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6% of Hungarian network achieves the best risk rating

6% of Hungarian network achieves the best risk rating

During the 12th Annual EuroRAP General Assembly, the Institute for Transport Sciences (KTI) published Risk Maps for some 3,000km of roads in Hungary.

The roads represent just 11% of the investigated part of the national road network, but carry 54% of traffic flow. Some 34% of fatal crashes occur on the roads.

The Risk Map, produced as part of SENSOR, shows that the network spans the full range of risk categories, from high risk through to low risk.

Based on the findings of the review carried out with EuroRAP methodology, a Hungarian expert group is to make proposals on low-budget safety improvements. 

Road safety in the home of the World Cup

Road safety in the home of the World Cup

In the first application of iRAP in Brazil, crash risk on 4,250km of roads in São Paulo state was assessed.

The results, which are helping to guide the $429 million São Paulo Sustainable Transport Project, were presented as part of a training course for around 150 people.

Much of the network was rated in the highest risk 1- and 2-star categories. About two thirds (62%) of roads where pedestrians are present carry traffic 40km/h or more have no footpaths. Almost half (40%) have hazardous objects within 5 metres of the edge and limited roadside protection (such as safety barriers).

The most comprehensive plan shows that an investment of R$2.55 billion (US$1.28 billion) could reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries by 41%, preventing almost 80,000 deaths and serious injuries over 20 years.

Following the presentation of results, iRAP’s São Paulo based consultant conducted a series of workshops to train 15 engineers and planners from the São Paulo Department of Highways (DER-SP) in the use of the iRAP methodology and software.

The iRAP assessments in Brazil are supported by the World Bank GRSF and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Fatality-free roads of the future

Fatality-free roads of the future

Vehicle and road infrastructure experts recently explored how technologies from their fields will ‘work together’ to prevent common types of vehicle and motorcycle crashes and those involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

Participants in the workshop, which was hosted by RACV in Melbourne, Australia, also considered the challenge of preventing crashes involving the rapidly growing ‘e-bike’ fleet in many parts of the world.

Although advanced V2V and V2I technology which may lead to ‘self-driving’ cars was cited as having enormous potential, there was also a focus was on the safety gains of rapid, wide-scale deployment of already-proven technology and techniques, especially in rapidly developing countries. 

Examples considered include: emergency brake assist which helps drivers to quickly slow their car, flexible safety barriers that are highly-effective at dissipating energy and innovative forms of head-protection for bicyclists.

The workshop was developed by iRAP and GNCAP, and built on the Roads That Cars Can Read Initiative. ARRB Group is currently producing a Research Report that will document proceedings.

Standard TOR and technical specifications

Standard TOR and technical specifications

Standard iRAP technical specifications, guides and manuals, which can be used in procurement and management of iRAP-specification activities, are available online.

The documents include a standard Terms of Reference (TOR) that can be downloaded and edited to form the basis of a project plan and/or used in the process of engaging consultants to deliver services.

The documents also include specifications on road inspections, Star Rating and Safer Roads Investment Plan analyses and Risk Map analyses using crash data.

The specifications are accompanied by a growing list of consultants and firms capable of bidding for and delivering iRAP-specification projects. The specifications also enable consultants and firms that have not previously undertaken iRAP-specific activities to gain ‘accreditation’ during project delivery.

‘Safe Schools’ project in South Africa

‘Safe Schools’ project in South Africa

The granddaughter of Nelson Mandela and global road safety campaigner, Zoleka Mandela led the launch of the first Safe Schools project in South Africa.

The project is a pioneering approach, introducing safe road infrastructure to protect school children, combined with road safety education and awareness for children and teachers from Takalani Sesame and Childsafe.

The initial iRAP assessment conducted with the City of Cape Town found that 77% of the roads around Sivile Primary School are in the highest-risk 1- and 2-star categories for pedestrians. 

The project is primarily funded with a donation from Decade of Action global corporate supporter Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson company. Additional financing and technical support for the project was provided by WorleyParsons, IVECO, and the FIA Foundation. The Medical Research Council is coordinating the monitoring and evaluation of the project.

SENSOR features in European Road Safety Day

SENSOR features in European Road Safety Day

The European Commission, in cooperation with the Greek EU Presidency, hosted European Road Safety Day in Athens on 9 May 2014. 

