Sep 30, 2013 | Events, Innovation Workshop, Presentations, Resources
Among the world’s best in road infrastructure safety gathered recently at the World Bank in Washington for iRAP’s second Innovation Workshop. The Workshop was hosted by usRAP partners AAA FTS and MRIGlobal.
The Innovation Workshop is a platform for those using iRAP tools and those involved in road infrastructure safety more broadly to transfer their know-how quickly to each other through mutual support and friendly competition.
This Workshop captured the enormous scale of effort being made in policy development, technical application and research around the world. As just some examples:
Sep 30, 2013 | News
iRAP has been fortunate to benefit from the support of a number of volunteers who have graciously shared their time, expertise and enthusiasm for road safety.
We’ve recently been recognising their valuable contributions to our efforts to save lives with the ‘5-star volunteer’ award. The volunteers recognised are:
We also appreciate that volunteers’ home organisations were supportive of the initiative.
Sep 23, 2013 | News
Delegates from motoring clubs, road authorities, development banks, universities and companies gathered in Mexico recently for the second iRAP Latin America and Caribbean Workshop.
To date, iRAP has been used by 15 countries in the region to assess more than 80,000km of roads. This rich set of data not only provides a strong foundation for investment in safety in each country, but also holds enormous potential for regional benchmarking.
The workshop discussed numerous exiting developments. Paraguay, for example, is committed to eliminating 1- and 2-star roads, while in Belize, iRAP is being integrated into the nation’s road maintenance planning and the capital works programme.
Click here to see more photos from the workshop.
Sep 18, 2013 | News
Leading experts are collaborating to provide an ‘International Handbook of Road Safety’ to support the implementation of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.
The Handbook, coordinated by Monash University, the Commission for Global Road Safety and the University of Michigan, is being written by leading road safety, public health and regulatory scholars, along with leading figures from non-governmental organisations and industries, into a single volume.
This book will serve as an important reference point for the Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety which is due to be held in 2015, at the mid-point of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety. It will highlight the importance of including road traffic injury prevention within the post-2015 development agenda, as an issue impacting on wider goals for health, poverty reduction, reducing carbon emissions and promoting social justice.
The book is expected to be released in May 2014 to coincide with the third anniversary of the launch of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.
Sep 17, 2013 | News
AusRAP has assessed risk on almost 22,000km of national highways in Australia and identified opportunities to dramatically cut road trauma.
The report, produced by the AAA, finds that almost 40% of the national network is rated 1- or 2-star. More than 60% per cent of the network surveyed falls within the 3- to 4-star ranges.
The AusRAP report also shows that an investment of just over $4.7 billion has the potential to more than halve the number of roads rated 1- and 2-stars and prevent over 36,000 fatalities and serious injuries during a 20-year period.
The Safer Roads Investment Plan, which would save $3.50 in crash costs for each $1 invested, includes countermeasures such as: safety barriers, skid resistance and protected turning lanes at intersections.
The AusRAP report was produced with financial assistance from the Australian Government and with support from the State and Territory road and transport authorities.
Sep 17, 2013 | News
A new ANWB report finds that although the Netherlands is a world leader in road safety, additional efforts are needed in order to achieve the national target.
The report finds that most (62%) of the nation’s provincial roads are rated just 1- or 2-stars for vehicle occupants. This helps to explain why more than 25% of fatal crashes take place on provincial roads although together these roads account for only 6% of the total Dutch road network.
Provincial roads are generally well managed and maintained but the combination of a high speed limit (80 km/h) and the profiles of these roads means that a great many of them are not suited to handling large traffic flows safely.
Numerous safety improvements are suggested in the report, such as safety barriers, street lights and rumble strips.
While the current report focuses on vehicle occupants, a second edition is planned which will examine the unique features of bicycling infrastructure in the Netherlands.
Sep 1, 2013 | Report, Resources
Download Click the file icon above to download the file. 2012 iRAP report – India overview (Phase 1)
Aug 29, 2013 | News
A new report published by ARRB Group examines issues that are thought to be preventing the uptake of ‘Safe System’ infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries.
The report is a summary of a workshop held in Bangkok, Thailand as part of the 2012 GRSP / iRAP Asia Pacific Workshop involving delegates from governments and road authorities around the Asia-Pacific region. The aims of the workshop were to raise awareness of Safe System infrastructure treatments, such roundabouts, safety barriers and pedestrian crossings, and explore factors impeding their implementation.
Although cost was often cited as an impediment, factors relating to design, user compliance and maintenance were also considered to be very important.
The outcomes of the workshop will help road authorities, researchers and industry understand ways in which the uptake of highly effective infrastructure treatments can be accelerated. The information will also be used to update the Road Safety Toolkit.
