“One accident every three hours”

Elio Rerman: “Two things need to be distinguished. First, the commuting accident: this covers the journey between home and the workplace. In principle, it must be direct, but there can be exceptions for the necessities of everyday life. If you need to fill up with petrol or drop your children off at nursery, that is covered. On the other hand, making a detour for shopping — that clearly falls within your private life. Then there is the accident during travel for work: this covers all journeys made during working hours on behalf of the employer. The distinction is important, because the ‘commute’ does not fall under the Labour Code — you are still in your free time. Travel for work, on the other hand, engages the employer’s liability.”

“No. Whether you are on foot, cycling or on a scooter, your journey to work is also covered.”

“In 2013, we recorded a peak of over 4,000 recognised commuting accidents. Today we are at around 3,000, a decrease of one quarter. We can clearly see the Covid effect in 2020–2021 with a sharp dip (below 2,500 cases). However, from 2013 to 2023–2024, the trend is downward. We are also dependent on the road safety situation, on actions taken by the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, on the introduction of speed cameras and on public awareness. A reduction of 1,000 accidents is not negligible, whether in human or economic terms.”

“On average, we record five to six deaths per year. The year 2013 remains marked as a particularly dark year, with sixteen deaths. Since then, the situation has improved, but every fatal commuting accident remains an unbearable tragedy. The statistics are very volatile due to the small size of the country: we can go from zero to eight deaths from one year to the next. On average, that represents one death every two months — a person who leaves in the morning and never comes home.”

“The causes observed in Luxembourg do not differ from those recorded elsewhere. Speed remains one of the main factors: it increases stopping distance and, in the event of a collision, the impact is far more violent. There is also driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs and sometimes medication. Extreme fatigue also plays a role. And finally, a phenomenon that is growing: the smartphone. Sometimes people look at their small screen more than through their windscreen. Fifteen or twenty years ago, we would not have talked about it. Today, it ranks among the top three causes of accidents.”

“The impact is multifaceted. First, absenteeism: in nearly half of cases, commuting accidents result in sick leave of more than three days. An absent employee represents an economic loss for the company, which must adapt. Then, if the company has vehicles, there are repair costs and rising insurance premiums in the event of repeated claims.

Furthermore, our system is based on a bonus-malus principle: we compare companies within the same sector and analyse relative costs. A company with a good accident record benefits from a reduced contribution rate. This mechanism applies to workplace accidents and accidents during travel for work, and not directly to commuting accidents, but the message is clear: prevention is a worthwhile investment. The base contribution rate has in fact decreased significantly in recent years.”

“We have launched a new road safety at work campaign, in collaboration with the Sécurité Routière ASBL, the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, the Centre de Formation pour Conducteurs and the Union des Entreprises Luxembourgeoises. This campaign is built around seven commitments targeting the main causes of accidents: wearing a seatbelt, observing speed limits, fitness to drive, communications while driving, vehicle condition, journey planning and soft mobility.

These commitments have been structured as clear presentations that companies can use to run awareness sessions, such as a ‘safety quarter of an hour’. All resources are available in French, German and English on the website visionzero.lu.”

“If we do not set ourselves the goal of reaching zero accidents, we will never get there. It is not acceptable to consider five deaths a year as a good result. When I address a company, I ask them: ‘Would it be possible, this year, to avoid any fatal accident?’ They all answer yes. Now, if every company achieved that, the overall toll would be zero deaths. We know that perfection may be unattainable, but it is indeed the goal to pursue. And when you look at the progress between 2013 and 2023, the improvements are undeniable.”

“Yes. When a company accumulates several consecutive years of malus, we consider that it needs support. We then offer an on-site advisory session, with the designated worker and the employer. The objective is to identify together the gaps in prevention in order to invest in the right measures, rather than repairing the consequences of accidents. Our approach is not punitive but supportive, especially since some consequences of accidents cannot be repaired with money.

The 7 commitments of our campaign are specifically designed to help organise awareness actions: a participation poster, short but impactful videos, and thematic presentations that the designated worker can use to inform employees in their role as drivers.”

“We believe that humour is also a powerful medium. The idea is to remind people: yes, buckling your seatbelt or not using your phone while driving is a small constraint, but it brings a great benefit in terms of safety. How many people, after an accident, have regretted driving too fast or looking at their smartphone while driving?”

“The comparison is tricky. We may be slightly below the average, but our employees travel significant distances: an average of 30 kilometres per commute, compared with 18 in France and 17 in Germany. This reality is explained by Luxembourg’s economic attractiveness, which draws workers from ever greater distances.

Rather than comparing ourselves with other countries, it is more useful to act on our own specificities. This high average distance confirms the importance of strengthening prevention. Reducing exposure to danger also means promoting safer alternatives: public transport — the bus is fifteen times safer than the car, and the train more than a hundred times — encouraging remote working where possible, or even considering the establishment of satellite offices for cross-border commuters.”