Vice-President Siim Kallas, Commissioner for transport, said: “The EU has an outstanding road safety record in global comparison. But as long as there are fatal accidents on our roads, we cannot afford to be complacent. This year, it is time to look at the roads and the infrastructure. There is great potential in making EU roads both safer and smarter.”

Make Roads Safe Hellas participated in the event, illustrating recent progress made on SENSOR, which brings together 14 countries to assess roads and identify life-saving engineering improvements. 

SENSOR builds on an EU success story, the adoption of basic safety principles for management of the trans-European road transport network: safety inspections, mapping of the most dangerous road stretches and safety impact assessments before the building of new roads. 

International Road Safety Award

International Road Safety Award

The Prince Michael Award recognises iRAP’s efforts to scale-up action on road infrastructure safety and tackle the global epidemic of road traffic injuries.

More than 70 countries have made use of iRAP tools to assess their roads and in developing countries alone, the tools are being used in projects worth more than $7 billion.

The award was presented during the Decade of Action Policy and Donor Forum in Melbourne, Australia. During the Forum Global Road Safety Ambassador, Michelle Yeoh, appealed for the inclusion of road safety in new global development goals, encouraging everyone to vote for ‘better roads and transport’ in the UN’s global My World survey.

Safety demonstration project in the Philippines

Safety demonstration project in the Philippines

A trip to the beautiful ‘City of Pines’ is about to become safer thanks to road safety improvements being planned by DPWH.

The road that climbs up to the mountain-top city is among the nation’s most scenic, yet it is also the scene of numerous serious road crashes.  In July 2010 for example, police reported that at least 12 people died and 39 others were hurt after the bus they were travelling in slammed into a tree on a curve.

Planned improvements include school speed zones, paved shoulders, safety barriers, footpaths, pedestrian crossings and new linemarking and signs.

The demonstration project is a tangible outcome of iRAP assessments that were undertaken with support from the World Bank and Australian Aid.

Program begins in the Cayman Islands

Program begins in the Cayman Islands

The National Roads Authority of the Cayman Islands has begun a program of iRAP assessments that will lead to road safety improvements.

The NRA plan sets out details for assessments of existing roads, assessments of designs for a planned airport connector road, implementation of road safety countermeasures, training, policy development and advocacy.

Speaking at an official launch of the initiative, the minister responsible for roads, Kurt Tibbetts, said that the assessments were needed out of concern for fatal crashes that have occurred. In 2011, the Cayman Islands had a road death rate of 16.5 deaths per 100,000 people, almost twice the average of high-income countries.

Safety assessments beginning in Uttar Pradesh, India

Safety assessments beginning in Uttar Pradesh, India

New iRAP assessments are due to begin shortly in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh, linked with the World Bank-financed road upgrades.

Uttar Pradesh is home to the famed Taj Mahal, but among the States of India Uttar Pradesh also suffers the second highest level of road trauma, with a reported 16,149 deaths occurring in 2012

The assessments of some 2,000km of roads will build on the extensive work already undertaken in India, which includes assessments of 6,200km of existing roads and 1,800km of designs for major road upgrades.

iRAP’s participation in the project is supported by the GRSF and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Engineers from all 32 States in Mexico in training

Engineers from all 32 States in Mexico in training

More than 100 road engineers from across Mexico are currently participating in safety training courses.

The training program, organized by SCT and delivered by iRAP, focuses on road engineering safety principles and techniques, the iRAP methodology and use of the iRAP software and data. 

The courses complement the extensive iRAP assessments in Mexico, covering some 45,000km of national roads and 20,000km of secondary roads, and are part of efforts to systematically reduce risk across the network.

SEMIC, an accredited iRAP supplier, is assisting in delivery of the national training program.

Safety improvement works underway in Belize

Safety improvement works underway in Belize

Upgrades to lift road safety Star Ratings on the road between Belize City and Belmopan are underway.

The improvements include paved shoulders, regulatory and warning signs, bus laybys, safety barriers, linemarking and reflectorized road studs, pedestrian crossings and high-visibility chevron signs at curves.

The project is led by the Ministry of Public Works (MOW) with financial support from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and is helping to build a culture of road safety in Belize. The road upgrades are accompanied by institutional support, strategy development, training and police enforcement, and will include monitoring of Star Ratings and safety outcomes.  

In addition, safety improvements on a second stretch of road are now being designed. Those works include a new roundabout, traffic calming, and bike lanes and sidewalks in Belmopan.

