Regional Road Safety Workshop SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH Content

Regional Road Safety Workshop SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH

Content I| The Concept -Safe system Approach - Key Principles for Safer Design II | Safe Roads II | Safe Users II | Safe Vehicles II | Road Safety Management II | What does it mean in an African context ? II | The Road Safety Manuals

Concept 3

A Safe System Approach Because of the nature of accidents, Road Safety should be perceived as a system Vision Based on acceptance of human error Road accidents therefore cannot be completely avoided The goal is to ensure that accidents do not result in serious human injury 4

Key Principles of Safer Design 1: Design roads for ALL users 2: Provide a clear, consistent and self explanatory message 3: Encourage adequate speed and behaviour according to the road design 4: Reduce conflicts 5: Create a forgiving road 5

The road is a shared space Consider Entrez votre textethe icineeds of all types of users Special attention to vulnerable users (motorbikes, bicycles, pedestrians) Vulnerable users represent over 50% of killed and injured users 6

A forgiving Road side treatment: 7

Not forgiving 8

Not Self explaining = confusion 9

A Safe System Approach SAFE ROADS Road Standards: Road Standards is a collection of best knowledge and best practices of the road engineers The goal is to make a homogeneous road system with a high level of safety Consensus should be reached among all stakeholders 10

A Safe System Approach SAFE ROADS Road Authorities: Make a plan for safer roads Spend at least 10% of the budget on safety Promote safe operation Apply road safety engineering Ensure work zone safety 11

Road Safety Engineering: Two Strategies Accident Reduction (Reactive Works) • Based on accidents that have happened (for example black spot works) Accident Prevention (Pro-active Works) • Application of knowledge (for example Road Safety audit) 12

Key Principles of Road Safety Engineering Design for all road users Provide early, clear and consistent messages to the driver Encourage appropriate speeds and behaviour by design Reduce conflicts Make allowances for the bad or impaired driver Create a forgiving road 13

Speed is a Key Factor 14

Speed is a Key Factor 15

Speed Reducing Reduce vehicle speed to improve living conditions and safety of vulnerable users 16

Before

After

Safe system at all stages…… Assessment Road Safety Audit Road Safety Inspection Proactive Black Spots Works Reactive New Roads Existing Roads Road Safety Auditors Road Safety Team 21

A Safe System Approach SAFE USERS Knowledge Skills Attitude Education Training Information Behaviour Enforcement 22

A Safe System Approach SAFE VEHICLES New cars: Implement safety standards Enforce safety features • Airbags • Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS) • Electronic Stability Control (ESC) • Pedestrian protection technologies 23

A Safe System Approach SAFE VEHICLES Used cars: • Revise vehicle inspection system to focus on safety issues • Updating safety requirements • Change frequency of inspections • Upgrade police vehicle controls etc. 24

A Safe System Approach POST-ACCIDENT RESPONSE Rescue Service Concept: the Golden Hour If professional medical assistance is given to accident victims within one hour the chances of survival will increase dramatically 25

A Safe System Approach ROAD SAFETY MANAGEMENT Safety in planning: Not only technical solutions Sustainable traffic management in planning • Reduce demand for traffic • Reduce car traffic • Speed management • Encourage use of bicycles and (safe) public transport 26

The Concept Road Safety is a process not a project Road Safety is a quality measure of the road transport system and must be an integral part of all activities 27

Road Safety is not to regulate what the driver should do but what he actually does • Road Safety is not building a pedestrian bridge – it is to make pedestrians use it • Road Safety is not putting up a speed limit sign – it is to make the drivers go slower 28

What does it mean in an African context ? Challenges Opportunities • Limited budgets and capacity • Road Safety is not always a top priority in Political Agendas • Traffic Accidents have negative impact on Health and Economy • Road Safety Awareness/culture is still weak among users, managers and decision makers • Lack of access to the right authorities/lack of power to change • Mix traffic and growing motorization rates • Weak law enforcement • There is still a great room for improvement • Integrate Road Safety at earliest stages of road projects is cost-effective and can save many lives • Reducing traffic accidents has a positive impact on poverty reduction • It is possible to develop low cost Road Safety measures with high impact on reducing traffic accidents • Best practices are developed worldwide and supported by international donors community • Opportunity for a better Urban planning • Road Safety education/awareness 29

The Road Safety Decade of Action: A Global Plan applying Safe System Approach Better Road Safety Management Safer Roads Safer Vehicles Safer Road Users Better Post. Crash Response 30

The Road Safety Manuals 1. New Roads and Schemes - Road Safety Audit (RSA) 2. Existing Roads - Proactive Approaches: This manual provides guidance on proactive Road Safety. Inspection and Assessment methods 3. Existing Roads - Reactive Approaches: This manual provides guidance on reactive methods for the identification and treatment of hazardous locations, roads and routes Characteristics: • Based on best practices from a number of countries worldwide, including current practices in Africa • Adopting a ‘Safe System’ approach which is concerned with engineering the road environment so that only low severity crashes are possible when users make mistakes • The approach has been tailored for practical application in Africa 31