• Bernhard Ensink's Presentation at the 12th PRI conference on Road Safety (Text & Powerpoint)
• ECF's Road Safety Advocacy Page

About the Author

Founded in 1983, the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) is the umbrella federation of the national cyclists’ associations in Europe, reinforced by similar organisations from other parts of the world. ECF seeks to change attitudes, policies and budget allocations at the European level. ECF stimulates and organises the exchange of information and expertise on bicycle related transport policies and strategies as well as the work of the cyclists’ movement.