Asia Pacific Road Safety 2014

Asia Pacific Road Safety 2014

The next iRAP Asia Pacific Workshop will be held on 25 June, 2014 in Manila, Philippines.

The workshop is part of “Asia Pacific Road Safety 2014”, an event being organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) and Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP).

This comprehensive seminar, workshop and training programme will be conducted at the ADB headquarters in Manila, Philippines from 23 June to 4 July 2014. There will be four key events: 

  • GRSP Asia Seminar (23-24 June)
  • iRAP Asia Pacific Workshop (25 June)
  • ADB/ASEAN Train the Trainer Programme (invitation only)
  • GNCAP Workshop (invitation only).

Registration for these events is now open

Rehabilitation works underway on the M2 in Moldova

Rehabilitation works underway on the M2 in Moldova

The work is expected to result in the length rated 4- or 5-stars for pedestrians increasing from 9% to 84%, and a more than doubling of the length rated 3-stars or better for vehicle occupants.

Improvements to M2, which connects the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine for private, passenger and commercial traffic, are being undertaken by the Government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). The safety features include safety barriers, intersection layout changes, and pedestrian footpaths and crossings. 

The Star Ratings were performed by EuroRAP as an independent check that the investment will be coupled with an improvement in road safety performance.

Safer Roads by Design for Sao Paulo

Safer Roads by Design for Sao Paulo

iRAP and International Road Federation jointly held a Safer Roads by Design for Sao Paulo seminar in Brazil, during the TranspoQuip conference.

The course covered topics such as:

  • How to design a 3-star or better road in Brazil.
  • An introduction to Safer Road by Design: The role of engineering measures.
  • Details on designs for safer roadsides, including longitudinal barriers, terminals and transitions.

The seminar coincides with iRAP road assessments that are being undertaken in Brazil, supported by the Global Road Safety Facility and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Preventing 10,000 deaths and serious injuries in South East Europe

Preventing 10,000 deaths and serious injuries in South East Europe

Partners from the 14-country SENSoR project came together with ROSEE partners in Slovenia to continue the push for reduction of risk on roads in South East Europe.

A high-level briefing including Slovenian infrastructure minister Omerzel Samo,  EuroRAP chairman John Dawson, and EASST president Emma Maclennan focussed on role of improved infrastructure in reducing injury.    

A key theme was the need to connect the “left hand” of infrastructure investment with the “right hand” of spending on emergency response, health, long term care and insurance. 

The mid-term SENSoR planning and reporting conference attracted 140 participants who heard that 3,150km of the Slovenian network and 3,600km of the Greek TEN-T network have already been inspected (click here to see results). Inspections in the other countries are underway, as are seminars and dissemination events aiming to raise public and political awareness of the road traffic injury epidemic.

 
World Road Statistics and Safer Roads By Design

World Road Statistics and Safer Roads By Design

The International Road Federation (IRF) has published the 50th anniversary edition of its World Road Statistics

To mark the anniversary, the publication includes 12 years of updated data, providing a comprehensive statistical picture of international road and inland transport from the start of the millennium.

The next Safer Roads By Design™: Across Six Continents course, one of the most comprehensive road safety training programs in the world, will begin on 16 February 2014 in Florida, US. The course will cover roadside safety, work zone safety, vulnerable user safety and road safety audits.

Safety assessments in Colombia complete

Safety assessments in Colombia complete

Colombia now has a detailed inventory of the characteristics of almost 11,000km of roads identifying risks and corrective measures required to improve safety.

Speaking at the launch of the results, Alexandra Rojas Lopera, CEO of Corporación Fondo de Prevención Vial said that investments of $2 billion pesos, equivalent to a third of the annual cost of road crashes in Colombia, could save more than 8,000 deaths and 56,000 serious injuries in next 20 years.

The assessment found that 60% the roads are rated 3-stars or better for vehicle occupants, but more than half the roads rated are just 1- or 2-stars for vulnerable road users. The road with the best score was Sincelejo – Corozal and the worst stretch is Cano – Mojarras. 

An interactive presentation on the project is available at: http://fpv.org.co/images/repositorioftp/FPV-resultados.swf.

The project involved the participation of Corporación Fondo de Prevención Vial, la CAF, el Ministerio de Transporte, Invías, la Agencia Nacional de la Infraestructura (ANI), la Superintendencia de Puertos y Transporte, la Dirección de Tránsito y Transporte de la Policía Nacional (DITRA), la Universidad del Cauca, la Universidad del Norte y la Universidad de Los Andes.

