The RADAR project was successfully presented at the 20th PA1b Steering Committee Group Meeting that was held online on June 2, 2020.

The agenda focused on connectivity and regional mobility, as well as on the possibilities of creating synergies that can result in a better embedment of EUSDR into future EU programs and policies. The questions, that highlighted the virtual EUSDR SG meeting was ‘What can Covid-19 teach us?’. The same question shaped the RADAR project presentation, which was presented by Lead Partner EIRA-EuroRAP representative, Olivera Rozi, Project Director.

Amidst the tragic coronavirus outbreak, we are forgetting that yet another health crisis has been silently going on for decades. The scale of the road safety problem puts the seriousness of the COVID-19 crisis in perspective. Although comparing the extent of suffering and death wrought by both horrific causes is horrendous, we cannot help but wonder what Covid-19 can teach us about mobility and how it can save lives as well as much future suffering.

Once the Covid-19 pandemic will be defeated, the accident pandemic is going to continue, and we really need to do something about that.

There are a couple of things we can do.

We need to implement a safe system: Five-star star drivers in five-star cars driving safe speed on five-star roads. As Rozi explained: “We need money to invest in improving road infrastructure and making it safer. We need knowledge. We need skills to improve safety on roads. We need tools to improve safety on infrastructure. We need political will.”

But mostly, we need to acknowledge the need to improve road infrastructure safety, declare change, and work for it.