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Road traffic safety issues lately receive great attention in all countries. Society, governmental authorities and international organisations are keenly interested in these issues. Therefore the European Commission, the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, as well as every country individually, make all efforts seeking the improvement of the road traffic safety. The White Paper of the European Commission approved in September 2001 underlines the objective of equalisation of fines, definition of additional means for securing road safety, implementation of new advanced technologies, and considerable reduction of casualties on the roads until the year 2010. This objective was reiteratively set by the Ministers of Transport of the European countries in the Verona Declaration adopted in October 2003. Seeking to save the lives of people on the roads and striving to implement the aims set by the Verona Declaration, Lithuania will make every effort for reaching the substantial progress in the field of road safety.
In Lithuania the policies of the road safety and reduction of the negative environmental impact of transport modes are formed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania. On 15 May 2002 the Traffic Safety Department was established in the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The aims of this Department are the following: formation and implementation of the policies of road traffic safety, transport of dangerous goods, reduction of negative environmental impact exercised by transport modes, prevention of crises, mobilisation and preparation of mobilisation reserve.
The Traffic Safety Department has two Divisions: the Division of Traffic Safety and the Division of Prevention of Extreme Situations.
Aiming at implementation of the set tasks the Department participates, according to its competence, in the preparation of draft legal projects, analyses legal acts of other countries and international organisations, and elaborates proposals on harmonisation of legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania with EU legal acts and corresponding regulations of international law. Also within its competence the Department prepares draft agreements, represents the Ministry abroad to foreign countries and international organisations, takes part in formation and implementation of policies of countries of the Baltic Sea Region, participates in elaboration and coordination of objective scientific programmes, arranges and controls their implementation, takes part in determination of requirements for vehicles/transport means, prepares road traffic safety programmes and controls their implementation, participates in setting qualification requirements for bus and motorcycle drivers, as well as the requirements and terms for driver training enterprises, coordinates the preparation work of draft documentation for the Traffic Safety Commission and controls the effectuation of adopted resolutions, and participates in educative activities.
TRAFFIC SAFETY
Rapid range of automobilisation growth and constantly increasing traffic intensity cause more and more problems in the field of traffic safety in Lithuania. Each member of the society is a traffic actor; therefore the traffic safety becomes a universal problem. Great accident rate in Lithuania is basically relating to the careless behaviour of driving people and people in streets and roads, as well as inadequate traffic organisation, poor road and vehicle conditions, etc. Also not everyone has assimilated the social awareness of traffic culture, principles of mutual respect and help to other persons.
With the aim to secure the traffic safety, the Ministry of Transport and Communications works together with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Health, municipalities, other state authorities, NGOs and scientific institutions.
The permanently operating Traffic Safety Commission monitors the implementation of the State policy in the field of traffic safety. The Commission approved by the Government consists of governmental/state administration and municipal administration bodies and representatives of NGOs.
Great influence on traffic safety in our country is exercised by the Road Traffic Safety Law of the Republic of Lithuania adopted in the year 2000. The main objective of this Law is to co-ordinate the work of all institutions responsible for the road traffic, as well as to regulate and enhance traffic safety on the automobile roads. For implementation of this Law, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania approved, by the Resolution of 8 July 2005, the State Programme of Road Traffic Safety for 2005-2010. The State Programme for Road Safety for 2005-2010 aims at providing conditions for targeted long-term improvement of road traffic safety, identifying and implementing measures to reduce road accident rates, and achieving the target set for the EU: to halve the number of road accident casualties by the year 2010.
The national targets are to reduce the number of casualties by 25% and the number of persons suffered at road accidents by 10% by the year 2008 (by 20% - by 2010).
The Programme also provides for improvement of driver training and examination, pedestrian and cyclists safety, traffic culture, education of traffic participants, and work of traffic control, medical aid and rescue services.
In the area of road infrastructure, causes of accidents in urban and rural road sections with highest accident rates are to be eliminated and a system of road safety audit is to be established.
In the area of improvement of vehicle safety, visibility of heavy-weight vehicles in the dark is to be improved. The system of control over technical inspection of vehicles needs improvement as well.
The programme will be funded from the state budget of the
Safe road traffic is influenced by many factors and components: traffic actor, vehicle, road and environment. The influence of these factors on traffic safety depends from the national economy, funds assigned, cultural level of the society and living standards. The demand for mobility grows in proportion with the growth of economy, with the increase of income of population. However the developing transport system increases the negative environmental impact, therefore the traffic safety issues as well as the problems of road congestion become more acute. These problems are solved integrally: by legal, administrative, engineering, educational means and by implementation of scientific research works.
The Lithuanian experience
Road deaths have been cut by 58% in Lithuania since 2001, the third best reduction in road deaths among EU countries.