Safety a major focus of planned investments in Shaanxi

Safety a major focus of planned investments in Shaanxi

ChinaRAP assessments are helping to guide planning for a ¥2.2 billion (US$373 million) investment in rural roads in the Qinba Mountains area of Shaanxi Province.

The ChinaRAP team examined more than 1,000km of roads targeted for improvement by the Government of China and the Asian Development Bank.

The assessments found that much of the road safety risk on the single-lane, undivided road network stems from the fact that more than two thirds of the roads are curved and many of the roadsides have hazards such as cliffs, steep drains and aggressive vertical faces.

An initial safety plan for around 200km of the main trunk roads identified opportunities to save more than 1,000 fatalities and serious injuries over 20 years, representing a reduction of almost 40% compared to current rates.

The ChinaRAP assessments were supported by the Global Road Safety Facility and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

KiwiRAP wins prestigious international award

KiwiRAP wins prestigious international award

KiwiRAP has been awarded the International Road Federation Global Road Achievement Award for Road Safety.

Ernst Zollner, Director Road Safety at the New Zealand Transport Agency said “The KiwiRAP team has done an excellent job in helping us better understand risk on our roads so we can target efforts to the highest risks first and make the greatest gains in reducing deaths and serious injuries.”

AA Motoring Affairs General Manager Mike Noon said KiwiRAP has been an important factor in the significant fall road deaths. “KiwiRAP is setting the standard globally for road assessment programmes. A huge number of crashes have been prevented and lives saved because of this work.” 

The latest KiwiRAP report showed that targeting high collective risk routes by the NZ Police and the Transport Agency achieved a 30% reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes on those lengths of highway.

KiwiRAP was developed in partnership by the NZ Transport Agency, NZ Automobile Association, Ministry of Transport, NZ Police and ACC.

You can watch a short video on the program at: http://www.irfnews.org/current-winners/.

Award winning safety assessments in Genesee County

Award winning safety assessments in Genesee County

The Genesee County Road Commission (GRSC) has received a National Roadway Safety Award for its proactive Safety Improvement Plan for County Roads in Michigan, US.

The Genesee project was one of 12 exemplary highway projects and programs from across the US recognised by the Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

GCRC developed the safety improvement plan based on a comprehensive usRAP review. The plan includes shoulder paving, pedestrian crossings, sidewalk provision, delineation improvements, lane widening, intersection signalization, left-turn lane provision, roadside barriers, road surface improvements, and rail crossing upgrades.

More information about the award winning projects is available in the National Road Safety Awards 2013 Noteworthy Practices Guide.

Want to know more about the iRAP methodology?

Want to know more about the iRAP methodology?

A series of new fact sheets that describe the iRAP methodology is now available for download. The fact sheets answer many of the questions people have about the iRAP approach, covering topics such as crash types, Star Rating Score equations, model calibration and...
Lane markings ‘rails’ for self-steering vehicles

Lane markings ‘rails’ for self-steering vehicles

New cars today do more to protect life than vehicles just 10 years ago, and by 2025, half of the cars on the road in Europe will be capable of “reading” signs and markings.

However, Roads that cars can read, a report published by EuroRAP and Euro NCAP, finds that inadequate maintenance and differences in road markings and traffic signs are now a major obstacle to the effective use of technology in vehicles, such as lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition.

John Dawson (EuroRAP, Chairman) said “Lane markings are now the ‘rails’ for self-steering vehicles.” Michiel van Ratingen added “We set demanding standards for 5-star cars.  We must now move towards 5-star roads where the quality of road markings and signs are assured to work with modern vehicles.”

Measuring to Manage: Crash Rates in the UK

Measuring to Manage: Crash Rates in the UK

The latest report from the Road Safety Foundation shows that single carriageway roads are now 7 times more risky than motorways.

As the flowers by the roadside attest, the main crash type causing death is running off the road. The main crash type causing serious injury are brutal junction impacts.

The report measures and maps the risk of death and serious injury road uses face on the British network where the majority of lives are lost – on motorways and ‘A’ roads outside cities. It shows road travel is getting measurably safer, particularly because of improving vehicle safety.

The report comes at a time when the government has recognised Britain is falling behind other countries and announced the “biggest ever upgrade of our existing roads worth up to £50bn over the next generation”.

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