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Dutch roads second safest in Europe

fortuner
- 10421 posts
December 30, 2010 6:17:13 PM CET

Dutch roads second safest in Europe

Dutch road safety ranks second in Europe, according to a report by the European Commission and the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

Last year, an average 39 people died per one million inhabitants. With 38 deaths, the United Kingdom has Europe's safest roads.

The average figure across the European Union is 69 deaths.

The most dangerous roads are those in Romania and Greece, with 130 deaths per one million inhabitants, followed by Poland (120), Bulgaria (118) and Latvia (112).

Most of those killed are passengers, followed by pedestrians (20 percent), motorcyclist (14 percent) and cylclists (6,6 percent).

On the whole, road safety in Europe has improved.

Since 2001, the number of traffic accidents has fallen by 21 percent.

The number of deaths has dropped by 36 percent, with a total 34,500 road deaths in 2009.
http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/dutch-r...d-safest-europe
--
Of course they're joking, right?

Over the years I've found the drivers in this country to be appauling... I can guarantee that every time I go out that I'll come across a stupid idiot driving recklessly, how we don't have more accidents than is being alleged I really don't know, but safe! It is not...
pepec
- 2359 posts
December 30, 2010 8:28:35 PM CET

No they are not joking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...ated_death_rate
And I disagree that Dutch are bad drivers. At least compared with what I have seen in other countries. And sometimes I have a feeling people judge Dutch traffic without knowing that some rules are different.
Read for example this:
http://community.expatica.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=843889
BT going on and on and on about how rules that are the same on continental Europe are wrong simply because they are different in the UK.
fortuner
- 10421 posts
December 30, 2010 9:47:47 PM CET

pepec (Dec 30 2010, 07:28 PM) said: > original post
No they are not joking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...ated_death_rate
And I disagree that Dutch are bad drivers. At least compared with what I have seen in other countries. And sometimes I have a feeling people judge Dutch traffic without knowing that some rules are different.
Read for example this:
http://community.expatica.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=843889
BT going on and on and on about how rules that are the same on continental Europe are wrong simply because they are different in the UK.

Just because the statistics say that not that many are killed in road accidents doesn't mean it's safe or safer... I wasn't comparing to other countries, I'm sure every country has bad drivers in various forms, just that in my experience, I'm appalled far more here than anywhere else I've driven. Even Bangkok of all places. I still hope to get a dash cam one day...
And I wasn't talking about road rules being different either... my experiences are mostly based on driving on the motorway, where the rules are pretty standard everywhere.
pepec
- 2359 posts
December 30, 2010 9:53:29 PM CET

OK. Still I rarely experience bad driving here. Unlike for example Belgium, where the standard of driving is truly appaling. As is reflected in the death toll on the roads there.

wesleynl (Dec 30 2010, 08:47 PM) said: > original post
Just because the statistics say that not that many are killed in road accidents doesn't mean it's safe or safer...

Disagree, I belief it does. Just like statistics show that not many people die in plane crashes, and thus flying is safe. Not many people die in road accidents in the Netherlans, so relatively speaking the traffic here is quite safe.
fortuner
- 10421 posts
December 30, 2010 10:47:20 PM CET

pepec (Dec 30 2010, 08:53 PM) said: > original post
OK. Still I rarely experience bad driving here. Unlike for example Belgium, where the standard of driving is truly appaling. As is reflected in the death toll on the roads there.

Try driving round the A10...

pepec (Dec 30 2010, 08:53 PM) said: > original post
Disagree, I belief it does. Just like statistics show that not many people die in plane crashes, and thus flying is safe. Not many people die in road accidents in the Netherlans, so relatively speaking the traffic here is quite safe.

You belief or believe.
Yes, but you're not likely to see pilots flying their planes recklessly...
pepec
- 2359 posts
December 30, 2010 10:57:37 PM CET

wesleynl (Dec 30 2010, 09:47 PM) said: > original post
Try driving round the A10...

Is that the Ring? I try to avoid Amsterdam. But it can't be worse then the Antwerp Ring. Antwerp is a nicer city though.
fortuner
- 10421 posts
December 30, 2010 11:20:39 PM CET

pepec (Dec 30 2010, 09:57 PM) said: > original post
Is that the Ring? I try to avoid Amsterdam. But it can't be worse then the Antwerp Ring. Antwerp is a nicer city though.

Yes, it is. You're lucky, I'd avoid Amsterdam if I could, by car anyway, but as my partner has business there, unfortunately, I can't.

