State of transport 2013

Transcription

1 State of transport 2013

2 2 State of transport Photo: Mika Huisman Cover photos: Mika Huisman and Shutterstock

3 State of transport 3 From the perspective of the transport system, traffic safety in Finland has improved across all modes of transport over the years. The overall safety situation in the Finnish transport system can be considered good. However, an international examination shows that the safety of Finland s transport system has not improved as rapidly as in other countries. Finland s ranking in various transport safety lists has been declining in past decades. This development is evident in accidents involving heavy road traffic and sport aviation, level crossing accidents and in the decline of Finland s ranking among the best maritime flag states. The same safety vision, according to which no one has to die or be injured in traffic, applies to all modes of transport. At present, the vision is only realised in commercial shipping and aviation, and in passenger traffic on railways. The numbers of road traffic, boating, sport aviation and level crossing accidents have not decreased sufficiently to fulfil the objectives. Trafi works actively to promote the safety and environmental friendliness of the transport system. Trafi s primary environmental task is to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the transport system. The EU s White Paper on Transport specifies reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Methods for reaching these targets include operative and technological methods as well as financial steering. Promoting the adoption of alternative fuels supports the fulfilment of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The new challenges faced by government authorities apply to Trafi s operations across all modes of transport. In particular, the risk-based operating model based on analysed data sets new demands on Trafi as a supervisory, data and safety authority. The following pages contain an analysis of the current state of transport safety for each mode of transport in turn. We also highlight three issues Trafi considers critical for improving the safety of transport, and make some new suggestions for the future. Helsinki, 10 October 2013 Kari Wihlman Director General

4 Photo: Shutterstock 4 State of transport

5 State of transport 5 Current state of railway safety The safety of railway traffic in itself is at a good level in Finland, but level crossing accidents and train-pedestrian collisions are persistent problems. The vision of railway safety is that no single person is killed in railway traffic, something that has been achieved for several years now in terms of railway passengers. Railway workers, however, have occasionally been killed in accidents. The weaknesses in Finnish railway safety are level crossing accidents and pedestrians being hit by trains, both of which result in a number of casualties each year. Viewed from this perspective, achieving the railway safety vision is nowhere in sight. Trains cannot swerve to avoid collisions, so cooperation between the various operators is the key factor in improving the safety of level crossings and railway areas in general. Until now, Finland has had little trouble meeting European railway safety targets, since these have taken account of the poor safety of level crossings. It remains to be seen, however, whether Finland can improve railway safety or even maintain it at the current level when measured against current and upcoming EU targets. In comparison to other Member States, Finnish railway safety is at a good level for passengers and railway personnel, but clearly behind the safest Member States in level crossing safety and the number of train-pedestrian collisions. In addition, Finland is the least safe country in a Nordic comparison of these indicators. From Trafi s perspective, the following three issues are vital with regard to the improvement of railway safety. Photo: Vastavalo, Juhana Konttinen

