A European analysis of the Road Injuries Management System with regard to the social and economic impact of emergency and post-injuries services on national finances and households
In the last years, more than 35.000 people died on the roads of the European Union and no fewer than 1.500.000 persons were injured. Accidents remain the most important category of external costs of transport in Europe: 2.5–3.0% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 17 Member States. Their financial strain on affected families is also significant. The need of data in this field is urgent to advocate and motivate policy-makers to action. MERCURIO project aims at performing an accurate and scientifically based analysis of the social and economic impact of road injuries in the immediate and long-term, assessing, through focused research activities, the related costs they place on public finances and households. MERCURIO will contribute to the definition of evidence-based and cost-efficient measures to improve emergency and post-injuries services. Research findings will be published and disseminated to involved stakeholders at national and European level.
Road safety is a critical public policy issue. Good data are needed to raise awareness about the magnitude of road traffic injuries’ impact on public and private economies and to motivate policy-makers to action under the EU’s objective of halving the overall number of road deaths in the European Union by 2020.
In line with the call and to support the Commission in the setting-up of a global strategy of action, MERCURIO general objective will be to contribute to the definition of scientifically-based and cost-efficient measures to be taken at national level to improve emergency and post-injuries services under Objective 6 of the EU Policy Orientations on Road Safety 2011-2020.
Therefore, MERCURIO addresses stakeholders involved in the management of post-crashes or affected by the costs generated by it, such as: policy-makers in the field of road safety and health, police forces, fire brigades, law courts, insurance companies, injured people and their families, and other actors identified though research activities.
MERCURIO general objective will be achieved through a set of related specific objectives complementary one to each other:
• To outline and understand the Road Injuries Management System (RIMS) in the EU and especially in the participating countries (Italy, Hungary, France, Austria, and Czech Republic), by performing a desk review of updated data and statistics.
• To assess the social and economic impact of road injuries, with special regard to emergency and post-injuries services, on households and on national finances in participating countries, through the implementation of a scientifically validated methodology of data collection and analysis and the consultation of direct sources.
• To raise awareness, commitment and informed decision-making at all levels in road injuries management and especially in post-crash services, by disseminating to EU Member States’ authorities MERCURIO’s findings, through their publication and the organization of seminars in the participating countries.
For more information, please visit: www.mercurio-project.eu
