CAPACITY BUILDING IN ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING

CONTENTSCONTENTS

Shortage of road safety engineering Shortage of road safety engineering practitionerspractitioners

Why do we need them?Why do we need them? What must they be able to do?What must they be able to do? How do we train them?How do we train them? Who should do it and who will coordinate itWho should do it and who will coordinate it

CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS (%)CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS (%)CauseCause UK StudyUK Study US StudyUS Study

Road onlyRoad only 22 33

User onlyUser only 6565 5757

Vehicle onlyVehicle only 22 22

Road & userRoad & user 2424 2727

User & vehicleUser & vehicle 44 66

Road & vehicleRoad & vehicle 11 11

All threeAll three 11 33

SOUTH AFRICAN STUDYSOUTH AFRICAN STUDY

Human error – 82.85%Human error – 82.85% Vehicle – 9.13%Vehicle – 9.13% Road and environment – 8.02%Road and environment – 8.02%

RTMC, 2009

HOWEVERHOWEVER It is easier to influence human behaviour by It is easier to influence human behaviour by

engineering means than by education or enforcement engineering means than by education or enforcement (Ogden,1996)(Ogden,1996)

Road users are effected by the road, markings and Road users are effected by the road, markings and signs (Hauer, 1994)signs (Hauer, 1994)

Traffic control systems can help road users drive Traffic control systems can help road users drive safely (NSW Roads and Traffic Authority, 1992)safely (NSW Roads and Traffic Authority, 1992)

Accident investigation and prevention work is by far Accident investigation and prevention work is by far the most cost effective means of reducing casualties the most cost effective means of reducing casualties (UK DOT, 1987)(UK DOT, 1987)

Of 11 priority measures to be implemented nationally, Of 11 priority measures to be implemented nationally, 6 were in the field of the engineer (US DOT, 1991)6 were in the field of the engineer (US DOT, 1991)

HOW CAN THE ENGINEERS DO IT?HOW CAN THE ENGINEERS DO IT?

By warning the driver of substandard featuresBy warning the driver of substandard features By informing the driver of conditions to be By informing the driver of conditions to be

encounteredencountered By guiding the driver through difficult sectionsBy guiding the driver through difficult sections By controlling the driver’s passage through conflict By controlling the driver’s passage through conflict

pointspoints By not surprising, or irritating the driverBy not surprising, or irritating the driver By forgiving the driver’s errant or inappropriate By forgiving the driver’s errant or inappropriate

behaviour (Rumar, 1982)behaviour (Rumar, 1982)

WARNING!WARNING!

…………..or our signs..or our signs

Informing the driverInforming the driver

Guiding the driver…….Guiding the driver…….

……through conflict pointsthrough conflict points

Do not surprise the driver,Do not surprise the driver,

provide too much information….provide too much information….

……or useless informationor useless information

Forgiving the driver….Forgiving the driver….

TOOLS AT HIS DISPOSALTOOLS AT HIS DISPOSAL

Signs and markingsSigns and markings Delineation, lightingDelineation, lighting Consistent designConsistent design ChanalisationChanalisation The appropriate traffic control devices and The appropriate traffic control devices and

the correct use thereofthe correct use thereof Guardrails, crash cushions and recovery Guardrails, crash cushions and recovery

areasareas

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERSAUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS Seat belts & air bagsSeat belts & air bags ABS brakesABS brakes Brake assistBrake assist Speed controlSpeed control Electronic stability controlElectronic stability control Lane controlLane control Drowsiness & alcohol detectionDrowsiness & alcohol detection E-callE-call

CURICULUMCURICULUM Safety management systemsSafety management systems Accident dataAccident data Human behaviourHuman behaviour Vulnerable usersVulnerable users Hazardous road locations and Hazardous road locations and treatmenttreatment Road safety auditsRoad safety audits Programme analysisProgramme analysis Monitoring and evaluationMonitoring and evaluation

TREATMENTSTREATMENTS

Road designRoad design Intersection & interchangesIntersection & interchanges Delineation, signing and lightingDelineation, signing and lighting Traffic controlTraffic control Road maintenance and constructionRoad maintenance and construction Traffic managementTraffic management The roadsideThe roadside

TRAININGTRAINING

Departments of Civil Engineering at Departments of Civil Engineering at academic and technical universitiesacademic and technical universities

At Diploma, graduate and post graduate At Diploma, graduate and post graduate levellevel

Ad hoc specialist courses for practitioners Ad hoc specialist courses for practitioners by SARF, RTMC, SAICE, Universitiesby SARF, RTMC, SAICE, Universities

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS We have a shortage of road safety We have a shortage of road safety

engineersengineers They can contribute significantly to the They can contribute significantly to the

reduction of accidents and the severity reduction of accidents and the severity thereofthereof

They must be trained to do thisThey must be trained to do this Somebody should organise and coordinate Somebody should organise and coordinate

the trainingthe training

RECOMMENDATIONRECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Department of It is recommended that the Department of Transport takes the initiative by establishing Transport takes the initiative by establishing a Chair in Road Safety at a University who a Chair in Road Safety at a University who can then coordinate the necessary training can then coordinate the necessary training courses. This chair may be sponsored by courses. This chair may be sponsored by the Department or even the private sector.the Department or even the private sector.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU