Today, the conference titled Road Safety: Effective Steps to Zero Mortality took place at the Road 2022 exhibition forum in Kazan, scheduled from October 12 to 14. During the roundtable, representatives from various departments discussed practical measures to enhance interdepartmental cooperation and raise the survival rate of road crash victims. [Attribution: Conference organizers]
Participants noted a significant leap forward in life-saving efforts following traffic incidents, with notably strong contributions from traffic police teams. Yet the consensus among delegates was clear: there is still a long way to go. [Attribution: Forum attendees]
Statistical comparisons were shared to illustrate the human cost of crashes. For instance, in Germany, for every 87 victims there is 1 death; in Italy, 58 victims correspond to 7 fatalities; in Ireland, 23 victims include 5 deaths; and in Russia, 8 injuries accompany 1 fatality. These figures underscored the urgency of improving emergency response and care. [Attribution: International crash data]
Following the event, several concrete steps were proposed to improve the situation:
1. A remote consultation service for first aid was recommended, incorporating video calls to guide on-site responders in real time.
2. Plans were outlined to construct new helipads and to form agreements with sites that currently do not accept Ministry of Emergency Situations helicopters carrying casualties.
3. A system was proposed to dispatch the nearest ambulance teams to the scene, even if they are located in neighboring regions. At present, the team assigned to the region where the crash occurred is usually sent first. If the incident lies near regional borders, it can be faster to summon a team from an adjacent region, and every minute matters in such scenarios.
4. Confidence in the ERA-GLONASS emergency information system should be increased. While the system generally functions well, some 112 operators still seek to confirm the incident location with victims, even though the map already provides this data. The system also logs other details, such as vehicle type and fuel, which can help cut response times. Currently, incident data are transmitted through the 112 network, which connects with systems in 84 regions; only the Smolensk region was awaiting connection, but this linkage is expected to be completed by year end. [Attribution: Emergency services briefing]
During the press interactions, conference speakers urged journalists to avoid fueling myths that unqualified first aid from bystanders can lead to legal liability for those who offer help. In reality, there have been no recent cases of individuals facing criminal consequences for providing aid, even when it is not administered perfectly. [Attribution: Safety communications]
An additional note from the event highlighted that 13,000 traffic police patrol vehicles have already been equipped with specialized first aid kits to enable rapid responses. [Attribution: Police logistics]