Ajoturva

Ajoturva (Finnish for driving safety) refers to the set of measures aimed at preventing injuries and fatalities in road traffic. It encompasses vehicle design and maintenance, driver behavior, and road infrastructure, as well as legal, educational, and organizational frameworks that support safer driving.

Vehicle-based safety combines passive safety features such as seat belts, airbags, reinforced structures, and child restraints with active safety technologies that help prevent crashes, including anti-lock braking systems (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), tire pressure monitoring, automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Regular maintenance, correct tires, and proper tire pressure are essential.

Human factors are central to ajoturva. Safe driving depends on adherence to speed limits and traffic rules, sober driving, fatigue management, distraction minimization, and appropriate risk assessment. Driver education and licensing processes aim to establish basic competencies and awareness of weather and road conditions.

Road design and maintenance influence safety. Clear signage, road markings, guardrails, lighting, and snow and ice removal reduce risks. In northern climates such as Finland, winter driving safety emphasizes weather-aware decisions, winter tires or studded tires where permitted, and adapting speed to conditions.

Finnish authorities regulate and promote ajoturva through traffic laws (tieliikennelaki and related regulations), enforcement by police, and agencies such as the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (Väylävirasto) and Liikenneturva. Public campaigns and statistics monitoring track progress in reducing crashes and improving safety.