Aug 19, 2013 | News
We are looking for a PHP / JavaScript developer, who is dedicated to their craft, writes code to be proud of and can hit the ground running.
You will be a part of a small creative team that is responsible for all aspects of the ongoing software development from the initial specification, through to developing, testing and launching.
For more information, take a look at: http://www.linkedin.com/jobs?viewJob=&jobId=6867817.
Aug 1, 2013 | Report, Resources
Download Click the file icon above to download the file. 2013 EuroRAP Final report – Ukraine Safer Road Corridors Investment Plan (English)
Aug 1, 2013 | Report, Resources
Download Click the file icon above to download the file. 2013 ARRB Research report (ARR 383) – Safe System infrastructure
Jul 17, 2013 | News
Following the completion of road inspections by the ‘Orange Angel’ and the ‘Brazilian Angel’, assessments are now being carried out for more than 4,000km roads in the State of Sao Paolo, Brazil.
Initially, Star Ratings and Safer Roads Investment Plans will be produced for nine high-priority World Bank-financed corridors.
As part of the project’s capacity building and communications strategy, local stakeholders and World Bank representatives recently participated in a workshop on the iRAP methodology and expected outcomes of the project.
Jul 17, 2013 | News
Hundreds of participants from around the world visited Beijing for the Road Safety on Four Continents (RS4C) conference, the 16th in the series.
ChinaRAP played a high-profile role at the conference, including by participating in “Sharing Road Safety – International Workshop in Scientific Safety Estimation” (co-sponsored by Research Institute of Highway of China, Beijing University of Technology, ITF/OECD, TRB, VTI) and the “Sharing solutions for transitioning economies” workshop (co-sponsored by GRSF and the World Bank).
ChinaRAP is currently actively supporting government, World Bank and Asian Development Bank projects in Anhui, Guizhou, Henan, Liaoning, Shaanxi and Yunnan.
The event also provided the opportunity for high-level discussions with Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Security officials.
Jul 17, 2013 | News
I am delighted to announce that Gary Liddle, the Chief Executive of VicRoads (an Australian state government road agency), has joined the iRAP Board.
Gary’s and VicRoads’ efforts, including delivery of the billion-dollar Transport Accident Commission (TAC)-funded Safer Road Infrastructure Program, have helped make Victoria a world-leader in road safety. In 2012, Victoria achieved its lowest-ever number of road deaths (282 fatalities / 5 per 100,000 population).
Gary also brings a wealth of experience from his work with Austroads, ARRB Group, the World Road Association (PIARC) and REAAA.
When it comes to road infrastructure, lives are not saved until safety treatments are built. We can eliminate 1- and 2-star roads and celebrate the opening of new 4- and 5-star roads.
With large-scale safety programs already saving lives in Victoria, Gary’s practical experience will help guide our work globally as we partner with road authorities, development banks and auto-clubs to achieve our vision of a world free of high-risk roads.
Rob McInerney
CEO, iRAP
Jul 16, 2013 | News
The Korea Transport Institute (KOTI) and iRAP have signed a Centre of Excellence agreement, which will support efforts in the development of road infrastructure safety in Korea as well as in the international community.
Speaking at a special seminar, KOTI Pesident, Gyenchul Kim, said: “To achieve high performance on road safety, all road safety factors including road users, vehicles, and road infrastructure should be safer than now. We are showing a high level of seat belt usage compared to 20 years ago. We are also making vehicles which compete with the other safer cars around the globe. Now is the time to make road infrastructure safer in the world.”
KOTI joins four other iRAP Centres of Excellence: ARRB Group, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), TRL, MRIGLobal and the Instituto Mexicano del Transporte.
Jul 16, 2013 | News
RMTC, the lead agency for road traffic management in South Africa, has established the South African Road Assessment Program (SARAP) to help prevent the more than 14,000 road deaths that occur each year in the country.
Speaking at a major launch event, acting CEO, Collins Letsoalo said the South Africa “free of high risk roads” initiative will include:
- Assessment and performance tracking on 36,000km of road where over 50% of fatalities in South Africa occur.
- Targeted investment in proven high return treatments across the country.
- The elimination of one and two star roads by 2020.
The initiative will draw on the co-operation and dedicated support of stakeholders such as the Department of Transport, Ministry of Finance, SANRAL, SARF, Road Accident Fund, SALGA, South African Police Service, Universities and CSIR.
SARAP will also involve capacity building, evaluations, communications and employment generation efforts.
Jul 16, 2013 | News
‘Designing safer roads for all’ was the theme of a week-long road engineering safety training course held in Bangalore, India.
Participants from across India and nearby countries had the opportunity to learn about Star Rating road designs, crash investigations, road safety audits, black spot management, engineering treatments for run-off, head-on and intersection crashes, and designing for vulnerable road users and mixed traffic.
