Smart Traffic Signs for Safer Driving
To improve traffic safety on state roads, the Public Enterprise "Roads of Serbia" launched a project to integrate modern technical solutions from the field of ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) into the existing road management system (meteorological road stations, traffic signs with changeable content, etc.).
The project is carried out on the state road of I B category number 23 in Serbia, and involves the installation of "smart" traffic signs that will recommend to road users, depending on the nature of changes in driving conditions, the safest speed at which their vehicle can move in the current conditions (road conditions, weather conditions and conditions in the traffic flow).
When an unfavourable change in driving conditions occurs (e.g. heavy rain combined with reduced visibility, strong wind, and traffic congestion) the smart traffic sign independently calculates and reduces the recommended speed to the safest speed for the current driving conditions, with the help of the following sensors that collect data from environments:
- Sensor for measuring visibility
- Sensor for measuring wind speed
- Sensor for measuring the adhesion coefficient on the pavement
- Sensor for detecting congestion in the traffic flow
Guided by the thesis that road accidents can be prevented, PE "Roads of Serbia" continues with activities to improve traffic safety and improve driving conditions.
Enhancing Traffic Management at the 2024 TRB Annual Meeting
The International Road Federation (IRF) contributed to a very successful 103rd edition of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting, held on 7 – 11 January 2024, in Washington, D.C. A global gathering that every year brings together transportation leaders and researchers to address critical issues in transport. The IRF was pleased to contribute to a number of sessions among which two speccifically dedicated to traffic management systems.
Enhancing Traffic Management Systems (TMS)
This workshop organised by several TRB Standing Committees - and under the leadership of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) - saw the participation of IRF Director General, Susanna Zammataro and had as objective to gather insights and practices to enhance Transportation Management System (TMS) capabilities and performance.
The workshop aimed in particular to assist agencies in aligning TMSs with their objectives, performance expectations, and desired functions. Through interactive breakout sessions, participants explored key processes, including preparing for and conducting TMS assessments, assessing TMS capabilities and performance, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Innovation in Traffic Management: Lessons from the 4th TRB ISFO Symposium
On 9 January, a session moderated by AustriaTech provided a global platform for industry leaders and researchers to spotlight the pivotal conclusions derived from the 4th TRB International Symposium on Freeway and Tollway Operations (ISFO) held on 26-30 June 2023 in Vienna. Presenting on the symposium’s plenary session “Visioning Traffic Management's Future”, IRF DG, S. Zammataro, reported that the session focused on anticipating changes and identifying opportunities for effective traffic management. Key highlights included: leveraging digitalisation for optimised asset use and safety; revising procurement frameworks for widespread deployment of solutions; and repurposing existing road networks to reduce emissions and congestion.
This session also served as a platform to announce the 5th TRB International Symposium on Freeway and Tollway Operations (ISFO), to be organised end of June 2025 in Marrakech as a collaborative effort among several partners including IRF, and with the National Motorway Company of Morocco (ADM) as the lead local host. Info soon available on the IRF Website.
Resources on TSMO available on https://transportationops.org/.
Road Safety and Active Mobility: Marriage of Convenience?
Road safety and active mobility share a genuine and true love affair, forming a perfect combination. On the one hand, road safety ensures a sense of comfort for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and e-scooter users. On the other end, there is a direct correlation between the space dedicated to active mobility in our streets and a reduction of accidents at an urban level.
What is Road Safety?
Road safety refers to measures and precautions taken to prevent crashes, injuries, and fatalities on roadways. It encompasses various strategies, policies, and practices designed to reduce the risk of crashes and promote safe behaviour among road users.
Road safety aims to create an environment where people can travel with minimal risk of crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
What is Active Mobility?
Active mobility refers to modes of transportation that involve physical activity, typically through walking, cycling, or other human-powered means. It promotes using one’s energy to move from one place to another, in contrast to passive modes of transport like motorised vehicles. Active mobility contributes to physical well-being and environmental sustainability and often supports a more livable and vibrant community.
Road Safety: Always a Trending Topic
Do you know that as you read the first paragraph of this article, at least two people lost their lives in a road crash? Every 24 seconds, a road fatality occurs in our world, with 4% of them involving cyclists. It is also essential to highlight the devastating figures of serious injuries (approximately 20 million people per year from various modes of transport), which are equally important in achieving the Vision Zero objective – zero fatalities and zero injuries on our roads and streets.
Is Vision Zero an achievable milestone? It may seem complicated when considering the figures mentioned above. Nonetheless, moving “as close as possible to zero fatalities in road transport” is one of the long-term goals endorsed by the European Commission by 2050.
In addition, Vision Zero has already been implemented at the urban level, with several important cities successfully eliminating traffic fatalities from their streets.
Urban Safety Done Right: Oslo
Oslo, a city with 635,000 residents, stands out, having achieved a “clean sheet” in recent years regarding killed pedestrians, cyclists, and children.
This starkly contrasts with 1975, when the Norwegian capital city suffered 41 traffic deaths. How can these numbers be explained? The most probable aspects that had a higher impact on improving traffic safety in Oslo are the extension of the cycling network, reduced traffic in residential areas, and the innovative concept of “heart zones” near schools, allowing parents to drop off and pick up their children in a safer way. In general, Oslo has replaced on-street parking spots with lengthened cycle lanes, representing a modal split from cars to bicycles.
Extending the Cycling Network to Promote Active Mobility
A redistribution of the urban space to promote active mobility and an extension of the cycling network is not unique to Scandinavia. Several cities have embraced this reallocation of urban areas. For example, Paris would play a hypothetical Champions League of best practices in urban road safety. The French capital is moving from a car-centric paradise to a 100% cyclable city concept, according to the Plan Vélo 2021-2026. The cycling infrastructure now spans over 1,120km (compared to less than 200km in 2001).
The city has also implemented a Gender and Public Space plan to create safer and more accessible urban areas. At the same time, cars have been banned on certain roads along the Seine River through the city centre, and the French energy-efficiency programmes are providing an extra budget for the development of cycling infrastructure, according to the European Cyclists’ Federation. It’s a strategic move and a nice cover letter for hosting the Olympic Games in 2024.
The Importance of Safe Cycling Infrastructure
The extension of cycling networks and the quality of infrastructure are popular concerns in the mobility field, confirmed by the European Cycling Declaration adopted by the European Commission in October 2023. Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists remain dangerously exposed. According to the 2023 Global Status Report on Road Safety developed by the WHO, only 0.2% of all infrastructures assessed have dedicated cycle lanes.
To address these challenges, new tools like Lane Patrol are gaining momentum. Lane Patrol provides insights for safer and more comfortable cycling infrastructure as this system implements the evidence-based and preventive CycleRAP methodology to assess and improve cycle lanes in our cities.
Madrid’s Evolution to a Bike-Friendly City
One of the cities that have deployed the Lane Patrol assessment is Madrid. Although not traditionally recognised as bike-friendly, Madrid is rapidly climbing the ranks of cyclist-friendly cities, typically dominated by Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
Why? The Madrid 360 Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan” is part of the reason. It aims to establish a basic cycling network of 570km by 2025. The plan also includes complementary measures, such as converting roads with more than one lane per direction into multi-modal lanes. As part of the action plan, a risk map has been developed, and the city council has applied the CycleRAP methodology to assess 98km of their cycling infrastructure, covering various types of sections: segregated bike lanes, shared “ciclo-carriles”, etc.
Insights from Madrid’s Cycling Network Assessment by Lane Patrol
As expected, the results have shown that interaction with traffic is the major risk by far (50%), followed by conflicts with pedestrians (26%), and crashes with other bikes (24%). The Lane Patrol tool listed several countermeasures to alleviate the challenges of the current cycling network in Madrid. Among the suggestions, we can point out adding light segregation in specific segments, upgrading existing facilities to an on-road bicycle lane, improving crossing design, or providing a cycling-priority street.
Finally, the road safety assessment tool also suggested some “quick wins” and cost-effective solutions. For example, improving delineation, installing traffic calming, and removing parking spaces. The road safety treatment proposal offers qualitative insights to policymakers and provides quantitative information on the risk mitigation for each measure.
The Double-zero Concept and Its Gender Perspective
As highlighted at the beginning, road safety is a paramount concern that will always hold a prominent place at the mobility table. Saving lives is undeniably of utmost importance. But it is equally imperative to recognise the direct relationship between the provision of safer bike lanes and sustainable and inclusive mobility.
