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Slovakia has seen an increase in road crash deaths during 2014 compared with 2013. The country saw fatalities increase from 223 in 2013 to 258 in 2014. However the level of fatalities may be a statistical blip in that reported road crashes actually fell by 300 to 13,286 in all. Particular cause for concern was observed in the Nitra Region, which saw road crash deaths increase a shocking 132% and hit 51, the highest in Slovakia. Meanwhile the Trencin Region recorded the lowest road fatalities. Speeding on th

The occupants of this minibus had a narrow escape from serious injury when a container on the truck in front caught onto an overhanging tree.

The Brazilian state government of Parana has spent around US$1.73 billion on infrastructure projects over the past four years, including roads, railways, airports, ports and public buildings. According to Jose Richa Filho, the state’s infrastructure secretary, more investments will be made by local partners and through international financing. Around $3.63 million for road works between 2015 and 2018 with fund coming from partnerships with Votorantim and Klabin. Votorantim Group is one of the largest

Worrying data on road safety has been released from Sweden and Israel. Sweden’s record on road safety is one of the best in the world, with a combination of tough enforcement and stiff penalties along with effective driver education and training having helped lower the country’s fatality rate. However the latest official figures from the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) show that 275 people were killed on Swedish roads in 2014, compared with 260 people in 2013. This may yet prove to be a stat

Kobelco Construction Machinery is planning to build a new excavator factory in the US. The facility will be located in South Carolina and will become part of the existing US subsidiary, Kobelco Construction Machinery USA (KCMU). With the new facility, the firm’s operations in the US will be reorganised to include production as well as sales. The factory will be built on a 340,000m2 site close to Spartanburg, with production initially focussing on the 20tonne excavator segment and aiming for a capacity of so

Demand for electric vehicles as well as hybrid vehicles looks set to grow in China. The Chinese Government is looking to reduce pollution in major cities, with exhaust emissions known to be a major cause of the problem and electric vehicles in particular being regarded as one of a series of solutions to the issue. However, the Chinese Government now looks set to reduce the subsidies that have been in place to tempt buyers to select electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids, instead of conventional internal com

The latest official data from Japan’s National Police Agency reveals a continued drop in traffic fatalities for 2014. The fatality rate fell to 4,113 in 2014, a drop of 260 from the previous year. This improvement in road safety has been helped by a successful campaign to increase awareness over the use of seatbelts and also on the inherent risks of drink-driving, according to the authorities. Of the fatalities, 227 cases were as a result of drink-driving. A total of 2,193 people aged above 65 years old die

The German Ministry for transport, energy and digital communication, is planning to introduce a series of new public private partnerships for large road projects. These projects are intended to cut congestion and prevent traffic jams on Germany’s roads, which can be blocked at peak periods and particularly during times of vacation. If an additional traffic lane can be made available quickly and sustainably, this will be considered a bonus. Technical or temporary impairments in quality will result in less co