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Transport Safety CHAPTER 6

Infrastructure
Problems and
Solutions

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Road crashes are tremendously caused by human

Infrastructure plays a crucial role in road
safety.

Well-designed roads can help people use
roads safely and minimize the risk that a
crash will occur.

When a crash does happen, protective road
infrastructure can mean the difference
between life and death.
failings, but the greatest untapped potential to
prevent death and injury is through the roads
themselves.

In the United States for example, road conditions
are a contributing factor in more than half (53%)
of all road deaths and more than a third (38%) of
injuries.

In terms of crash severity, road condition is the
single most lethal contributing factor, ahead of
speeding, alcohol or non-use of seat belts.

In Sweden, road conditions are a contributing
factor in at least 59% of fatal crashes.

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The road infrastructure, considered as a
whole (including road surface, road signs and
design), is a significant safety factor.

Road designs should recognize that humans
make mistakes and try to minimize the
consequences of human error.

It has been shown that some low-cost
infrastructure improvements can substantially
reduce the occurrence of road crashes and
their severity.
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On existing roads, these improvements should
first be made at high-risk spots, where many
crashes occur, especially at the entry and exit
of built-up areas and areas of high activity
(such as markets and schools).

The same improvements should be
incorporated in the design of new roads,
which may otherwise become a source of
crashes in the future. It is essential that road
construction budgets for future roads include
a provision for safety.
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Examples of improvements include the
separation of different types of traffic, better
road markings and road signs, safer paths for
pedestrians and two-wheelers, the
construction of sidewalks or pavements and
more visible pedestrian crossings, and slower
traffic speeds (with the use of road humps,
rumble strips and roundabouts).
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People are killed and seriously injured on the
world’s urban and rural roads in five main
ways:

1. Walking and cycling across the road.

2. Walking and cycling along the road.

3. Head-on crashes

4. Brutal side impacts

5. Run-off road crashes
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Pedestrians and non-motorized traffic should

Vulnerable road users’ risk dramatically be provided with safe parallel paths, walkways
increases when traffic speeds are greater than and lanes. The higher the actual speed of the
30km/h. In areas where vulnerable road user motorized traffic, the more
flows cross other traffic, traffic calming is
stringent the requirements on safe parallel
generally the most appropriate measure. infrastructure:

At locations where speeds are high, this is not ◦ sharing the road at 30 km/h;
possible and more elaborate crossing ◦ having dedicated zones at 50 and even 70 km/h;
infrastructure is needed. ◦ using well-separated
secured zones at speeds
above that.

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typically kill and seriously injure vehicle
at intersections typically kill and seriously
occupants at speeds greater than 70km/h. injure vehicle occupants at speeds greater
than 50km/h.

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Crashes into rigid fixed objects typically kill
and seriously injure at speeds greater than
70km/h for frontal impacts and 30km/h for
side impacts.

Road infrastructure often holds greater
potential to protect road users than programs
that aim only to improve behavior or vehicle
safety.

For example, traffic calming as part of urban
safety management can provide self-enforcing
speed reduction; similarly, measures that
separate pedestrians or cyclists direct these
road users away from conflict.

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2. Bicyclists:
1. Pedestrian facilities:
segregated bicycle paths remove the potential

pedestrian crossings give priority to pedestrians for conflict with motorized vehicles when
when crossing the road. riding along the road. Crossings and

When signalized ,they halt vehicle traffic.
Signalized crossings can reduce injuries by up to overpasses protect when going across roads.
30 per cent. ◦ bicycle paths and
◦ footpaths ◦ lanes
◦ crossings
◦ overpasses ◦ crossings
◦ additional lane for ◦ overpasses
◦ Walking •
◦ 30km/h zones
◦ pedestrianiation of streets or areas

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3. Median separation: 4. Roadside hazard reduction:

median safety barriers physically separate
where space permits, roadside safety barriers
opposing lanes of traffic. can be used to stop ‘out of control’ vehicles