6 6 State of transport 1Level crossing elimination must be targeted at the most dangerous crossings There is great variance in the number of annual level crossing accidents, but from a railway safety vision perspective far too many occur. The continuing elimination of level crossings has not resulted in improved safety. On the contrary, the rate of accidents has remained constant. A risk analysis indicated that level crossing removal has not been targeted at the most accident-prone locations, but on crossings whose elimination has allowed the track section s speed limit to be increased. However, 43 per cent of all accidents occur at the most dangerous ten per cent of level crossings. Trafi emphasises the utmost importance of targeting elimination at the most dangerous crossings in terms of accident numbers, if there is to be an improvement in level crossing safety. Trafi intends to promote open discussion on the safety of level crossings in order to bring about a permanent reduction in the number of accidents. 2 Precise communications are a part of safety Since a communication problem has been discovered in practically every accident investigation, the importance of clear and unambiguous communications requires emphasis in order to improve the safety of railway operators. These problems are particularly prevalent in shunting and railway maintenance work. It seems there are shortcomings in compliance with or understanding of regulations on railway communications. From the perspective of safety, adherence to a mutually agreed, specified communications model is paramount in order to avoid ambiguity. Chained subcontracting poses additional challenges, since this operating model makes it even more difficult to ensure that employees are familiar with communications practices. In its future communications with railway professionals, Trafi will highlight to an even greater extent the safety-critical nature of adherence to the specified communication format. Deviation from the agreed form can endanger the safety of oneself and others. 3 Safety is guaranteed by functional safety management systems implemented in practice The importance of railway operators safety management systems will be emphasised even further in the future. In accordance with the new European model, the focus of regulation will shift from detailed standards set by government authorities towards framework regulation that emphasises the freedom and responsibility of operators. Railway operators will gain more leeway in planning their operations and issuing instructions. This will place further emphasis on the functionality of and compliance with safety management systems. Safety management systems must not be created merely to satisfy legal requirements their functionality in practice is an absolute precondition of railway safety. The challenge faced by operators consists of identifying and analysing the risks related to their operations and of creating such organisational procedures that simultaneously serve their daily operations and risk management in the best possible manner. Regulatory oversight will focus increasingly on safety management systems and their functionality. The use of government authorities resources for monitoring compliance with individual provisions is an outdated method. The role of government authorities is rather to set general frameworks and objectives for safety work, within which operators are free to make the optimal decisions for their circumstances. In the future, Trafi s supervision will increasingly focus on railway operators familiarity and, most of all, compliance with the procedures specified by their own safety management systems. Monitoring will be targeted according to risks. The time of detailed railway standard monitoring is over, and the responsibility of operators will be emphasised in the future.

7 State of transport 7 Towards the new: Will competition compromise safety? Railway competition and the impact of opening it is a matter of nearly constant discussion. In Trafi s view, competition has no impact on safety. The tools for ensuring the safety of railway traffic are already in place, and the number of operators will not necessarily affect safety. Several European examples show that safe railway traffic is equally possible in a competitive environment with several operators. When competition is opened, Trafi will focus its supervision to ensure that the safety management of companies will continue to operate efficiently in the competitive environment. Photo: Mika Huisman

8 8 State of transport Photo: Cartina, Seppo Hyvönen

9 State of transport 9 Current state of maritime safety While the safety situation in shipping and boating in Finland is generally good, signs that give cause for concern have emerged. The safety of Finnish ships has slipped from the past decade s top positions to 11th position in the worldwide index for flag performance, and the amount of remarks made as a result of port State Control inspections is on the rise. Most of the 1,579 vessels that visited Finnish ports in 2012 were classified as low risk ships, i.e. the vessels were in relatively good condition and manned in compliance with the flag state s requirements. The situation in Finnish and Estonian ports is slightly better than in Swedish and Russian Baltic ports, where the majority of traffic consists of standard risk ships. With regard to safety, it should nevertheless be noted that ship risk profiles are generally worse during the icebreaking season. An examination of ship types shows that older vessels are used in winter. The overall summer risk profile is further improved by large foreign cruise ships. Safety performance in boating has shown a long-term positive trend. Issues such as dangerous situations caused recently by boaters to merchant vessels have nevertheless raised discussion on the importance of navigation skills and familiarity with the rules of the road. Trafi considers the following three issues vital to improving the safety of shipping and boating. Photo: Mika Huisman

