IRF Highlights Road Design and Cultural Challenges in Traffic Safety at the 10th GIFTS Forum in Tokyo
The International Road Federation (IRF) was honoured to take part in the 10th Global Interactive Forum on Traffic and Safety (GIFTS) 2024, held on 7 December 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. Organised by the International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences (IATSS), the event revolved around the theme “Creating a Traffic Culture for a Safer Society” and brought together global experts to discuss building safer, more sustainable traffic systems.
IRF’s Director General, Susanna Zammataro, contributed to the panel discussion “International Perspectives on Traffic Safety Culture”, where she explored the role of enforcement, education, and cultural attitudes in shaping road safety. Drawing from experiences in Italy, she highlighted how inconsistent law enforcement and lenient attitudes towards minor traffic violations can undermine safety efforts. In some regions, the perception of traffic rules as “flexible” allows behaviours such as speeding, running yellow lights, or failing to use indicators to persist.
Mrs. Zammataro also emphasised the need for more impactful and sustained road safety education, particularly for young and new drivers. While traffic safety is part of school curricula, she noted that stronger awareness campaigns are necessary to address risky behaviours such as speeding, drink-driving, mobile phone use, and the lack of seatbelt compliance. These cultural shifts, she argued, are critical to achieving meaningful improvements in global traffic safety.
The Forum underscored the importance of international collaboration in addressing these challenges, a priority that aligns closely with the IRF's mission. Building on its commitment to fostering dialogue, promoting education, and advocating for enforcement and cultural change, the IRF continues to lead efforts to create safer roads and more resilient communities worldwide.
Enhancing Innovation in the Road Sector: ITF Global Mobility Forum in Seoul
The International Road Federation (IRF) was proud to contribute to a highly successful edition of the ITF Global Mobility Forum, held on 12-13 December 2024, in Seoul, Republic of Korea (South Korea). Organised by the International Transport Forum (ITF) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea (MOLIT) and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (KOTSA), the event brought together global leaders and experts from both within and outside the transport sector to explore innovation.
On the first day of the conference, IRF’s Director General, Susanna Zammataro, participated in the panel session “When Innovation Meets the Road.” She highlighted key issues such as regional collaboration, equity in mobility, and the pursuit of sustainable development goals. Reflecting on IRF's role in promoting sustainable road networks, Mrs. Zammataro discussed the transformative potential of electrification and advanced air mobility (AAM) in shaping the planning and sustainability of global road infrastructures.
She also examined the major challenges in fostering international collaboration for mobility innovation, particularly in less developed regions. As the adoption of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and autonomous technologies accelerates, Susanna emphasised the need to ensure that road safety standards keep pace with these innovations.
The Forum explored how public authorities can foster emerging technological and governance-related innovations. Key discussions focused on how public authorities conduct innovation scans, target specific innovation areas and initiatives, and implement mechanisms to actively promote innovation where it is most needed.
The IRF looks forward to continuing these important conversations at the ITF 2025 Summit, which will take place from 21-23 May 2025, in Leipzig, Germany.
Half of Italians Believe Speeding "Is Not Dangerous", Finds 2024 Driving Styles Research by Anas, the Italian national state roads company
The research, by CSA Research - Corporate Statistics Center, consisted of interviews on a sample of 4 thousand road users and more than 3,500 direct observations of driving behavior along six different types of roads
Anas, the Italian national state roads company, has always been at the forefront of ensuring the safety of citizens along its network of highways and state roads. Through its ongoing commitment and investment in maintenance and technological innovation, the company (part of the Ferrovie dello Stato Group, the Italian railway company) can ensure greater prevention and vigilance for travelers on its infrastructure, ensuring its safety and resilience in an increasingly complex and challenging environment. However, it is equally essential to build a relationship with the users of the arterial roads through a strong act of prevention, information and road safety education, especially towards the youngest, the drivers of the future.
For this reason, for several years, Anas has been commissioning research on road users' driving styles, and this year, for the fourth time, CSA Research - Corporate Statistics Center conducted the edition with interviews on a sample of 4 thousand people and more than 3,500 direct observations on the road.
According to the research, for 51% of Italians it is not dangerous to exceed speed limits. Only 34.7% think it is useful to respect them, while 16.4% believe that an experienced driver can exceed them.
