Action plan to improve police traffic enforcement

An action plan on police traffic enforcement and traffic safety will be drawn up. The aim is to improve people's sense of security and the safety of people, the environment and property. The action plan will guide and direct the activities of the police, and it will take into account the changes that have occurred in traffic and traffic safety and the impacts of these changes.

The long-term vision for traffic safety is to have zero traffic fatalities or serious injuries. In 2016, fatalities and serious accidents incurred costs of EUR 1,370 million, so the financial impacts of achieving the goal would also be significant.

In accordance with the Government Programme of Prime Minister Rinne, improvement of traffic safety will again be included in the development of the transport system and services. The aim is to meet the Vision Zero targets of the European Union (to reduce road deaths to zero by 2050).

The action plan on police traffic enforcement and traffic safety will support the implementation of the objectives of both the joint strategy for the Ministry of the Interior’s administrative branch and the national traffic safety strategy. The traffic safety strategy will be prepared under the leadership of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

In 2019, the National Audit Office of Finland conducted a performance audit on the police traffic enforcement. Following the audit, the National Audit Office recommended that the Ministry of the Interior strengthen the strategic management and performance guidance of traffic enforcement and traffic safety. A further recommendation was that the Ministry should assess the measures necessary to develop traffic enforcement and the effectiveness of the current activities.

The project will be prepared as part of official duties at the Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with the police. The steering group of the project includes representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the National Police Board, the Transport and Communications Agency, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, the Finnish Crash Data Institute, and the Finnish Road Safety Council. Experts and other stakeholders can be consulted during the preparation process.

The project runs from 2 December 2019 to 30 June 2020.

Inquiries:
Jari Pajunen, Chief Superintendent, tel. +358 295 488 576, jari.pajunen@intermin.fi