10 10 State of transport 1Operator responsibility enables lighter regulation One of the ways in which Trafi shoulders its social responsibility is in creating and strengthening the prerequisites for the competitiveness and development of the maritime sector. In its capacity as a safety and environmental transport authority and an active party in policy making, Trafi represents Finland in forums where the guidelines for future international policy are formulated. The determination of Finland s position on issues is directed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and the agency cooperates closely with its stakeholder groups. Trafi s long-term objective is to improve maritime safety culture in order to enable the future reduction of regulations and control. The responsible operator will take centre stage in tomorrow s shipping. As a government authority, Trafi supports the creation of a good safety culture by defining a framework for safe shipping and boating to help responsible operators make their own decisions that best promote safety. Trafi seeks to promote open discussion on shipping and boating issues and thus to strike an acceptable balance between safety, economy and environmental considerations. 2 Information is the foundation of safety Today, information on shipping and boating is scattered across various locations, which poses challenges to its broad use. Trafi is currently updating its maritime information system. After the update, all information produced and collected by Trafi on maritime transport and inland navigation will be contained in a single system for the use of citizens, operators and authorities. As one of Finland s largest register authorities, Trafi is investing heavily in the creation of a common environment for maritime data exchange, through which data stores administered by different authorities can communicate with each other. The construction of this complex environment requires determination and wide cooperation. International communications across administrative boundaries are also crucial to maritime safety. Trafi s objective is to make maritime data from various sources effortlessly available and easy to collate. Reliable and comprehensive data enables the improvement of the safety and environmental friendliness of shipping and boating. 3 Risk-oriented maritime authority work Compliance with certification conditions and operation in accordance with standards are still generally considered to be indicators of the safety of maritime operations. In today s world, however, safety requires a wider perspective that takes account of actual risks. Trafi is consequently moving from traditional monitoring of compliance towards risk-based supervision. The responsibility of national and international maritime operators plays a key role in this. The shift has become necessary as the maritime industry and authorities face constant efficiency pressures. At the same time, we must ensure there is no deterioration in the safety of the transport system or in the safety culture of operators. As a consequence, Trafi seeks to further the emergence of a trust-based safety culture at sea. An important part of this is a solid reporting culture that also covers incidents. Trafi supports national maritime operators in building a safety management culture and developing their self-monitoring systems. The aim is for authorities to provide a framework within which operators will make their own decisions to maintain safety. The foundation of this model nevertheless rests on cooperation; Trafi intends to engage operators in discussion on matters such as the reimplementation and improvement of safety management systems in passenger ships in domestic service, from which they were dismantled due to changes in legislation. Trafi indeed emphasises that in order to safeguard the positive development of maritime safety, authorities require determined assistance from seafarers, shipping companies committed to safety management, and boating associations.

11 Towards the new: Making Finland a model country of responsible shipping and boating Like other industries in Finland, the maritime industry is in the midst of an upheaval. The prosperity of the industry as a whole is vital to maintaining a good level of maritime safety. Trafi intends to open discussion on matters that will support the future of a maritime industry profitable for Finland. New, unexpected solutions require the efficient utilisation of existing competence. For example, the Finnish shipbuilding industry, currently in the throes of change, could create new business opportunities from the sustainable dismantling and recycling of ships in the Baltic. After all, ships are currently being scrapped in third-world countries, frequently in unethical conditions. The ageing of vessels flying the Finnish flag will also pose its own challenges for the future of Finnish shipping. There are new big ships in Finland, but also many old and small ones particularly in domestic service which raises the average age of the Finnish merchant fleet to more than 45 years. The safety standards of the shipbuilding of past decades were very different from those of today. From the perspectives of safety and the environment, the acquisition of new vessels is vital in order to enable the most efficient exploitation of new technology and the maintenance of the current high standard of safety. In this regard as well, Trafi is committed to facilitate discussion. be increased awareness, and the examination could be taken through an online game application, for example. Trafi is also interested in encouraging boaters who do not have access to instruction provided by boating associations, or feel they do not require instruction, to acquire the knowledge necessary for safe boating and to rethink the benefits of acquiring more knowledge. The key issue is promoting a safety-minded attitude among boaters. National authorities have a strong jurisdiction over shipping and boating in Finland, even though the sector is highly regulated through international treaties. Trafi intends to continue the active exercise of this jurisdiction in cooperation with maritime operators, in order to improve the safety and environmental friendliness of Finnish shipping and boating. With regard to boating, Trafi has broached the issue of a mandatory boating licence and compulsory use of lifejackets. The purpose is to provide Finnish boaters with the opportunity to improve their knowledge and to highlight problems in boating safety through legislative means if necessary. The intention is to increase safety, not bureaucracy. The most important impact of the boating licence, for example, would Photo: Mika Huisman