The survey was presented in November 2024 at the international conference “Road Safety: target zero fatalities” organized by Anas, PIARC Italia - World Road Association, under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and in collaboration with the Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety of the United Nations and the EuroMed Transport Support Project, on the occasion of the World Day in Remembrance of Road Victims.
Among the respondents, 11.4% believe that while driving “something else can also be done”, while only 55.4% of the sample is convinced that road accidents depend on wrong behavior.
60.1% of respondents believe that the new Highway Code is helpful. Only 72.5% think alcohol and drugs are always dangerous, while 8.4% believe they are irrelevant to driving.
Behavior on cell phone use while driving improves: the research shows a 7.4% use of the cell phone compared to 9.6% in 2023 and 10.3% in 2022. The under-40s, however, worsen the figure: 9.9% use it versus 5.6% of the over-60s.
“The data that emerged from this year's Anas Research on Driving Styles,” said Anas CEO Aldo Isi, “demonstrate the need for more and more investment in road education and awareness of risks and dangers behind the wheel. In addition to a great commitment to continuing to raise users' awareness of the importance of prudent, safe and distraction-free driving, Anas is working to enhance even more the safety standards of its network in the guarantee, as always, of ordinary infrastructure maintenance but also focusing on technological innovation. Investments in planned maintenance are now increasingly significant,” stresses engineer Isi, “in the first half of 2024 they were about 780 million, 115 million more than in the same period of 2023. In detail, in the first six months of 2024 for planned maintenance €318 million was spent on major works of infrastructure (bridges and viaducts); €184 million on roadway resurfacing; €129 million on complementary works; €88 million on safety barriers; and €62 million on facilities.”
SALFO / Compass Win Prestigious Asset Management & Maintenance Award at IRF World Congress 2024
SALFO along with its Partner Compass IoT has been recognised on the global stage for its exceptional innovation in road asset management and maintenance. SALFO / Compass received the esteemed IRF Award in the Asset Management & Maintenance category at the International Road Federation (IRF) World Congress, held in Istanbul from October 15 to 18, 2024.
The award was presented to Compass IoT Road Intelligence Platform, a innovative solution that leverages data from connected vehicles to transform the monitoring and maintenance of road networks.
Redefining Road Asset Management
The Compass IoT Road Intelligence Platform marks a major advancement in road infrastructure management. By utilizing data from connected vehicles, it delivers unparalleled insights into road conditions, traffic patterns, and maintenance requirements. With advanced algorithms that process vast streams of data, the platform detects potential issues—such as potholes, surface wear, and structural stress—before they escalate into critical problems.
This proactive strategy empowers road authorities to streamline maintenance schedules, lower operational costs, and improve road safety for drivers. The platform's recognition highlights its transformative role in shaping a sustainable and efficient future for road infrastructure management.
A Milestone for the Road Industry
The Compass IoT Road Intelligence Platform is already in use across regions such as Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA, delivering measurable gains in maintenance efficiency and road safety. Positioned for worldwide expansion, the platform is set to become a vital tool for governments and private road operators dedicated to future-proofing their infrastructure
ORIS Wins the EcoBalance Best Business Practice Award for Combining Life Cycle Thinking and Climate Resilience
EcoBalance is one of the most significant life cycle analysis (LCA) expert gatherings. This year, it took place in Sendai, Japan, with more than 650 LCA experts exchanging ideas and discussing innovations to foster sustainable development practices. Among the recognitions awarded, the EcoBalance Best Business Practice award highlighted the integration of life cycle thinking and climate resilience in infrastructure projects.
The Importance of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Climate Resilience
This award underscores the necessity of incorporating Life Cycle Assessment and climate resilience into infrastructure planning and implementation. LCA allows engineers to compare the carbon footprints of different design options, offering a comprehensive methodology to evaluate environmental impacts across the lifecycle of infrastructure projects such as roads and railways.
How does LCA work in linear infrastructure?
LCA evaluates the environmental impacts of infrastructure across five key phases:
- Production phase: Assesses the environmental effects of obtaining materials for construction, including raw material extraction, their transportation, to product manufacturing.
- Transportation phase: Evaluates impacts of supplying materials to the construction site
- Construction phase: Evaluates impacts from construction activities and equipment use
- Use phase: Analyses long-term maintenance and effects during the infrastructure's operational life
- End-of-life phase: Examines impacts of decommissioning, recycling, or repurposing
LCA supports sustainable decision-making by:
- Assessing the base design to identify areas for improvement.
- Benchmarking alternative solutions with a focus on reducing major impacts.