Incorporating the double-zero concept into road safety initiatives extends beyond the pursuit of zero crashes to encompass zero emissions. While the primary focus centres on saving lives, it is essential to acknowledge that the concept surpasses mere accident prevention.
Moreover, sustainable mobility is pivotal to achieving a modal shift towards active mobility. The comfort and safety of citizens walking or cycling play a crucial role in this shift. A safe cycling network enhances road safety and yields numerous benefits. These advantages go from decarbonising urban mobility, reducing air and noise pollution, and promoting the health advantages of an active lifestyle. This, in turn, can save a significant number of lives. The correlation between road safety, comfort, and the growth of active mobility forms the best recipe for cities to achieve long-term goals, including climate neutrality. Therefore, we strongly advocate for the double-zero concept—zero crashes and zero emissions—in our mobility landscape.
Inclusive Mobility: What Does it Entail?
A safer cycling infrastructure is inherently inclusive because it provides everyone access to this active transport mode. Who are the first to leave the bike at home? The elderly, children, and women may avoid riding bikes or e-scooters due to discomfort and uneasy feelings. Women are more likely to use sustainable modes such as walking and public transport, but what about cycling?
The gender gap is significant in cities with low cycling rates and less developed cycling networks. However, the disparity disappears in bike-friendly cities from The Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, in particular in the cities with dedicated cycling infrastructure. Several studies show that women are more likely to cycle than men when the bike lanes are well-lit and fully separated from traffic. This is actually one of the most important parameters of the CycleRAP methodology. In Copenhagen, 55% of bicycle trips are made by women, and in Paris and Lisbon, the gender gap is smaller due to recent investments in protected bike lanes.
REALLOCATE Project: Pioneering Innovation for Safe and Sustainable Urban Mobility
The ongoing saga of the affectionate relationship between road safety and active mobility is set to unfold in the REALLOCATE project. Funded by the European Commission, this ambitious project is dedicated to forging a path toward climate-neutral and safe cities through innovative solutions. REALLOCATE is led by University College of Dublin with key stakeholders such as Eurocities, ERTICO and ICLEI. Factual is coordinating 15 pilots across 10 Missions cities, where the safety of vulnerable road users is one of the main concerns.
These pilots are intricately designed to incorporate a mix of new technologies, promoting modal shifts catering to the needs of diverse groups. Simultaneously, they aim to rebalance the public space allocation, ensuring a more inclusive and efficient urban environment. This flagship project enables researchers, mobility experts, urban planners and local citizens to collectively re-imagine our cities and redesign how we move from one place to another. If this is not a true love story…
Road Safety and Active Mobility Go Hand in Hand
The intersection of road safety and active mobility presents a compelling narrative of shared interests and mutual benefits. As we navigate the challenges posed by global road fatalities, the success stories of cities like Oslo underscore the potential for evidence-based urban planning to save lives.
Investing in high-quality cycling infrastructure emerges as a key recommendation. The focus is on dedicated, cycling-safe lanes to transform urban environments. As exemplified by Lane Patrol and CycleRAP, innovative tools and methodologies offer valuable insights and effective countermeasures to enhance road safety.
Madrid’s trajectory towards becoming a cyclist-friendly city highlights the transformative impact of comprehensive urban mobility plans, reinforcing the correlation between road safety, comfort, and sustainable growth. Recognising these interdependencies is pivotal for achieving long-term sustainability goals, including the ambitious Vision Zero objective.
Safer cycling infrastructure promotes inclusive mobility and addresses gender disparities, as portrayed by success stories in Copenhagen, Paris, and Lisbon. The REALLOCATE project, supported by the European Commission, symbolises a forward-looking initiative to redefine urban spaces, promoting modal shift, inclusivity, and sustainability.
These insights collectively advocate for global collaboration, innovation, and strategic urban planning to foster safer, sustainable, and inclusive cities for all road users.
Authors: Marc Figuls and Eglantina Dani, FACTUAL | Learn more at factual-consulting.com
Understanding and Addressing Gender Issues in Transport in LMICs
What are the gender differences in road use and safety in LMICs? How can we bring attention to the gender-based safety and security concerns in road transport?