12 Photo: Mika Huisman 12 State of transport

13 State of transport 13 Current state of aviation safety In recent years, the safety of commercial aviation has remained at a good level in Finland. A regrettable number of fatal accidents have nevertheless occurred in sport aviation. At present, the greatest future threats faced by commercial aviation consist of the ramifications of competition and the uncontrollable nature of risks resulting from change. For the time being, however, these threats have not been realised as accidents. The safety of Finnish commercial aviation is also at a good level in international comparison. In Trafi s view, the main safety issues in Finnish aviation are related to sport aviation. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of fatal accidents suffered by sport aviators in the past two years. A corresponding increase in the rate of accidents has not occurred at the EU level. On the contrary, there is a general declining trend in the number of sport aviation accidents. Trafi considers the following three issues critical for the safety of aviation in Finland. Photo: Shutterstock

14 14 State of transport 1Change is constant, but must not compromise safety The air transport industry is in a state of constant fluctuation, and there is no calm period in sight for testing and perfecting new structures and operating models. Competition in the industry is still intensifying, with European airlines competing against the rest of the world. There is also no end in sight for competition inside Europe. The continuous development of business models and operating methods puts the organisations new safety management systems to a severe test. The easy decisions regarding costs have already been made, and only the difficult ones remain. Striking a balance between the two core values safety and profitability is challenging but not impossible. Constantly developing safety management is an indispensable tool in this constant state of change. The authorities must develop with the industry, understand its changes and increase the impact of their operations to a level that will create added value for the promotion of the transport system s safety. 2 Advanced reporting culture and practice? Aviation safety work, like that of other modes of transport, is increasingly information intensive. According to the traditional thinking in Finland, our aviation safety reporting culture, and just culture in particular, have been of exceptional quality and have developed constantly. From this perspective, the goals of the reform of European reporting provisions initiated last year were considered quite modest. This may be an illusion, however. It is within the realm of possibility that safety reporting, and this includes Finland, is filtered in order to save on costs for corrective actions or out of fear of stigma by fixed-term employees in particular. This is not acceptable, since an encouraging and honest reporting culture is the hallmark of a robust company. Trafi stresses that non-reporting or report filtering may lead to accidents. 3 Who has responsibility for safety? Aviation accidents always receive prominent media coverage, which has done its part to encourage aviation safety work. In the aftermath of accidents, Trafi has frequently been asked what the authorities intend to do about the situation. It would be at least as important to pose the same question to the operator who is responsible for safety. Trafi has its own role in transport system safety work. With regard to aviation, the principles of safety regulatory work are described in the Finnish Aviation Safety Programme (FASP). Regulations dictated from outside are not a sustainable solution for the development of safety, however. Instead, operators must analyse events and improve the safety of their operations in the optimal manner. Operators are responsible for their own activities authorities cannot spoon-feed safety to them, nor can safety issues be resolved through oversight alone. Accidents would still happen even if there was an inspector present on every flight. Trafi will continue to invest in the constant development of interaction between authorities and operators, as well as in the promotion of safety management. It is vital that the motivated professionals engaged in safety work in aviation organisations enjoy the unqualified support of management in all situations, at all times. Trafi stresses that safety culture develops gradually. Development is required at all levels, from organisations to individual employees. All have their individual role and responsibilities in safety work. Aviation is a highly social business. The same requirements of communality and responsibility also apply to sport aviation. Flying is a demanding hobby that requires constant practice. Everyone bears the responsibility for the improvement of his or her own skills, and growing into a responsible pilot requires knowing one s limits in all situations. An active aviation club with a constantly developing safety culture provides excellent support for sport aviators. The right attitude is the cornerstone of safe aviation.

