Data Protection and Privacy Implication in Road Safety

Data protection and privacy questions often conflict with effective road safety work. To be able to exploit the possibilities afforded by electronics and automation, it is important to set a boundary between effective road safety work and the need for privacy. There are, however, great opportunities for society to reduce the number and seriousness of road accidents by introducing measures where infringement of privacy may arise.

Modern electronics provide many opportunities to introduce accident reduction measures. The development of technology based systems for control, surveillance and operation of road transport and vehicles will, however, infringe on privacy. When implementing new technological developments in the sector, certain rules of action should be followed to ascertain that data is protected and that the privacy we all desire is taken into consideration. Who should set these boundaries, and should technological development be halted because of privacy questions?

People tend to trust the government to deal confidentially with private information, and in general lack concern about these issues. It seems that people place safety and security over privacy in the sense that they accept a degree of surveillance and monitoring.

In road safety work, data protection and privacy have been discussed in relation to the use of automatic speed cameras. This question has again been raised when discussing section control. When using section control, all drivers have to be photographed by both cameras, while today only drivers who are speeding are photographed. New control methods are also discussed.