These fundamental questions, posed by Susanna Zammatro, Director General of the International Road Federation (IRF), took centre stage at the Women and Gender in Transportation TRB Standing Committee Meeting 2024. Held during the 103rd TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. on 7-11 January 2024, Zammatro's inquiries sparked a compelling dialogue on gender issues in transportation within Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).
Gender differences in road use and safety in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) can be significant, and addressing these disparities is crucial for promoting equitable and safe transportation for all. During her intervention, Ms Zammatro peeled back the layers of gender disparities prevalent in LMICs, shedding light on key factors jeopardizing the safety of women:
- Travel Patterns: It exists a substantial difference on the travel patterns between men and women. Women typically engage in shorter, interconnected trips, leading to a reliance on public transportation, walking, or non-motorised vehicles. This reliance on non-motorised modes is influenced by limited access to motorised transportation, which, in turn, exposes them to safety risks—especially in areas lacking proper lighting or security.
- Vulnerability to Violence: Women face heightened risks of violence, harassment, or assault during journeys, particularly in poorly lit areas, or places with unreliable public transportation.
- Occupational Safety: In some LMICs, women engaging in informal and vulnerable employment sectors, such as street vending or long-distance walking for work, experience increased exposure to road-related hazards.
- Barriers to Transportation: Cultural norms and societal expectations limiting women's mobility further hinder access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities due to safety concerns.
Addressing Gender-Based Safety and Security Concerns in Road Transport
“Gender-based security concerns in road transport requires a holistic and collaborative approach involving policymakers, urban planners, community organisations, and the public” emphasised Ms Zammataro.
Some of Zammataro’s specific suggestions to tackling these issues included: enhancing infrastructure through improved lighting and secure public spaces; raising awareness through campaigns; involving communities in identifying and addressing safety issues; advocating for gender-sensitive policies; collecting data for evidence-based decision-making; providing training on gender-sensitive approaches, and exploring technology solutions such as mobile apps and evidence-based decision-making tools (e.g. SHE-CAN in Africa).
A persistent gap remains in recognising the specific needs of female travelers. Improving data collection practices becomes crucial in transforming legislation, education, infrastructure design and management. By fostering safer and more inclusive transportation systems, we can contribute significantly to the overall well-being and empowerment of women in LMICs.
Useful Resources
Extending the Collaboration Between Athens International Airport and the Road Safety Institute (RSI) "Panos Mylonas" to Enhance Road Safety
With the aim of informing, raising awareness, and, above all, ensuring the safety of passengers, visitors, employees, and citizens of the 9 Municipalities of the Mesogeia region in Attica, Road Safety Institute (RSI) "Panos Mylonas" and the Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” announced the extension of their long-term collaboration in improving Road Safety for the next 3 years (2023-2026) during a Press Conference at Zappeion Megaron, on Monday, 11 November 2023.
Specifically, during the event, actions were announced focusing on three main axes:
- Safety of passengers/visitors in the external areas of the airport.
- Safety of passengers during their travels within the country. Specifically, the "Enjoy visiting Greece – Stay safe on the road" campaign which has been ongoing since 2013 will be expanded to more areas of the airport with customized messages based on display areas.
- Safety of citizens in the 9 Municipalities through the implementation of traffic education programmes for secondary education students.
The extension of the collaboration between the two Organisations was presented at the Press Conference by Mrs. Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director of Communication & Marketing of Athens International Airport, and Mrs. Vassiliki Danelli-Mylonas, President of RSI "Panos Mylonas." Mr. Andreas Marinos, Director of Secondary Education in Eastern Attica, also greeted the event and delivered a speech.
Following the Press Conference, the attendees had the opportunity to witness a live demonstration of the traffic education programme "Do It Right" implemented by RSI “Panos Mylonas” in secondary education schools and try out the Institute’s experiential simulators. High school students also attended the event and had the opportunity to experientially understand the rules and correct practices to follow on the road for safe circulation.
As the Press Conference drew to a close, the shared sentiment among all participants was a firm conviction that the collaboration between the two Organisations will make a substantial contribution to enhancing Road Safety nationwide and lead to the reduction of road traffic crashes.
