Chapter 9. Czech Republic

Definitions applied in the Czech Republic

• Road fatality: Person who died immediately after the crash or within the next 30 days. (Note: this is fully applied for international data comparison, but for domestic purposes, a road fatality often refers to a person who died immediately or within 24 hours).

• Serious injury: Injury severity is determined through the opinion of the physician at the scene of the crash or later in hospital (within 24 hours of the crash). A serious injury is one considered to cause serious harm to health. At present, the severity value based on a score of three or more on the Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAIS3+) is not in general use in accident registration, and its future utilisation is yet to be decided.

Data collection

Crash data in the Czech Republic are collected by traffic police in 80 districts and transferred to the police headquarters. Data are checked both at district and central levels.

Crash reporting rates in the police database are relatively high due the legal obligation that all crashes with a death, injury or material damage over CZK 100 000 (since 2009) have to be reported to and registered by the police.

Road crashes in 2015 – provisional data

Based on provisional data, there were 732 reported road fatalities in 2015, a 6.4% increase when compared to 2014. The number of injury crashes increased by 2.4%. For the second consecutive year, the goals of the national road safety strategy were not reached.

The number of fatalities increased significantly on rural roads (+13% fatalities) and on motorways (+28%). There was an increase of 24% in the number of cyclists killed and of 15% in the number of pedestrians killed.

Due to the poor performance seen in 2014 and 2015, there is an urgent need to implement new and effective road safety measures and to bring radical changes to the current road safety management system. Based on analyses of 2014 and 2015 data, it is particularly important to increase traffic enforcement, strengthen the driver licensing system, improve traffic education and undertake infrastructure audits and inspections, especially at railway crossings.

Road crashes in 2014

In 2014, there were 688 road fatalities, a 5.2% increase from 2013. The number of injury crashes increased by 3.5%.

Between 2013 and 2014, fatalities increased among groups using powered two-wheelers and car occupants. Fatalities decreased among cyclists and pedestrians.

Traffic

Since 1990, the number of motorised vehicles has increased by more than 60%. The traffic (in terms of vehicle-kilometres) more than doubled between 1990 and 2009, but stagnation was observed in the following years.

The traffic of heavy goods vehicles increased gradually after 1990 with the development of the new market economy. During the economic recession vehicle-kilometres stagnated in 2007-08 and then dropped after 2009 (partially due to a change of methodology in registering trucks and trailers).

Road safety

Analysis of seriously injured data

Reducing the number of persons seriously injured is the second target of the national road safety strategy. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to estimate the number of persons injured based on the MAIS classification. Based on the current definition, the number of persons seriously injured decreased by 8.7% to 2 468 between 2014 and 2015 achieving one part of the strategic road safety programme.

Table 9.1. Road safety and traffic data
	1990	2000	2010	2013	2014	2014 % change from
						2013	2010	2000	1990
Reported safety data
Fatalities	1 291	1 486	802	654	688	5.2	-14.2	-53.7	-46.7
Injury crashes	21 910	25 445	19 676	20 342	21 054	3.5	7.0	-17.3	-3.9
Deaths per 100 000 inhabitants	12.5	14.5	7.7	6.2	6.5	5.2	-14.6	-54.7	-47.5
Deaths per 10 000 registered vehicles	3.3	3.2	1.3	1.0	1.1	5.3	-18.8	-66.3	-67.0
Deaths per billion vehicle kilometres	48.3	36.7	16.2			na	na	na	na
Traffic data
Registered vehicles1 (thousands)	3 933	4 636	6 021	6 369	6 360	-0.1	5.6	37.2	61.7
Vehicle kilometres (millions)	26 710	40 480	49 434			na	na	na	na
Registered vehicles per 1 000 inhabitants	380	451	576	606	605	-0.1	5.1	34.1	59.4
← 1. Registered vehicles include mopeds.
https://doi.org/10.1787/888933385403

Figure 9.1. Road safety, traffic and GDP trends index 1990 = 100

Source: World Bank for Gross Domestic Product (GDP; constant prices).

Road safety by user group

Since 2000, all user groups except mopeds riders, whose figure is too small for a meaningful interpretation, have benefited from safety improvements. Strengthened enforcement and education within the national strategic safety plan contributed to these good results in the first period of the safety plan.

In 2014, the number of fatalities increased among car occupants and motorcyclists. The number of cyclists and pedestrians killed decreased. However, based on provisional data for 2015, there was a sharp increase in the number of cyclists (+24%) and pedestrians (+15%) killed. Since 2013, the situation has deteriorated for all road users.

Figure 9.2. Road fatalities by road user group in percentage of total 2014

Road safety by age group

Since 1990, the reduction in fatalities has benefited all age groups, with the highest reduction for children and young people. However, in 2014 fatalities increased among 15-20 years old and 15-64 years old group.

Young people (18-24) have a risk well over the average of 6.5 road deaths per 100 000 inhabitants in 2014. In 2014, the death rate for the 18-20 year old group was 13.9 and that for 21-24 year old group was 10.3.