15 State of transport 15 Towards the new: On the cusp of a new authority role Conventional regulation specifies and provides for a multitude of individual issues. Safety may not be attained through this method, however. Performance-based regulation, which represents the new thinking on the roles of authorities, sets performance targets for operators. At its simplest, this means that operators must at some level control the safety risks entailed by their operations. Performance-based regulation provides operators with the opportunity to find the optimal, individual methods for achieving the required performance. This sets new requirements for the competence of operators and authorities alike, and requires a new level of maturity from both. The keywords for the development of authorities operations are risk-based oversight and prioritisation. Risk-based oversight aims at the greatest possible impact for operations, while resource use and any subcontracting are focused through prioritisation. Prioritisation is always about choices, and both authorities and operators must be prepared to make them. Photo: Mika Huisman

16 Photo: Mika Huisman 16 State of transport

17 State of transport 17 Current state of road safety The safety of Finnish road traffic has developed in a positive direction in recent years, but not at the desired pace. According to EU targets, traffic casualties should be halved and injuries reduced by a quarter by Meeting these targets requires that no more than 136 persons would be killed and 5,750 injured in Finnish road traffic in We are still far from meeting these targets, but on the right track: less people than ever before died (255) and were injured (7,088) on Finnish roads in perspective, it is alarming that the reduction of traffic casualties has been slow compared to the rest of Europe. Finland s placement in European road safety rankings has kept declining year after year. Trafi considers the following three issues vital to the improvement of road traffic safety. There is great variance in the development of road traffic safety between EU Member States. Significant improvements have been achieved in countries that were formerly at the bottom of safety statistics, such as Ireland and Spain, but several top countries, such as Great Britain and Sweden, have also succeeded better than Finland. From Finland s Photo: Mika Huisman

18 18 State of transport 1Reduction of heavy vehicle accidents The number of serious accidents has not declined steadily across all road user groups. In fact, the proportion of accidents involving heavy vehicles has been growing in road traffic fatalities. Heavy traffic seldom causes accidents, but the destructive nature of accidents involving heavy vehicles merits separate examination. In an international comparison, the number of fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles has declined by an average of six per cent in the EU, but the reduction in Finland has remained below three per cent. One hundred persons per year have been killed in accidents involving heavy vehicles in Finland on average during the past decade, and a record number of deaths occurred last year. The deceased is most often the driver or passenger of a passenger car, and the accident is typically caused by the passenger car s driver. One means of reducing the number of accidents involving heavy vehicles is to separate the directions of travel with a railing on roads with a speed limit of more than 80 km/h. Most serious head-on collisions occur on single-lane main roads, and middle railings would decrease the probability of accidents. In Trafi s view, the question of structural separation of opposite directions of travel in Finland should be thoroughly re-examined. 2 Data collection and improvement of statistics Road traffic accident statistics require development in order to enable more efficient identification of safety problems. It would be particularly important to obtain more extensive data on injuries and their severity, since this would enable better focusing of transport safety measures. There is a wide consensus in Europe and Finland on the need to obtain robust statistics on road traffic accidents that lead to serious injuries. Such statistics already exist for other modes of transport. The compilation of statistics has been hampered by the difficulty of finding a common definition for serious injuries. Finland is one of the last European countries where serious road traffic injuries are not differentiated from minor injuries. In cooperation with its stakeholder groups, Trafi is investing heavily in achieving this differentiation in Finnish statistics. High-quality, easily usable data would also help to enable the development of smart traffic and electronic services. Smart systems help drivers cope in traffic and avoid accidents, and protect people in accidents. Trafi endeavours to make more efficient use of its road traffic registers in order to improve the safety of traffic. 3 Modernisation of vehicle stock The modernisation of Finnish vehicle stock would serve the achievement of both safety and environmental goals. New cars pollute less than old ones and have more advanced safety equipment. According to statistics collected by Trafi, Finnish people are purchasing more and more cars with a five-star safety rating. This has a significant impact on the safety of traffic, since ten accidents leading to personal injuries currently occur for each fatal accident. The cost of these non-fatal accidents to society is greater than that of fatal accidents. Older cars have a pronounced role in such accidents, since their safety features are not on a par with newer models. With regard to the safety of traffic, however, it should be noted that despite the higher-than-average age of the Finnish car stock, the cars being driven on Finland s roads are in relatively good condition. This is partly due to mandatory annual inspections. A new vehicle inspection bill aims at making inspections more affordable and accessible to consumers. The driver is the most important factor with regard to traffic safety, however, with an immediate influence on safety through his or her own action. Trafi therefore stresses the importance of responsibility and having the right attitude to all road users. Functional and safe traffic is a cooperative effort in which there is no place for distractions, such as mobile devices, intoxicants or excessive fatigue.

