Helsinki (Finland) and Oslo (Norway) have spent years working to become global leaders in safe and sustainble urban mobility. In 2019, they achieved a new milestone along this path, recording zero pedestrian and cyclist deaths.

Achieving this road safety milestone was the product of a number of transport interventions.

Helsinki cites speed reductions as being essential to achieving road safety. Much of the city centre is now a 30km/h zone, and speed limits have been gradually reduced across the city over the past few decades. Speed is also controlled via speed bumps, elevated pedestrian crossings, and roundabouts, among other measures.

In a press release, Deputy Mayor Anni Sinnemäki notes, “Enhanced traffic safety is the sum of several factors. Traffic safety has improved due to improvements to the street environment, increased traffic control, the development of vehicle safety measures and technology, and better rescue services.”

Meanwhile, Oslo's safety measures have helped Norway to be the country with the lowest road mortality in all of Europe. To protect vulnerable road users, Oslo has reduced car traffic, improved infrastructure, enforced lower speed limits and introduced "heart zones" (hjertesoner) near schools.

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