Figure 9.3. Road fatality rates by age group Deaths per 100 000 inhabitants in a given age group, 1990-2014

Figure 9.4. Road fatality rate by age and road user group Fatalities per 100 000 inhabitants, 2014

Road safety by road type

Since 1990, the greatest reduction in fatalities has occurred on urban roads (-65%), while improvement on rural roads has been less marked (-28%). Improvements on urban roads are related to the introduction of the 50 km/h speed limit, the extension of 30 km/h zones, and the widespread introduction of traffic-calming measures. Since 2000, fatalities decreased by 62% on urban roads and 48% on rural roads. However, in 2014, the fatalities increased on rural roads (+ 11 %). According to provisional data, there was a sharp increase in the number of fatalities on rural roads (+13%) and motorways (+28%) in 2015.

It should be noted that as of 1 January 2016, expressways are classified as motorways. The length of the motorway network therefore increased from 776 km to 1 235 km.

Figure 9.5. Road fatalities by road type

Speed

Speeding is the main contributing factor in fatal crashes, although the number of drivers above the legal speed limit has decreased, especially in urban areas. The share of fatal crashes due to excessive speed was 33% in 1980, 40% in 2000 and also 40% in 2014.

Average speed, 85th percentile speed and the percentage of drivers above the speed limit have been monitored regularly since 2005. The introduction of a demerit point system in 2006 resulted in a reduction in the number of drivers above the limit, but this share increased again in 2010.

The table below summarises the main speed limits in the Czech Republic.

Drink driving

There is a zero blood alcohol content (BAC) limit in the Czech Republic. When police arrive at the scene of a crash, all persons involved are checked for BAC. If the BAC level of anyone involved is positive, the crash is classified as alcohol-related.

In 2002, 11% of fatalities were due to alcohol related crashes. This proportion decreased to 3.4% in 2007, and then increased again to 14% in 2010 (probably due to a change in the investigation procedure). In 2014, it is estimated that 10% of road fatalities were alcohol related crashes.

Drugs and driving

Drug use is forbidden while driving. The share of fatal crashes due to a driver under the influence of drugs was estimated at 0.9% in 2014.

A crash is defined as drug related if the driver tests positive for drug consumption.

Distraction

In the Czech Republic, drivers are not allowed to drive while using a hand-held phone or other electronic device such as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). Hands-free devices are tolerated. In 2014, it was estimated that 2.7% of drivers used a mobile phone while driving.

Sleepiness and fatigue

In 2014, it was estimated that about 2.1% of crashes were due to fatigue.

Seat belts and helmets

Seat belt use has been compulsory in front seats since 1966 and in rear seats since 1975. However, until recently the level of enforcement was very low. The situation has significantly improved since 2004.

Dedicated child restraints are compulsory for children between 0 and 3 years old, and for children 4 and above who are less than 150 cm in height or 36 kg in weight.

In 2014, 32% of car occupants killed were not wearing a seat belt when the crash occurred. It is estimated that 90 lives could have been saved if all car occupants had worn seat belts.

Helmet-wearing is compulsory for all motorcycle and moped riders and the wearing rate is nearly 100%. Safety helmets were made mandatory for cyclists up to the age of 15 in 2001 and up to 18 in 2006. The compulsory wearing of helmets for all cyclists is under discussion.

Organisation of road safety

BESIP (Bezpečnost silničního provozu), an independent department of the Ministry of Transport, is the main co-ordinating body for road traffic in the Czech Republic. BESIP is responsible for the National Road Safety Strategy for 2011-2020. The other key player is the Government Council of Road Traffic Safety (composed of representatives of parliament, ministries, civil associations, professional organisations and the private sector). There are also 14 regional BESIP co-ordinators.

Road safety strategy for 2011-20

The main target of the National Road Safety Strategic Plan for the years 2011-20 is to decrease the fatality rate (deaths per 100 000 inhabitants) to the European average. This corresponds approximately to a 60% reduction in fatalities by 2020 compared to 2009. The second target is a reduction by 40% in the number of persons seriously injured.

Monitoring targets

Interim targets for the number of fatalities and persons seriously injured have been set for each year until 2020. Results are monitored annually by the BESIP for the Government Council of Road Traffic Safety at national and regional levels. Other safety indicators (speed, drink driving, drug driving, use of seat belts and helmets, and use of mobile phone while driving) are also regularly monitored.

While the country was on track in 2013, the interim target for 2014 (fewer than 594 road fatalities) was not achieved as 688 people were killed. In 2015, the interim target was again not reached (732 fatalities against 547 targeted).

New measures are needed to get back on track towards the 2020 target, including more enforcement, traffic education, a strengthened driving license system, traffic infrastructure audit and inspection, the penetration of safer vehicles into the fleet, etc.

Figure 9.6. Trends in road fatalities towards national target

Figure 9.7. Trends in seriously injured towards national target

Road safety management

• Since 2014, the new civil code includes an article regarding higher financial compensation from the guilty drivers to the crash victim.

• The improvement of the penalty point system is under discussion.

• Traffic enforcement is being intensified.

Road users

Infrastructure

• Since 1 January 2016, the road network has been reclassified. All expressways were reclassified as motorways. Therefore the length of the motorway network increased from 776 km to 1 235 km.

• Road safety audits and inspections and road infrastructure assessments are being conducted.

• Traffic calming measures are being implemented.

• Safety improvement of railway crossings has become a priority.

Vehicles

• Discussions are underway for Antilock Braking Systems (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) to become standard equipment in new vehicles.