Kerpen Receives Award: Six Consecutive Years without a Traffic Fatality

• The objective of zero traffic fatalities is being achieved in urban areas
• Interactive maps can be found at www.dekra-vision-zero.com

The city of Kerpen (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) has been presented with the first ever DEKRA Vision Zero Award. With this award the leading international expert organization recognizes Kerpen's achievement of not a single traffic fatality inside the town being reported for six consecutive years. The award was presented to the Mayor of Kerpen, Dieter Spürck, in Brussels as part of DEKRA's annual reception to present the Road Safety Report 2016.

"In accordance with our Articles of Association, we have dedicated ourselves to road safety for more than 90 years. With our new DEKRA Vision Zero Award, we want to make it clear that the aim of zero traffic fatalities does not have to be a utopian vision," said DEKRA CEO Stefan Kölbl when he presented the award. "Overall, of course, Vision Zero is not yet a reality. However, extensive data that has been evaluated by our accident researchers shows that this objective is achievable in urban areas and is already the reality in many towns and cities in Europe today. This highlights the need to step up efforts to further improve road safety and get ever closer to achieving the vision – including with regard to serious injuries," said Kölbl.

The Mayor of Kerpen Dieter Spürck sees the award as recognition of the good work carried out by municipal traffic planners to constantly improve road safety. "Close cooperation with the police, and information from residents, also contribute to improving the situation, allowing dangerous spots to be identified and specifically targeted."

The interactive world maps at www.dekra-vision-zero.com show the towns and cities with over 50,000 inhabitants in the USA, Japan and many European countries, which have achieved the objective of zero traffic fatalities in at least one year since 2009.

DEKRA Chairman of the Board Stefan Kölbl (left) and DEKRA Board Member Clemens Klinke (right) presented the DEKRA Vision Zero Award to the Mayor of Kerpen, Dieter Spürck (middle).