The launch of EuroRAP Star rating results in Iceland reveal only 25% of Iceland’s roads have a 3 star or more rating. The Star Rating results of FÍB (Icelandic Automobile Association) and EuroRAP’s assessment on 4,200 kilometres of Icelandic road network were announced Tuesday 20 March at Harpa (Reykjavik, Iceland).

According to EuroRAP’s star rating assessment, only 25% of Icelandic roads have three stars or more.
For every single star that is upgraded, it has been shown that the crash costs reduce by half. In the period 2013-2017, 69 were fatally injured and 936 were seriously injured.

James Bradford, EuroRAP’s Development Manager, presented on the methodology of the measurements. James reported that 34% of the road network received only two stars in the assessment and 40.9% of the road system received the lowest rating, one star.

“It’s a big deal, but it’s also a lot of work ahead. This shows us that the safety of the roads is important. Safety must always be paramount. It has also become apparent that when the traffic speed is lowered in urban areas and traffic controls are strengthened, the risk is significantly reduced “, said James Bradford at the launch.

According to Sigurður Inga Jóhannsson, Transport Minister, it was unacceptable how many people die in traffic and suffer from serious injury. He said the common goal is improving roads and traffic safety.

“It was very important to chart this in this way, and the government strengthen the project that FÍB has carried out” said Sigurður Ingi.

Working in partnership with FIB the Icelandic automobile association, the results of the Star Rating assessment will inform safer roads investment to save lives and support economic growth for Iceland.

For more information on the Star Rating Assessment please visit http://www.eurorap.org/protocols/star-ratings/

Click here to access the 2018 EuroRAP Star Ratings report – Iceland

The launch received an excellent response from the community and received the following local media coverage (please note the coverage is in Icelandic and may need to be translated).

http://www.visir.is/section/MEDIA99&fileid=VTVA5E63F1D-15F3-4F33-B9F7-39CE825BC486
http://www.ruv.is/sjonvarp/horfa/frettir-kl-19-00/23879?ep=7gbukv (12:13 minute mark)
https://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2018/03/20/fyrst_til_ad_meta_naer_allt_kerfid/
https://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2018/03/20/flestir_islenskir_vegir_einnar_stjornu/