These Recommendations for Transparent and Independent Road Accident
Investigation present the conclusions of four years of combined efforts of more
than 20 persons, involved in road safety research, representing seven different
organisations from as many European Union Member States. They establish
the requirements for conducting and promote the creation of transparent and
independent road accident investigations in all Member States according to a
common European investigation methodology. Such investigations would
address the need to have detailed, public, transparent and independent road
accident data available at European level.
The issues related to independence and transparency have been considered in
detail in previous SafetyNet work package 4 Deliverables (SafetyNet, 2005 and
2006a). A set of Draft Recommendations addressing the investigation of major
as well as a sample of routine accidents was prepared (SafetyNet, 2006b). A
consultation period culminating with a Workshop was organised for gathering
feedback on those Draft Recommendations (SafetyNet, 2007). Finally, the Draft
Recommendations were thoroughly reconsidered in light of that feedback and
used to prepare this 'finalised’ set of Recommendations, whose primary focus is
on the investigation of a sample of routine accidents.