Finland's Ministry of Transport and Communications is expected to publish an updated version of its road safety strategy this week. The goal is to eliminate the risk of traffic deaths by 2050.
The ministry intends to revise speed limits across the country, with a special focus on enhancing safety near schools and daycare centres, according to Lasse Heliste, coordinator at the ministry's safety and security unit.
The new strategy proposes expanding what it considers built-up areas—that is, densely populated urban areas where the speed limit is 30 kilometres per hour—in cities.
According to Heliste, the proposal will also call for an assessment of current speed limits for highways.
"If road conditions necessitate that speed limits be lowered, we will consider doing so for those areas," Heliste states.
The ministry will review speed limits for built-up areas as well as roads which have a speed limit of over 80 kilometres per hour.
Traffic fatalities in Finland relatively high
Ultimately, the goal of the exercise is to increase safety for all modes of transport. By 2050 Heliste says Finland wants to eliminate the risk of death or injury due to traffic accidents.
"The goal is ambitious, but we need ambition to get started on road safety properly and reduce traffic fatalities."
Finland has made little progress in road safety development in recent years, with 223 traffic fatalities reported in 2020. An estimated 900 people are seriously injured in road accidents in the country every year.
"Sweden and Norway report about half as many traffic fatalities as Finland, relative to the population," Heliste notes, adding that the ministry plans to address issues related to mental health disorders and substance abuse, which are key risk factors for road accidents.
This will be done through "more active supervision and education" and "cooperation between different administrative sectors," he says.
Those suffering from mental health or substance abuse disorders will be offered appropriate treatment and informed about optional tools such as alcohol interlocks, which can prevent drunk driving.
According to Heliste, the updated strategy, which includes a total of 103 concrete measures, will set the framework for Finland's road safety development for the next five years and will require extensive cooperation between several government ministries.