Oh, yeah. I've been round the Antwerp ring a few times in the past, on the way driving from UK to the Netherlands and I can concur, it is a nightmare, traffic jam wise anyway. Bit like the M25 around London. There have been many a joke about it being the biggest car park in Europe...
cloggieking
December 31, 2010 9:04:06 PM CET

Considering there is a major hospital within about a 15 minute drive by ambulance pretty much everywhere and Dutch paramedics are very well educated, much better than IE American paramedics.
Then take into account the traffic-jams and high standards in the drivers license department.
nettyporthole
- 10 posts
December 31, 2010 9:28:06 PM CET

I'm really surprised by this, mainly because in the three months I've been here, I've nearly killed myslef three times already trying to cross the road. My little brain can't co-ordinate all the trams, bikes, and cars all at once. Additionally the road crossing moves every time I go out as they are redoing the tram line in Scheveningen!
vrrrespa
- 106 posts
January 4, 2011 4:09:55 PM CET

nettyporthole (Dec 31 2010, 08:28 PM) said: > original post
I'm really surprised by this, mainly because in the three months I've been here, I've nearly killed myslef three times already trying to cross the road. My little brain can't co-ordinate all the trams, bikes, and cars all at once. Additionally the road crossing moves every time I go out as they are redoing the tram line in Scheveningen!

pretty decent for a busy urban area! try commuting around rome f.e. !!

had to get used to the motorbikes crossing lanes during traffic jams but one gets used to that...
qed
- 42 posts
January 17, 2011 11:35:54 PM CET

Doesn't stop nutters like him from driving in the wrong direction on the highway.

http://www.gelderlander.nl/algemeen/dgbinn...-aanrijding.ece

Apparently, the bugger dileberately drove in the wrong direction. He eventually collided with another vehicle and killed both himself and the other motorist ...
fortuner
- 10421 posts
January 18, 2011 1:56:59 AM CET

qed (Jan 17 2011, 10:35 PM) said: > original post
Doesn't stop nutters like him from driving in the wrong direction on the highway.

http://www.gelderlander.nl/algemeen/dgbinn...-aanrijding.ece

Apparently, the bugger dileberately drove in the wrong direction. He eventually collided with another vehicle and killed both himself and the other motorist ...
qed
- 42 posts
January 18, 2011 1:06:27 PM CET

wesleynl (Jan 17 2011, 11:56 PM) said: > original post

not just but also . He could have just drove his car into a ditch ... or canal or pond. There are enough of those between Oss and Herpen ...
fortuner
- 10421 posts
January 18, 2011 9:03:33 PM CET

qed (Jan 18 2011, 12:06 PM) said: > original post
not just but also . He could have just drove his car into a ditch ... or canal or pond. There are enough of those between Oss and Herpen ...

Yes, there are many ways to kill oneself. Horrible that he should take others with him...
porkchop
- 696 posts
June 29, 2011 1:54:20 AM CEST

Wherever it happens it's a barely conscionable act of suicide, I mean turn out the lights by all means but don't take someone else with you...
akw
- 62 posts
October 2, 2011 6:03:05 PM CEST

http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/dutch-news/netherlands-has-the-worst-traffic-jams_107888.html

Netherlands has the worst traffic jams RNW

An international report on traffic has revealed that the western conurbation in the Netherlands, known as the Randstad, plus the eastern city of Arnhem, are the most congested regions in Europe. Motorists in the Netherlands waste around 65 hours in traffic jams every year.

The worst time to travel on Dutch motorways is Tuesday afternoon between 5 and 6 o'clock. And the worst city to be in at that time is Amsterdam. The capital also heads the top ten list of worst bottlenecks, the northern ring road being most congested of all.

Inrix, an international supplier of traffic information and research, published its survey of traffic conditions in a large number of European cities on Wednesday. The survey pays particular attention to congestion in the Netherlands.

According to
© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
korrok
- 572 posts
October 3, 2011 10:29:43 AM CEST

I know for sure I see a lot of horrible driving here. I used to drive in the UK...in Hertfordshire and surrounding areas, and London. It never phased me. Here I think to myself, I would be scared to drive just because of all these morons!

My boyfriend's family has a few good examples in it too, esp his mum and his aunt leave me sitting white-knuckled. They don't so much drive recklessly, e.g. speeding or aggressive driving, they just sort of go "OOPS NEED TO MOVE" *pulls out in front of someone*...just not careful enough. And to think the family all compliment her on her good driving. :'(
papasutra
- 786 posts
October 4, 2011 10:44:30 AM CEST

Dutch driver's aren't necessarily bad driver's but definitely some of the rudest.

That said, I've noticed that when Dutch driver's are in other countries - more in Spain and France than Belgium and Germany - they're not as rude.