Results have been achieved due to energized road control, constant traffic participant educative activity and improving road infrastructure. Social advertisement on traffic safety has been intensively performed on television, radio and field advertisement. Road infrastructure has been constantly audited, improved and renewed. To be more precise, Lithuania has tightened responsibility for immoral behavior on roads, i.e. license suspension for drink-driving from 0,4 mg/ml, for beginner drivers and professional drivers from 0,2 mg/ml and increased fines for speeding from more than 30 km/h as for starting drivers even license suspension. The practice has shown that administrative arrest for very dangerous violations such as repeated drink-driving or driving without having the license to drive has appeared to be very effective. That is a corporate result of all responsible institutions hard work and gives us inspiration for the future.
The Lithuanian people realize that road safety programme is being performed for traffic participants’ good and that this process is a necessity seeking to upgrade traffic safety level. We have recently run a survey in which we polled opinions regarding the introduction of a penalty point system and fixed speed cameras among other things. The society being reluctant to change their behaviour on roads wish the government to be strict concerning the road safety. In this regard, the next priorities seeking to improve driver behavior will be introducing the educative activity, improving legislations and infrastructure as well as seeking to provide fast and qualitative first aid.
According to the National traffic safety development programme 2011–2017, an Inter-institutional Action Plan 2012–2014 has been adopted, which involves major aims such as securing traffic participants’ education on safe traffic; and major tasks seeking to prepare traffic safety specialists, teachers and upgrade their qualification, to introduce infants’ traffic safety culture skills in education institutions, educate society and improve drivers’ training quality.
Lithuania main ambition is not more than 200 road deaths in 2017, that is not more than 60 fatalities per 1 million inhabitants. With these figures Lithuania would get into the list of the top 10 safest European Union countries. More than that, Lithuania has the zero vision, which foresees no fatalities and no non-fatal injuries on roads. We wish Lithuania to be a safe and friendly country for its citizens and guests.
Road and Civil Aviation Department Traffic Safety Division
Reduction of negative impact on the environment
Development of transport system ensures the welfare of present and future generations; it influences free movement of goods, rational consumption of energy, however it also exercises an impact on the environment, human health, safety and comfort. Therefore, together with the development of transport, the environmental concerns should be solved.
Transportation of dangerous goods
Statistics
Transportation of dangerous goods is one of the most difficult and broad areas of the overall system of carriage of goods where especially stringent safety requirement are applied. The statistics reveal that dangerous goods account for nearly 50% of all the goods transported in
International regulation
A little bit of history. In 1950, the United Nations established the Committee of Experts (COE) on Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods (STDG). This Committee drafted recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods for all types of transport. These recommendations (also known as the Orange Paper) do not have a status of a legal act, but the main regulations regulating the carriage of dangerous goods are prepared on the basis of these recommendations:
European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by
Road (ADR);
Annex 1 Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) of the Appendix B. Uniform Rules concerning the Contract for International Carriage of Goods by Rail (CIM) of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF);
Annex 2 Regulations concerning Carriage of Dangerous Goods of the Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail (SMGS);
Annex 18 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation – Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods (DOC 9284-AN/905)
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG–Code)
International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC–Code);
International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC– Code).
Taking into consideration the increasing volume of transportation of dangerous goods and seeking to ensure safety of carriage of this type of goods, the
EU policy regarding the issues of transportation of dangerous goods
The European Union policy and provisions regarding the transportation of dangerous goods are laid down in the following EU legal acts: Council Directive 94/55/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by road and Council Directive 96/49/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by rail. These EU legal acts stipulate that dangerous goods shall be transported in the territories of the Member States by road and by rail in compliance with international documents (see International regulation).
Reservations granted by the EU
After
Making use of the possibilities provided for in the EU directives, consultations and negotiations were held in the consultative EU Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Good and the following reservation was agreed – until the year 2010, it will be possible to carry by road the most popular in Lithuania dangerous goods - petrol, diesel fuel, domestic heating fuel and other similar goods – in mobile tanks that do not fully comply with the requirements of the ADR and to use for this purpose motor vehicles without ABS and DASS systems. Several reservations with regard to electrical equipment systems were also granted.
Environmental protection
In the process of implementation of resolutions of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the National Programme of transport and environmental protection, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania is obliged to develop a sustainable transport system, to reduce the negative impact of transport means/vehicles on environment and human health.
Harmonisation of national legal acts with the regulations and directives of the European Union is a significant step in the development of transport infrastructure, vehicle maintenance, management of fuel quality control, transport of dangerous goods, as well as in the process of creation of relevant economic conditions for environmental safety of transport sector.
In line with the Declaration of the Conference “Agenda XXI”that took place in1992 in Rio De Janeiro, Lithuania has obligations to implement international agreements and conventions concerning the reduction of gas emmisions causing the greenhouse effect and other emissions causing acidity, as well as those concerning the long-range air pollution, reduction of sulphur, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds’ emissions in transport sector.