- Comparing designs based on key performance indicators.
- Deciding the most sustainable solution to meet global objectives.
What is climate resilience?
Climate resilience ensures that transportation systems like roads and railways can withstand and maintain performance under extreme climatic conditions. Key aspects include:
- Flood-resilient structures: Designing infrastructure to withstand statistically probable flood events.
- Heat-resistant materials: Using materials that can endure extreme heat waves and minimise structural damage.
- Flexible design: Ensuring adaptability to future climate scenarios and facilitating upgrades.
A unified resilience risk score can be achieved by:
- Climate screening to evaluate and map exposures such as heat, floods, and freeze-thaw cycles.
- Infrastructure vulnerability analysis to assess surface conditions and traffic impacts.
- Identifying social and economic impacts of climate change on nearby communities.
Why Combine LCA and Climate Resilience?
Employing both methodologies can significantly reduce the environmental footprint of infrastructure projects, achieving up to 50% carbon reductions while improving cost-efficiency and long-term sustainability. Thinking long-term is essential to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of climate change on infrastructure longevity.
MOBILITIES FOR EU Partners Convene in Ioannina to Advance Sustainable Urban Mobility Initiatives
The Second MOBILITIES FOR EU Periodic Meeting brought together project partners in Ioannina, Greece, for two days of in-depth discussions, strategic planning, and knowledge exchange. This milestone event reviewed the project’s progress over its first year while focusing on recent achievements and laying the groundwork for upcoming activities.
The meeting featured a diverse programme designed to address key aspects of the project. Sessions included work package (WP) updates, workshops, technical discussions, and multilateral meetings.
Pilots and Urban Mobility Labs
Project partners hosted dedicated sessions focused on the progress of the pilot projects and Urban Mobility Labs, within our Lead Cities (Madrid and Dresden) as well as our Replication Cities (Espoo, Gdańsk, Trenčín, Ioannina, and Sarajevo).
Technical Workshops
Project partners organised six specialised workshops, which tackled governance models, business strategies, monitoring platforms, exploitation opportunities, replication strategies, and knowledge exchange. These workshops encouraged both interactive discussions and practical outcomes.
Site Visits
Participants explored the city of Ioannina, gaining a firsthand understanding of its history, urban mobility framework and initiatives.
Looking Ahead
The opportunity for our 29 project partners to meet in-person highlighted the importance of collaboration in driving sustainable urban mobility innovations. By fostering a shared understanding of objectives and leveraging collective expertise, MOBILITIES FOR EU continues to pave the way for impactful solutions that address urban mobility challenges across Europe.
Swarco in Exclusive Negotiations with French LACROIX to Acquire the Traffic Technology Business of LACROIX-City
The Executive Board of Austrian based traffic technology group SWARCO has announced that it is in exclusive negotiations with the listed French company LACROIX to acquire its traffic technology division, Lacroix-City, which consists of three companies.
The companies manufacture signal heads, controllers, variable message signs and signs for passenger information and also supply software for C-ITS and V2X communication. The number of employees is approximately 120 at the Carros and Ploufragan sites (France) and Madrid (Spain), and consolidated sales in 2023 amounted to around €27 million.
LACROIX intends to refocus its scope on two activities, ‘Electronics’ and ‘Environment’, and sell the traffic technology business to SWARCO. SWARCO aims to strengthen its business activities in the French-speaking and Spanish markets and thus expand its leading market position in ITS in Europe.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025, subject to the successful conclusion of negotiations.
About Swarco
SWARCO's leading idea is to improve quality of life by making the travel experience safer, quicker, more convenient, and environmentally sound. The Austrian company, headquartered in Wattens near Innsbruck, specialises in traffic technology and produces and supplies a wide range of products, systems, services and turnkey solutions for road marking, urban and interurban traffic management, parking, and public transport. Its cooperative systems, infrastructure-to-vehicle communication, e-mobility and modular holistic software solutions support tomorrow's mobility and make our communities more liveable. The Group is the world leader in high-performance road marking systems and the largest producer of LED-based traffic lights and variable message signs. More than 5,500 colleagues in 25 countries serve customers in 80 countries and generate revenues of over 1.2 billion euros.
www.swarco.com
About LACROIX
Convinced that technology must contribute to simple, sustainable, and safer environments, LACROIX supports its customers in developing more sustainable living ecosystems, thanks to useful, robust, and secure electronic equipment and connected technologies. As a listed, family-owned midcap with a €761 million revenue in 2023, LACROIX combines agile innovation, industrialization capacity, cutting-edge technological know-how and a long-term vision to meet environmental and societal challenges through its activities: Electronics and Environment.
