DATABANK
Cloud computing
Cloud computing brings many benefits:
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Not that the trend is all bleak. The number of road fatalities in 32 IRTAD (International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group) countries decreased by 42% between 2000 and 2014, an impressive achievement for a relatively short period. Many countries saw reductions of over 50%, and some achieved reductions of up to 70%. However, in 2015 the number of road deaths increased in at least 19 countries. Data for some countrie point to high rates, up to 26 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in South Africa. The IRTAD countries with the lowest road fatality rates are all located in Europe. In 2014, five countries–Iceland, Sweden, the UK, Norway and Switzerland– recorded less than three fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants. Reasons for this overall good performance include the implementation of systematic road safety strategies, addressing speeding and drink driving, better road infrastructure
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933224224
Source: Eurostat, Information Society Statistics, January 2015.
and enables teleworking. Yet, questions remain over potential environmental downside impact–cloud computing uses energy to remain “always on”–and digital security breaches.
quick and easy access and deployment, higher flexibility and potential savings in information and communication technology costs. The cloud also fosters increased collaboration between teams when working on shared documents
Road death challenge Every year about 1.2 million people die in crashes on the world’s roads and many millions are seriously injured. This heavy toll comes despite decades of efforts to improve traffic safety.
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Businesses more frequently invest in cloud computing services with a high level of sophistication, such as finance and accounting software, customer relationship management software and computing power, than less sophisticated services such as emails, office software or file storage.
Cloud computing Use of cloud computing by enterprises, %, 2014
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The diffusion of internet-based cloud computing among private companies has picked up over recent years, with higher uptake within large firms compared to small businesses. In 2014 22% of companies in OECD European countries relied on cloud computing services, with shares ranging from 50% in Finland down to 6% in Poland. In most countries, uptake is higher among large businesses–close to 40%–compared to small or mediumsized enterprises–around 21% and 27%, respectively. Only in Switzerland and the Slovak Republic are adoption rates higher for smaller companies than large ones.
Visit www.oecd.org/internet/ieconomy/
Road death challenge Road fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, 2014 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Ice
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Source: ITF (2016), Road Safety Annual Report 2016
and safer vehicles, and better road trauma management. Moreover, the economic downturn, which hit many countries over the past decade, may have contributed thanks to fewer trips. But while car crash fatalities have fallen, fatalities among pedestrians, cyclists and people over 65 years old have not fallen
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933385210
and have even risen in some cases. In France, moped riders and motorcyclists account for almost a quarter of total fatalities, for instance. Drink driving, speeding and not wearing seat belts or helmets remain leading causes of serious and fatal injuries. Visit www.itf-oecd.org/IRTAD
OECD Observer No 307 Q3 2016
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