In the era of Big Data, management of the data collected and transmitted by an ever-increasing number of IoT tools is a fundamental asset for companies that, like us, are participating in the Digital Transformation of road safety. This change has to do not only with a significant technological evolution – of interconnected and multifunctional devices, as well as of vehicles – but also with compliance with the obligations on personal data protection and the guarantees of traceability and confidentiality that operators are called upon to ensure.

In order to ensure maximum traceability of data and use, Safety21 has embarked on a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, we develop our solutions with data privacy in mind and, on the other, we use the most secure infrastructures that comply with international and national standards.

For this reason, we decided to host our solutions in one of the world’s leading Internet Datacentres, managed by Microsoft on the Azure platform. With this choice, the customer has ownership and control of the data, while we and the cloud provider are committed to establishing transparent data protection procedures and offering clients options for responsible management of their stored data in accordance with applicable regulations and laws.

This commitment to data protection is evidenced by the adoption of the world’s first ISO/IEC 27018 certified cloud data protection code of practice.

Cloud computing, the main technology trend in the IT world, is at the heart of our TITAN® web-based platform, the solution through which Safety21 provides scalable outsourcing services to Public Authorities using a specific delivery model: Software as a Service (SaaS) in Pay-per-Use mode.

Yet, what exactly does it mean to be innovative in providing such a cloud-based management system?

First and foremost, cutting costs

• There is no financial commitment towards rapidly obsolete technology components (and as it is inCloud, no proprietary infrastructure is required)

Ease and speed of service

• TITAN®, developed entirely using innovative web technologies, can be used immediately via a browser and requires no installation, meaning that the service can be implemented in just a few minutes and the software can be constantly updated without interruption.

Full-outsourcing management

• Full outsourcing enables the client to have a partner who takes charge of all the service components (computers, field devices, software solution, etc.) and the associated running costs, both ordinary and extraordinary.

Translated into practice, the time and effort saved by the authority’s staff is matched by the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of the solutions offered.

Added value for everyone and an achievement in terms of innovation.

The ISTAT figures on road accidents in 2017 serve as a warning on the need for a higher level of road safety and greater awareness of responsible driving behaviour. This is because the number of road fatalities rose in 2017: +95, or +2.9%.

Overall, last year there were 174,933 road accidents involving personal injury, down slightly from 2016, with 3,378 fatalities and 246,750 injuries.

According to ISTAT, the increase in the number of deaths in Italy was mainly due to the increase in the number of deaths on motorways (including ring roads and motorway junctions) and non-urban roads (296 and 1,615 deaths; +8.0% and +4.5% over the previous year). A smaller increase was recorded on urban roads (1,467 deaths; +0.3%). However, in the large municipalities the trend is the opposite, with a 5.8% decrease in the number of victims in built-up areas.

The number of victims among pedestrians (600, +5.3%) and, above all, motorcyclists (735, +11.9%) increased, while the figures for motorists (1,464, -0.4%) were more or less stable and those for moped riders (92, -20.7%) and cyclists (254, -7.6%) were down.

In 2017, once again, speeding, failure to use compulsory safety equipment and the use of mobile phones while driving were the most frequently penalised traffic offences.

The number of accidents involving the most vulnerable road users continues to rise, as do the most frequent errors, such as driver distraction, failure to give way and speeding (40.8% overall). This is the picture that emerged from the ISTAT (Italian National Institute of Statistics) report on road accidents in 2017.

Last year, the number of pedestrian fatalities rose by 5.3% compared with the previous year, a total of 600 people involved, and the statistics show a substantial increase in the number of motorcyclist fatalities (735, +11.9%). On the other hand, the figures for motorists were stable (1,464, -0.4%) and those for mopeds (92, -20.7%) and cyclists (254, -7.6%) were down.

While the urgent need to protect vulnerable road users remains, there is an equally urgent need to introduce monitoring and training measures to counter a critical worldwide trend.

The added safety provided by the application of advanced technology to urban and non-urban road traffic control and the strengthening of a valid road safety culture, especially among young people, are increasingly seen as essential tools for achieving national safety objectives.