This helps stop vehicles travelling into
from leaving the road and hitting roadside
opposing traffic lanes. hazards or rolling down slopes. They are

Median barriers can reduce injuries by 50 per designed to absorb the impact of a crash and
cent. minimize injuries. Safety barriers can reduce
◦ Flexible posts
injuries by 40 per cent.
◦ Central hatching ◦ Hazard removal or relocation
◦ Safety barriers ◦ Safety barriers
◦ Wide medians

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5. Intersection upgrades:
6. Road definition:

Example - a roundabout is a one-way road
◦ Signage
around a circular central island at an ◦ Road markings
intersection. Roundabouts cause little delay to ◦ Channelization
traffic. They need less maintenance than ◦ and layout improvements
signalized intersections, typically reduce severe
Example – road markings help all road users
injuries overall but may actually increase low with information about positioning and
severity and property-damage crashes. Special priorities on the road and about conditions
consideration for cyclists must be incorporated ahead. Markings can reduce injuries by 30
in their design. per cent.
◦ Turning lanes
◦ Signalization
◦ Roundabouts

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7. Using visual cues:
Using visual cues within infrastructure to
reduce speeds and match posted speed limits
◦ Width reduction
◦ Portals
◦ Choice of materials
◦ ”Readable” roads
◦ Speed limits
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Planning Stage - through land use control
policies; providing by-passes for congested
towns; and creating Self Contained zones to
improve quality of life by reducing cut-
through traffic and traffic noise in residential
neighborhoods.

Design Stage - designing “Self Explaining
Roads” and “Forgiving Road Side” by selecting
the most desirable design standards (and
NOT the minimum standards).
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“5Es” of Safe Road Operations are:

Engineering – Defining the Built Environment including
the road design and vehicle design.

Enforcement – Strict application of law.

Education – Teaching good road behavior through
awareness campaigns.

Encouragement – Rewarding people for good road
behavior.

Emergency Care – Road side medical care and access
to medics in the “Golden Hour”, or the hour
immediately following a road accident during which
the provision of first aid can greatly enhance the
prospects of the accident victim’s survival.
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i. Design speed

ii. Horizontal and vertical geometry

iii. Cross-sectional elements

iv. Design of at-grade and grade separated
junctions

v. Provision of service roads for segregation
of slow and fast traffic

vi. Designing effective road furniture, vis-à-
vis guard rails, traffic signage, roadside
illumination provisions, etc.
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Construction Stage - Proper separation of the
construction zone through effective blocking;
construction of proper traffic diversions;
provision of road signage; environmental
controls for reducing noise, dust, etc.

Maintenance and Operation Stage - providing an
Automated Traffic Management System (ATMS)
for safe operation of Traffic and Incident
Management. This includes providing Mobile
Communication Systems, Variable Message Signs,
Weigh-in-Motion System, and Central Control
Room.
a) Major arterials and expressways should bypass
major towns. There should be clear zones
identified for linear land use control.
b) Consistency of horizontal geometry avoiding
monotonous straight lines or sudden change of
speed.
c) Adequate off-set distance from natural road
side features.
d) Undivided carriageways designed for Overtaking
Sight Distance.
e) Wider lane widths and shoulders for High Speed
Roads.

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f) Inside widening for sharp curves.

g) Recoverable slopes for out-of-control vehicles.
h) Segregation of the slow moving non-motorized
traffic from fast moving traffic.
i) Provision of raised footpath for pedestrians in
Urban Areas.
j) Barriers should be designed to deflect the vehicle
and not crash it.
k) Road Signs should be standardized throughout
the country.
l) Properly designed traffic calming measures like
the speed humps, rumble strips, small
roundabouts, etc.
m) Entry / Exit only through Slip Lanes with proper
Acceleration and Deceleration Lanes

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Forgiving Road Side Treatment

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