Through its Electronics business, LACROIX designs and manufactures industrial IoT solutions (hardware, software, and cloud) and electronic equipment for the automotive, industrial, connected homes and buildings (HBAS), avionics and defense, and healthcare sectors. As the Group's industrial backbone, the Electronics activity of LACROIX, is ranked among the TOP 50 worldwide and TOP 10 European EMS.
Through its Environment activity, LACROIX also supplies secure and connected electronic equipment and IoT solutions to optimize the management of water networks, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning installations, as well as smart grids and smart lighting networks.
George Υannis - 30 Marathons in 30 Months to Actively Promote the Adoption of 30 km/h Speed Limit in Cities
George Yannis, Professor and Director of the Department of Transportation Planning Engineering of the School of Civil Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), has successfully completed on Sunday 10 November 2024 in Athens his campaign to run 30 Marathons in 30 months in order to promote the 30km/h speed limit in cities worldwide. He has finished all Marathons in under 4 hours.
City-wide 30 km/h speed limits is the since-long waited single road safety measure with such a significant driving culture change at such a low cost. Evaluation results (Implementation results and Simulation studies) from 40 different cities across Europe (including Paris, London, Brussels, and Helsinki) demonstrated that 30 km/h speed limits have led to significant reductions: 37% of road crash fatalities, 18% in emissions, 2.5dB in noise pollution and 7% in fuel consumption (on average). Such a high societal impact for such a small change in our habits.
This unique challenge of 30 Marathons, has raised mass awareness at both society and Authorities for a better quality of life in cities with calm driving for safer, healthy and green travelling for all. The global impact of this campaign is impressive with over 400,000 views and 100,000 visitors per year to the campaign's websites and social media. In addition, George Yannis has contributed with dozens of interviews on TV, radio and online media and dozens of articles in newspapers and publications in scientific journals and conferences, supported by all major International Road Safety and mobility Organizations.
George Yannis insists on a steady pace both when running Marathons and when advocating for safe traffic in cities with a 30 km/h speed limit. He will continue to actively support life-saving options that enhance sustainable urban development and safe travelling everywhere and for all.
The complete challenge is available:
Campaign Website: georgeruns30x30.com
With the active support of: NTUA, ETSC, ECTRI, POLIS, UITP, ERF, IRF, FERSI, FEHRL, ECF, WALK21 and HITE
Victoria Sheehan Awarded IRF Personality of the Year 2024
The IRF Board of Directors has bestowed the prestigious IRF Personality of the Year Award on Victoria Sheehan, Executive Director of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (USA).
The Personality of the Year Award has been conferred since 1951 to recognise eminent professionals with an outstanding track record of leadership and commitment to the transport sector. Over the years, the award has distinguished some of the world’s most influential leaders for the impact that their work has had in supporting the development of safer and more sustainable transport networks that leave no-one behind.
“Victoria truly embodies the values that guide and inspire the work of our Federation: pragmatism, optimism, and a profound commitment to working in partnership with others to advance innovation and impact” commented Dimitris Mandalozis, President of the International Road Federation. “Her work has greatly helped foster collaboration across government agencies, the private sector, and academic institutions worldwide, thereby improving transportation systems both in the U.S. and globally. This accolade crowns an exceptional career and recognises her important contribution as a thought leader” he added.
Thanking the IRF for this recognition, Victoria Sheehan said: "I'm honoured and humbled to receive such a prestigious award. IRF and TRB have a strong partnership, with both organisations advocating for transportation solutions that provide access and sustainable mobility for all. Since joining TRB in 2022, I have enjoyed collaborating with IRF and have welcomed the opportunities to expose their membership to the work of TRB.”
Victoria Sheehan, a Structural Engineer with a master’s degree from the University of Edinburgh, has dedicated her career to advancing sustainable transport systems. At the Massachusetts DOT, she led strategic planning, highway performance, and the $3 billion Accelerated Bridge Program. Later, as head of the New Hampshire DOT, she developed its Ten-Year Plan for sustainable transport. In 2020–2021, Sheehan became the second woman to serve as President of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in its 108-year history. Mrs Sheehan also plays an active role as board member in several key organisations in the sector