19 Towards the new: Emphasis on responsible choices The role of government authorities is to support citizens in becoming responsible participants in traffic. The development of a responsible traffic culture largely rests on voluntary action. The safety of private and professional traffic alike is best improved by adopting the right attitude. Safety management systems are already required from professionals in other modes of transport. These systems have improved the safety culture of commercial transport. A similar development process is under way in road traffic, and Trafi supports this process through means such as developing operating models that encourage companies to operate in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Trafi considers it crucial that companies view this voluntary model as profitable and commit themselves to it. A shift in the attitude of citizens towards driving is evident in Finland and the rest of Europe. Particularly in large cities, driving licences are no longer acquired as often as before. This is no doubt partly due to well-functioning public transport, but apparently also attributable to a more extensive shift in values and attitudes in favour of modes of travel that promote well-being, such as cycling and walking. From a wider perspective, favouring environmentally friendly modes of travel supports the achievement of the safety and environmental targets set for road traffic. The choice of car is also significant to the safety of people and the environment. Photo: Mika Huisman

20 Photo: Mika Huisman 20 State of transport

21 State of transport 21 In conclusion Each mode of transport faces its own challenges to the improvement of safety, but a comparison between the various modes also reveals much in common. Regardless of the mode of transport, the key issues are the responsibility of private and public operators, the need to review the role of supervisory authorities, and the analysis and efficient use of register data and other statistics. In private transport, the main cause of safety risks is people who, for one reason or another, do not adhere to common, responsible procedures. These lone hawks in aviation, rule-flouting boaters and risky drivers in road traffic are groups whose attitude towards safety is difficult to influence. Fatigue, intoxicants and other factors that distract drivers are also safety risks that must be addressed in both the private and professional sectors, regardless of the mode of transport. The discussion on a European authority model, risk-based oversight and performance-based regulation, or the responsibility of individuals in traffic fundamentally boils down to the same thing placing emphasis on the responsibility of operators. In the future, Trafi faces the challenge of balanced development towards this new authority model, for all modes of transport. In accordance with the new model, Trafi must be a strong and consistent authority capable of negotiation and supporting operators in developing the safety and environmental friendliness of the transport system. A comprehensive, analytical understanding of the state of transport is expected of Trafi, along with active development of the safety and environmental friendliness of traffic on the basis of that understanding. The key to success is accurate and timely information and its efficient use with regard to each mode of transport and across transport boundaries.

22 Photo: Shutterstock 22 State of transport

23 State of transport 23 Photo: Mika Huisman Trafi works actively to promote the safety and environmental friendliness of the transport system.

24 Finnish Transport Safety Agency Kumpulantie 9, Helsinki PO Box 320, FI Helsinki, Finland Telephone Trafi S120e / 11/2013 / Edita Prima Oy / Markkinointitoimisto Kitchen Oy