The course was closely linked with iRAP assessments, which now cover some 6,500km of roads in seven Indian States. More than 100 engineers have participated in iRAP-specific training since 2010.
Importantly, investments to improve many of the roads assessed with iRAP tools have been locked into World Bank-financed projects, estimated to be worth more than USD 3.5 billion. Designs for almost 30% of the roads assessed have already been Star Rated, helping to ensure that safety is built-in to the plans prior to construction.
The course culminated in a site visit to the Mysore safe demonstration corridor which will soon be upgraded. Visit our Flickr page to see photos of the visit.
The training course was an initiative of the GRSF and provided as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies global road safety program.
Jul 15, 2013 | News
In the first report of its kind, AMZS have brought together results from all RAP protocols for roads in Slovenia.
Risk Mapping results on 6,500km of the road network for the period 2006-2011 showed that motorways and expressways are the safest road type, with an average fatal and serious crash rate 6 times lower than main roads and 8 times lower than regional roads. Just 1% of the network fell into the higher risk categories compared to 23% of main roads and 31% of regional roads. Performance tracking over time showed a significant improvement in the proportion of the network rated higher risk compared to 2006-2008.
The report includes results from pilot road inspections covering 270km. Over 90% of the expressway routes achieved a 4-star rating, with a lack of paved shoulders identified as a key roadside hazard. Main road sections scored much lower, with the majority rated as 1- or 2-stars. Narrow driving lanes, steep embankments and poor junction layout were identified as problem areas.
A detailed Safer Roads Investment Plan on the main road from Ljubljana Kocevje-Petrina showed that improving intersection layout, widening lanes and adding paved shoulders and roadside barriers on just 32km of road would require investment of €2 million and would yield a €16 million return over 20 years, equating to a benefit cost ratio of 7.5.
The full report can be downloaded from: http://eurorap.org/media/182412/EuroRAP_SLO_2012_Eng.zip
Jul 15, 2013 | News
RACC have published EuroRAP mapping showing national road sections with the highest crash costs.
The research shows that up to 20% of the network (4,700km) bears crash costs over €100,000 per kilometre, while 5% of the network (1,296km) had crash costs greater than €200,000 per kilometre. The study found that just eight roads account for half of the highest cost per kilometre.
The report comes at time of considerable budgetary constraint in Spain, and it is argued that targeted investment on road sections with the highest crash costs will save lives and money.
Currently, while the average crash cost per km on the national road network stands at €64, investment in road maintenance stands at just €38 per km.
Jul 15, 2013 | News
By applying to become an IRF Fellow, you could follow in the footsteps of passionate road safety supporter and member of the ChinaRAP team, Wu Lingtao.
The IRF Fellowship Program enabled Lingtao take up study at Texas A&M University in the United States, meet some of the best international students in the country and network with leaders of the transportation industry.
The International Road Educational Foundation is now accepting nominations for the IRF Fellowship Program – Class of 2015 (starting fall semester, 2014).
The program provides a one-time graduate level scholarship to young professionals from developing countries who have strong academic backgrounds, professional qualifications, leadership potential, and a commitment to return to their respective home countries after graduation.
For more information on how to apply, visit: www.irfnews.org/fellowships.
Jul 15, 2013 | News
To coincide with the first major update of the iRAP methodology since it was pilot-tested in four countries in 2006, we have published a new series of fact sheets.
The 28 fact sheets describe the risk factors (or crash modification factors) used in the models for attributes such as lane width and sidewalk (footpath) provision, and include discussion on key issues and references to published literature. The fact sheets are available at irap.org and on the Road Safety Toolkit.
We are also in the process of updating the existing methodology documents, addressing topics such as the way in which crash initiation modes are handled in the models and how the Star Rating thresholds are set. The documents will be free to download when they’re ready.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about the iRAP methodology, please contact us. We will be happy to answer your questions.
Jul 15, 2013 | News
During a recent webinar the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety explained how usRAP is transitioning from pilot projects to become an operational program. Having demonstrated through a three-phase pilot period how it can complement existing safety management programs in...
Jun 5, 2013 | News
May 3, 2013 | Espanol news
iRAP fue reconocido por sus contribuciones a la seguridad vial en la ceremonia anual de Premios Americanos de la Región IV de la FIA.
El Director Regional de iRAP, Julio Urzua, fue reconocido por la FIA por su trabajo en la creación e implementación de iniciativas de seguridad vial para el año 2012, reafirmando los compromisos de los clubes de automovilismo de fortalecer la sinergia entre la movilidad y el transporte.
Hasta fines de 2012, se habían llevado a cabo evaluaciones de iRAP en Argentina, Belice, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, México, Nicaragua, Panamá y Paraguay.
May 1, 2013 | Report, Resources
Download Click the file icon above to download the file. 2013 iRAP report – India overview (Phase 2)
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