Lithuanian transport and environmental protection means are influenced also by resolutions of the Baltic Sea Environmental Protection Commission (HELCOM)and other international organisations, and by the EU action programme concerning sustainable transport development and mobility strategy. Economic indices of Lithuanian transport and communications are predetermined by the harmonisation of legal acts on environmental safety with the EU directives.
The experience of European industrial countries demonstrates that in order to avoid excessive growth of numbers of vehicles it is necessary to induce the authonomy of regional economy. For example, efficient railway and electronic communication infrastructure would enable the revival of Lithuanian railway and public transport systems, as well as would enhance rapid implementation of traffic management systems. Promotion of alternative public transport operation will decrease the intensity of traffic in urban downtowns/centres.
Transport policy in the field of environment safety means the strict control of responsibility for fuel quality and negative environmental impact of transport. Efficient system of fuel quality improvement and control is very important from the aspects of economy, finance, environment and human health. In 1998-2004, in line with the EU requirements Lithuania has carried out obligations concerning the reduction of sulphur and lead proportions in fuels – from 1 January 1998 only unleaded gasoline is produced, imported and used, also the sulphur content of diesel fuel and gasoline meets the requirements of the EU standards.
Unsafe transportation of chemical and dangerous waste is the essential cause of soil and underground water pollution endangering the environment and human health. Seeking to avoid this pollution in future it is foreseen to implement the best available technical means and apply economic instruments.
Harmonisation of Lithuanian legal basis with that of the EU is a difficult, time consuming and fund requiring process. It is particularly characteristic to the transport sector consisting of many elements: infrastructure, freight, carriers, fuel, and impact on the environment, human safety and health. In the field of the environmental protection the Ministry of Environment is the main legislative institution, however the Ministry of Transport and Communications is responsible for the implementation of transport environmental policy. The Ministry of Transport and Communications has to acquire relevant capacities, to train and prepare the staff for the work in line with the EMAS and ISO 14000in the fields of infrastructure development, carriers’ management (road vehicles, trains, airplanes and ships), management of dangerous goods and chemical waste, fuel control and maintenances of transport means/vehicles, etc., thus implementing requirements of hygiene and environment safety in transport sector. In the course of development of this process the main attention should be focused on the White Paper, the Acquis programme directives capacitating economic integration in the process of development of the European Transport Networks.
Reduction of negative impact on the environment and human health, caused by transport means and related activities, is one of the most urgent issues of Lithuanian environmental protection policy. In 1997, during the UN Conference ”Transport and Environment” held in Vienna, Lithuania signed the Declaration recognising the importance of transport for the public life, for the economic and social development, however, at the same time, stressing that it is the main source of air pollution. The undersigned countries of the Declaration took obligations for cooperation aiming at the reduction of the negative impact of transport on human health and environment, making efforts in developing a sustainable transport sector.
Various means and actions for reduction of transport pollution have been foreseen in the State programmes, strategies of relevant sectors of economy, resolutions of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the measures of reduction of air pollution by gas emission from road vehicles, on the State Programme “Transport and Environmental Protection”. The means under implementation related to the improvement of fuel production and quality, fuel quality control system’s perfection, inducement of alternative and cleaner fuel use, stricter regulation of pollution standards, reinforcement of technical supervision of transport, optimisation of urban traffic and improvement of quality of roads – all these means meet the objectives of reduction of negative impact on the environment and human health.
Amounts of pollution emitted to the atmosphere depend on the amounts of burnt fuels and the construction of road vehicles: in vehicles of the same type made in 1970 the normative amount of emitted carbon monoxide should not exceed 54.3 g/km; in vehicles of 1983 make – accordingly 27.1 g/km; and accordingly of 1996 - 2.2 g/km. Currently 75 per cent of individual cars in Lithuania are older than 11 years, and the average age of cars is 14 years. Huge amounts of pollution are in the areas of intense road transport traffic, particularly in major towns, and especially in Vilnius.
PREVENTION OF CRISES
The Ministry of Transport and Communications participates in the implementation of crises prevention and crises management policies, and maintains relations with relevant institutions of foreign countries. Crises management may be understood in two ways:
In a broad sense the crises management and prevention is the solution of international issues/problems by peaceful measures, as well as by development of good neighbourhood relations.
In a narrow sense the crises management and prevention is the prevention and management of various interior critical situations caused by economic, political, social and natural factors.
By the Transport and Communications Minister’s Order No. 3-350 of 28 May 2003 the Plan of Civil Safety Readiness was approved for managing extreme situations by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, defining the general system necessary for relevant preparation, organisation and co-ordination actions of administrative units of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the security services, state enterprises under the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the agencies, as well as those with shareholder’s rights, for arranging actions in the organisation of rescue and localisation of extreme situations and mitigation of subsequences.