Reducing road accidents in cities: What citizens can do

Road safety in urban environments is a responsibility shared by the entire community. While institutions are tasked with planning infrastructure and regulations, every citizen can actively contribute to reducing road accidents.

It’s not just about following laws and rules: real prevention comes through the daily actions of those who live and move around the city, from the choice of means of transport to how it’s used, from paying attention to other road users to reporting potential hazards.

Road safety starts with everyday behavior

Every time we move around the city—on foot, by bicycle, or by car—we have the responsibility to do so safely and consciously. This means respecting the rules of the road code and adopting an attentive and respectful attitude towards others.

The numbers speak for themselves

The data is clear: according to the 2024 ISTAT Italian Statistical Yearbook, in 2022, 73.1% of road accidents occurred on urban roads, highlighting the importance of focusing efforts on safety in city environments.

Road intersections are the most critical points in urban traffic. The most frequent accidents are head-on/side collisions (34.4%) and rear-end collisions (20.6%), often caused by failure to yield, speeding, or distraction

More aware citizens in safer cities

Road safety is built through widespread and shared responsibility. This means it’s vital to be aware not only of your own behavior but also of the impact it has on others.

Being an aware citizen means:

• Paying attention to your surroundingswhile moving;
• Anticipating potential dangersand acting preventively;
• Being readyto intervene or report risky situations.

The combination of these daily actions helps build a more efficient and safer urban mobility system.

What every citizen can do to reduce road accidents

There are several concrete actions that can make a real difference in preventing urban road accidents.

Respect speed limits, even on secondary roads

Speed is a key factor in urban accidents: reducing speed, even slightly, can significantly decrease both the likelihood of accidents and the severity of their consequences.

Special attention should be paid in the following situations:

• 30 km/h zones: these areas are designed to ensure safe coexistence among vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians;
• residential areas: where children playing or elderly people crossing require especially cautious driving;
• roads near schools and parks: in these places, slowing down is essential to ensure adequate reaction times.

Report hazardous spots to the municipality

Active collaboration with local authorities is essential to improve road safety. Every citizen can act as a “watchdog” for their neighborhood, reporting potentially dangerous situations.

It’s possible and important to report:

• Intersections with limited visibility: where obstacles or road layout make it hard to see other vehicles or pedestrians;
• Damaged or missing signage: illegible signs, malfunctioning traffic lights, or faded pedestrian crossings can cause confusion and danger;
• Broken or damaged road mirrors: crucial for visibility at exits or blind corners;
• Insufficient lighting: dark streets increase the risk of accidents, especially for pedestrians and cyclists.

This kind of active participation helps administrations intervene promptly while also fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility in managing urban safety.

Promote visibility: lights, clothing, attention

Being visible and seeing others can make the difference between a safe journey and a potential accident. Here are some essential practices to adopt:

• for pedestrians and cyclists: wear reflective clothing and accessories during evening hours to be more visible to other road users;
• for vehicles: keep lighting systems in good working order and use headlights appropriately, especially in low-visibility conditions;
• in case of emergency stops: properly place the warning triangle to signal your presence to other vehicles.

In adverse weather conditions such as rain, fog, or snow, it’s crucial to increase your visibility by using lights even during the day.

Spreading a culture of respect

Promoting a culture of respect on the road means adopting and encouraging respectful behaviors that should become standard practice, including:

• staying focused on the road, avoiding distractions like using your phone;
• respecting rights of way and signageto create a predictable and safe traffic flow;
• properly using safety devices, such as seat belts, child seats, and helmets.

Promoting these behaviors means sharing good practices through personal example and constructive dialogue with friends, family, and colleagues.

Safer neighborhoods thanks to smart technologies

Technological innovation, through smart devices and monitoring systems, offers concrete solutions to improve urban road safety, supporting the joint efforts of citizens and local authorities.

Safe Join: When technology supports safety

Safe Join represents a significant evolution of traditional road mirrors thanks to an innovative anti-fog and anti-freeze system that guarantees constant visibility in any weather conditions.

This technology was developed specifically to improve safety in critical urban contexts, such as intersections with limited visibility, blind curves, and maneuvering areas with tight spaces.

The ability to maintain a clear view, regardless of weather conditions, makes Safe Join an effective tool for preventing accidents at the most critical points in urban traffic, where compromised visibility often represents a significant risk factor.

How citizens can propose it in their municipality

The request for installation of Safe Join can be submitted by citizens through various official channels. To do so, you need to submit a formal request to the technical office of your municipality with detailed documentation highlighting the critical points in the area concerned.

The request process may vary depending on local administrative procedures. For this reason, it’s always advisable to consult the official website of your municipality to check the specific procedures for submitting your request.

Road safety is a shared responsibility

The challenge of reducing road accidents requires collaboration from everyone: institutions, businesses, and citizens. Local administrations plan and implement road safety infrastructure; the private sector contributes with innovative technological solutions; and citizens play a key role by adopting responsible behaviors.

In this integrated system, every action has a significant impact on collective safety: collaboration among all stakeholders is essential to create a safer and more livable road environment for the entire community.

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