Overview
Walking and cycling are transport modes where relatively unprotected road users interact with traffic of high speed and mass. This makes pedestrians and cyclists vulnerable.
The strong effort that the European Commission and all the Member States are making with regard to the reduction of road fatalities in Europe is giving significant results. Despite these significant improvements in European countries, the situation in Emerging Economies is dramatically getting worse. For example: fatality rates in India and Brazil are more than double compared to Europe (average value for EU23). The implementation of effective countermeasures and the achievement of a higher safety level for the vulnerable users in Emerging Economies requests a significant improvement of the local analysis, planning and design capabilities.
The main aim of the project was to increase the level of safety of the whole road transport system and its components, focussing the attention on vulnerable road users. Thus contributing to the overall scope of reducing the number of fatalities and the severity of injuries caused by road accidents.
The project is structured as follows:
- Analysis of local requirements: this focuses on the local accident databases regarding vulnerable road users, the actual situation of road infrastructure, land-use planning and local current road safety management procedures;
- Analysis of the transferability conditions of the European methodologies, tools and measures to the Emerging Economies.
Analysis of the main risk factors with respect to vulnerable road users in India and Brazil, based on European experience and best practice, innovative methodologies and tools for planning, designing and maintaining safe infrastructures are developed. The transferability of these methodologies and tools is also under study. To assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the innovative methodologies and tools, two pilot projects (in India and in Brazil) are implemented. Feedback from pilot projects are used to refine the recommendations and guidelines developed within the project. The main project output will be recommendations and guidelines for improvement of accident data collection procedures and road safety oriented land-use planning as well as education material.
Funding
Results
Methodologies and tools development
The main risk factors for Vulnerable Road Users in India and Brazil were deeply analysed and, based on European experience and best practice, innovative methodologies and tools for planning, designing and maintaining safe infrastructures were developed. The transferability of these methodologies and tools was also analysed.
SaferBraIn DSS
A Decision Support System (SaferBraIn DSS) was developed, based on European experience, to support decision makers and technicians in:
- defining the more cost-effective road safety measures for reducing pedestrian and cyclist traffic accidents, and
- preventing dangerous situations through road safety audit and inspection.
Pilot projects
To assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the innovative methodologies and tools, pilot projects, in India and in Brazil, were implemented. They focused on road safety audits of renewal designs and on the assessment of pedestrian crossings safety. Feedbacks from pilot projects were used to review recommendations and guidelines about safe road infrastructure design, road safety management, road safety audit and inspection. Specific training activities were then carried out in India and Brazil, covering the different topics researched during the project.
Final project events
Two final project events were organized in Pune (India) and in Sao Paulo (Brazil) to disseminate to stakeholders, decision makers, technicians the project activities and results obtained.
Strategy targets
An efficient and integrated mobility system: Acting on transport safety (saving thousands of lives)