I have a theory. One is that Dutch driver's will fully and wholly cut you off if they feel they're in the right. God forbid you cross the street (by car, bike or foot) at an inopportune time. A Dutch driver will gladly speed up, rev their engine AND happily give you the crazy gesture while striving to make eye contact whilst driving by in utter disdain.

Oh and these Dutch stories about their traffic problems, their happiness levels (women and kids), their sense of fashion, their food, their entertainment and completely boring BN'ers, etc...all overly exaggerated
Deleted Member
- 7373 posts
October 4, 2011 11:12:00 AM CEST

This morning, Dutchie and I were on the bus, sitting just behind the driver, and it signaled after letting out somebody and started pulling out, when this car whips past it, cutting it off and stopping at the red light right in front of it. And THEN, the light turns green and the car sits there...and sits there...The bus driver honks to get it moving and it STILL sits there. Dutchie even started waving at it to get it moving!

FINALLY it moves...but when the bus pulls up alongside it at the next red, the woman glares at the bus, and gives it the finger!!!

Bat-shijte crazy, that's the only reason I can think of...
porkchop
- 696 posts
October 5, 2011 4:09:13 AM CEST

Standards of etiquette are falling every year and unfortunately road users are at the cutting edge (of rudeness and impatience) only difference is that cutting in front of someone with your supermarket trolley is annoying but in a car could be fatal...
Deleted Member
- 7373 posts
October 5, 2011 7:44:42 AM CEST

When we had a car, I was pretty calm on the highways...but in Belgium? Especially around Antwerp, I was white-knuckled...
Deleted Member
- 7373 posts
October 5, 2011 7:48:43 AM CEST

fortuner said:
With 38 deaths, the United Kingdom has Europe's safest roads.

Is that why their Traffic Cops shows, unlike Wegmisbruikers, rarely deals with actual traffic violations??
akw
- 62 posts
October 5, 2011 11:15:10 AM CEST

Press release, 18 April 2011 15:00
Traffic deaths down again from CBS

* 640 traffic deaths in 2010; 80 fewer than in 2009
* Fewer victims under 40 years of age in particular
* Largest decrease for people in cars and cyclists
* Slight rise in number of pedestrian deaths

According to figures released today by Statistics Netherlands and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, 640 people were killed in traffic accidents in the Netherlands in 2010. This is 11 percent fewer than the 720 deaths in 2009, and continues the downward trend observed in the last few years. The number of fatalities among people aged under 40 in particular decreased, as well as the number among cyclists and people in cars.

The number of traffic deaths among people aged under 40 was 247 in 2010. This is 20 percent down on twelve months previously. Within this age group the strongest decrease was for 15-19 year-olds. This is mainly because fewer of these youngsters were killed in cars (from 36 victims in 2009 to 19 in 2010). Victims in their twenties do still account for the largest number of traffic deaths, however: 114 in 2010.

Most of the decrease in the number of traffic deaths is accounted for by cyclists and car drivers and passengers. There were 50 fewer car deaths in 2010; at 246 this was 17 percent lower than in 2009. This group does account for most of traffic deaths however. The number of cyclists killed on Dutch roads fell from 185 in 2009 to 162 in 2010.

There was a notable slight rise in the number of pedestrians killed in 2010: 72 pedestrians died, of whom over 60 percent were aged 50 years or older. Pedestrians were the only group of road users for whom the number of deaths did not decrease.

People in the age group 15-29 years run a three times higher risk of being killed in traffic on a Friday or Saturday night than at other times in the week. This differential has even increased in the last four years. The number of traffic deaths on ‘clubbing’ nights has remained stable, while the number of victims in the rest of the week has decreased. For people aged 30 years and older, the difference in risk is smaller, and people aged of 45 years and older are even less likely to be killed on a Friday or Saturday night than in the rest of the week.

In 2010, 56 of the 640 people killed in traffic accidents were not registered in the Netherlands. These were tourists and people visiting the Netherlands for their work. The number of fatal victims in this group has been stable for years now.

The number of fatal casualties on Dutch roads has been decreasing since the mid-1970s, when more than 3 thousand people a year were killed in traffic accidents. In the mid-1970s it became compulsory to wear a seatbelt in the front seats of cars, and people on mopeds were required to wear a helmet. Since the year with the highest number of traffic deaths, 1972, the number of people killed yearly has fallen by 80 percent.
korrok
- 572 posts
October 5, 2011 3:36:24 PM CEST

I dare say it's because they've upped the price of a driver's license and keeping/running a car so much that there's fewer people (especially young people) on the roads to kill. ;)
pepec
- 2359 posts
October 5, 2011 6:44:00 PM CEST

Because heaven forbid that the Netherlands does well in some statistics. No we can't have that.