1 Road Safety – Young People – Finnish ApproachProject Strider International Road Safety Conference Zagreb 16th Nov 2016 Chief Superintendent Pasi Kemppainen National Police Board FINLAND Thank you for this opportunity to give you a flavour about the Finnish Road Safety work related to young drivers My back ground: 26½ years in Police public order, crime fighting, training, traffic Now in NPB responsible for international affairs, annual Road Policing operations, ILP, communication, training, implementation of RP model etc.

2 Content Background How to cope with the challenge ConclusionsRoad Safety Status in Finland Young people in the Road Safety Statistics How to cope with the challenge Case 1: Young People's Voice for Road Safety Case 2: Under 25 years old drink / drug drivers Case 3: "Stay sharp in Traffic" Conclusions

3 FINLAND in general 5,5 million inhabitants 3,85 million vehicles3,7 million driving licences Around novice driving licence holders annually Around young drivers Road network km in total of which km goverment roads km cities / municipalities streets

4 Finnish Police in briefAround employees of which around police officers 11 Police Departments including Traffic Police sector Traffic Police officers in total around 550 Public Order Police officers around 3 000 National Bureau of Investigations Police University College

5 European Road Safety chart, Road Fatality rates in 2014IN FINLAND: 226 Road Fatalities in 2014 Target in 2020 max. 136 fatalities From Oct 2015 to Oct fatalities

6 Young people: Personal Injury StatisticsAge 15, mopedist, 307 personal injuries Age 18, in saloon car, 198 personal injuries Personal injuries Moped Saloon car Age

7 Road Deaths and Injuries 2006-2015 (15-24 years old)Personal injuries Serious personal injuries Road Deaths Positive trend during the past years, except 2015 road deaths Young people (15-24) represents 12 % of driving licence holders, but: 33 % of injuries 20 % of road deaths Overpresented in the statistics young people represent 1/3 of total number of road injuries and 1/5 road deaths 4/5 of injured young people were men 4/5 of the road deaths occured outside the urban area

8 Road Deaths by road user groups (15-24 years)Saloon car passenger Saloon car driver Motor Cycle Moped Pedestrian Other Cyclist

9 Types of the accidents 15-24 years groupRunning out of the road Front on collissions Same driving directions Pedestrian collission Other Crossing driving directions

10 Saloon car driver deaths by age / 100 000 inhabitantsYoung people do take risks: 40 % intoxicated 67 % speeding / inappropriate speed errors in vehicle's manoeuvre errors in observing no seat belts older vehicles with worn tyres & other technical failures 64 % had traffic offence record usually on the road, which driver knows well After a couple of years the risk starts to decrease

12 Case 1 Young People's Voice for Road Safety (1)In 2014 many severe young people's road crashes Typical story behind: huge & stupid risks involved, social pressure in the vehicle and pressure from outside Minister of Transport, Mrs Paula Risikko, launched an initiative "Young People's Voice for Road Safety" Goals: involve young people themselves into the Road Safety work "Out of the box" –thinking Spread the word among their reference groups

13 Case 1 Young People's Voice for Road Safety (2)Police Finland

14 Case 1 Young People's Voice for Road Safety (3)The Ministry of Transport and Communications invited partners and 13 schools (around 40 pupil, student, teacher) to join in the "Young People Working for Traffic Safety project" 2 primary schools (7-12 years) 4 secondary schools (13-15 years) 3 high schools (16-19 years) 2 vocational schools (16-19 years) The partner schools undertook to participate in the project in school years 2014–2015 and 2015–2016. Schools were selected on purpose around Finland

15 Case 1 Young People's Voice for Road Safety (4)The young people involved in the project were called “traffic agents”. Teachers were also included in the project. The project organised joint events to discuss how traffic safety for young people could be improved. Young people were also consulted and included in the drafting of legislation (comprehensive reform of the Road Traffic Act and initiation of the driver training reform). 4 Plenary meetings several regional meetings several activities in the schools

16 Case 1 Young People's Voice for Road Safety (5)In these meetings Road Safety items discussions and works shops took place around various topics: mopeds, pedestrians, cyclists, usage of reflectors, helmets, content and process of the driving lessons, seat belts, speed, alcohol, drugs etc. New Traffic Law drafting is on the way  Traffic Agents will have their say in the process Proposals / Ideas: 16 years too young to start driving reflector use obligatory, designed in the clothes enhance the use of cyclists' helmet cycling license mopeds should drive in the middle of the lane digitalisation in driver training technology to monitor young people driving risk simulator in driver training

17 Case 1 Young People's Voice for Road Safety (6)

18 Case 1 Young People's Voice for Road Safety (7)

19 Case 1 Young People's Voice for Road Safety (8)The project was highly successful in achieving its objectives. The traffic agents’ commitment to the project and their capabilities for in-depth consideration of road safety issues exceeded expectations. The young people had the opportunity of gaining a comprehensive understanding of how the authorities work, how laws are crafted, and when the right moment for exerting influence is. The project revealed that young people are not as liberal in their opinions as we usually are tend to think From the legislation drafting point of view young people are involved in the future as well  permanent practise Effects on the Road Safety still to be seen as project ended May 2016

21 Case 2 Sober Road –project (2)Goal to improve processes when under 25 years old DUI- driver have been detected Police-Social Service – Public Prosecutor - Court Key action: Instant interference Usually DUI-offence only tip of the iceberg  They need Social Service's help. The sooner, the better. Idea to avoid recidivism and put person back to the track in their lives Does it work?

22 Case 2 Sober Road –project (3)Return back to 2014 level Compared : In total -31 % and in DUID cases -32 % At the same in FINLAND the same reduction has been -10 %

23 Case 3 "Stay Sharp in Traffic" (1)

24 Case 3 "Stay Sharp in Traffic" (2)The Finnish military national defence is based on the civic duty of military service Obligatory military service for around annually (up from 18 years) All conscripts attends into the Stay Sharp in Traffic – programme during the service Liikenneturva – The Central Organization for Traffic Safety in Finland, the Finnish Defence Forces and  The Soldiers’ Home Organization  carried out a joint campaign Stay sharp in traffic for young people who started their military service in 2009. Soldiers’ Home Organisation consists of 38 Soldiers’ Home Societies. Their voluntary workers sell coffee and other refreshments in all garrisons round the country. Conscripts spend a lot of their free time in the evenings at soldiers’ home. So it’s perfect place for campaigning. In addition to this; Males as target group The Soldiers' Home Organization

25 Case 3 "Stay Sharp in Traffic" (3)Experience from a young man seriously injured in drink driving crash (Live /DVD) Group discussions led by squad leaders Benefits of public traffic Fatique and bad weather conditions Drink driving Seat belts, speeding, social pressure Consideration of personal risks Campaigns in canteens and printed media 1= Didn't work at all 5= Worked very well

26 Case 3 "Stay Sharp in Traffic" (4)I believe discussion will take place later on I believe this has an effect on me as driver I believe this has an effect on me as passenger Clearly more than 50 % answers were at scale 3-5 (I agree in some degree, I agree and I strongly agree) and only little minority thought there is no influnce at all. Feedback from conscripts about the discussion sessions was very positive Feedback from conscripts about the effects about the discussion was promising

27 Conclusions A lot have been done, still young people are over presented in the road death and injury statistics In Jan – Aug 2016 better results with young drivers (number of road crashes Follow up in the governmental level ongoing (e.g. under 25 year DUI-drivers). Results indicates promising trend (-10%) up to >

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