A report on how to improve road safety.

1. 1…………………………………………………………………………………………
How to Improve Road Safety
Driver Training
 Appoint an official at national level training scheme which concentrates on the
safety and hazard elements of the current Institute of Advanced Motorists test.
 Provide a certificate for passing this advanced test, possibly in the form of lower
road tax.
 The basic test should not be made more difficult as this would encourage
unlicensed drivers.
 Drivers who allowed their license to drive for 3 years would have to retake the
standard test.
 Introduce compulsory retesting every 5 years for all new drivers entering the
population. Failures would have 2 more chances to pass within 6 months. This
should not however apply to existing drivers
 Reinstate the use of road-safety related public information through some
government program.
Speed
 Ensure speed limits are set on a consistent basis across the country.
 Restrict the powers of local authorities to set speed limits. It is required for them to
take police advice into account and restore the powers of central government.
 Restore 40 mph limits on suburban main roads outside shopping centers where it is
needed. This will make it more likely that drivers will slow to 30 where it really is
desirable for them to slow down.
 Increase the speed limit on motorways and standard dual carriageways to 80 mph.
 Ensure that 20 mph limits are only implemented where they really are relevant to
safety, and not in general places as it would make car use less working.
 Concentrate speed cameras on recognized accident black spots. There should be
more cameras on urban high streets and near busy junctions, and fewer in open
country roads.
 There is ample evidence that setting limits below the average speed of free-flowing
traffic, on non-urban roads, actually increases the casualty rate.
 Take more effective action against drug-driving.
Cyclists and Pedestrians
 Enforce the rules of the road on cyclists. Give penalty points for cycling offences.
 Set programs on the dangers of alcohol and drugs to cyclists and pedestrians.
 Ensure all children are taught a proper kerb drill at school.
 Review the design and provision of cycle lanes which often do not meet what
cyclists want so; the govt. can make it according to their (local cyclists)
convenience.
Road Building and Design
 Increase the program of building new, safer roads, which by definition will not
contain accident black spots or dangerous junctions and therefore will not require
speed cameras
 Review all dangerous junctions, particularly those involving right turns onto busy
main roads.
 Bring down the road markings which are becoming increasingly confusing for
drivers.

2. 2…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Road Crash Problem
Road accidents have been and will continue to be one of the greatest health
hazards. Statistically, it has been shown that the number of death and injuries due
to road accidents has been steadily increased within the past five years for all the
major countries.
Every year more than 1.17 million people die in road crashes around the world. The majority of
these deaths, about 70 percent occur in developing countries. Sixty-five percent of deaths
involve pedestrians and 35 percent of pedestrian deaths are children. Over 10 million people
are injured each year.
1.2 million Die in road accidents each year. A child is killed in an accident every three minutes. Road safety is
increasingly becoming a major killer and a worldwide concern, particularlyfor young people.
Drivers must at all times, follow the safety regulations of the road and most
importantly stick to the speed limits which will allow one to stop within a safe
distance. Drivers must, most importantly, take responsibility for themselves at all
times. By this I mean, they must know that they should not drive if they feel tired,
sick, drunk or upset. This also means that a person who is driving should also wear
the eye wear or hearing aid if necessary. Patience is a quality in which drivers must
exercise. They must be cautious especially on wet roads, pedestrian crossings and
junctions.
The majority of road crash victims or injured in developing countries are not the people who
have vehicle, but are pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists and people those who don’t have a
vehicle.
The censuses or studies undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World
Bank showed that in 1990, traffic crashes were assessed to be the world's ninth most important
health problem. The studies done up to date say that by the year 2020 road crashes would
move up to third place in the table of leading causes of death in the world community.
Economic Perspective on Traffic Safety
There are many causes of road accidents but, personally, I think the most important
factor which contributes to road accidents is the irresponsibility of the drivers. Driving
an automobile is a privilege, which many people succeed to abuse
Road crashes cost approximately 1 to 3 percent of a country's annual Gross National Product
(GNP). There are also reasons that a country is not able to afford for loses. In all major
developing countries the government currently loses a sum total of $100 billion every year.
These losses undoubtedly also affect the economic and social development of developing
countries.
Typical examples of drivers practicing unsafe habits are, drivers who attempt to
run out the amber traffic light. Another example of this occurs when drivers don’t
give the right of way to anyone especially when driving on highways or even by
giving the pedestrians the right of way at a pedestrian crossing. All of these things
contribute to a driver’s “social responsibility.
An estimate of the total national cost of road accidents will help government of a country make
out the average loss due to accidents in the wanted year. This is done in all the developing
countries. Governments must try to reduce these losses by providing road safety
improvements. 75.

3. Developing a Road Safety Plan
A national level long term Road Safety Plan is a required process for achieving a good level of
improvements in road safety. The plan should set measurable basic road safety targets, the
local area organization or institution can also afford for the expenses. A good example for a
very successful road safety action plan in “Fiji” and information on the United Nations Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Guidelines on Road Safety Action Plans.
Safety spreading programs on demonstration basis are also quite effective as learning curves
and lessons on road safety can be quickly realized.
Institutional Responsibility of Road Safety
Driver distraction and inattention are important driving safety issues. Within the
past five years, the increase of technology also is a reason for accidents. The cell
phone, primarily, causes a concern about a concomitant increase in driver
distraction. Billboards and artifacts from roadsides also contribute greatly to the
distraction.
Improving road safety requires the participation of many different organizations and sectors. No
one sector working alone can effectively reduce the number of road casualties. Either an
institution or the local National Road Safety Council (NRSC) should lead the process effort. The
coordination is best done by a disciplined NRSC supported by a permanent Secretariat of road
safety specialists.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Drivers however are not the only ones to be blamed. Pedestrians have traditionally
accounted for many deaths on the road. During the past five years, pedestrians have
accounted for at least 30% of road accidents. Pedestrians must, at all times, walk on
walkways and cross the main roads and highways with extreme caution always giving
the right of way to cars approaching.
In order to get a good result a simple but effective monitoring and evaluation system is required for
progress of road safety activities and to estimate the safety impact. This will be more useful for the
developing countries. Monitoring and evaluation systems which are established as part of
implementing action plans and safety initiatives must be able to indicate progress towards
achievement of road safety and developmental purposes.
Financing Road Safety
A temporary or permanent funding source is required for the implementation of road safety
measures. Some countries have been particularly successful in securing funding for road safety
activities, for example Fiji and Australia.
Designing Roads to Improve Road Safety (Safety Engineering)
Drivers cannot drive safely in unsafe conditions. Another factor which contributes to
road accidents is the condition of the roads and infrastructure of the country. The
government should ensure that there is adequate maintenance of our infrastructure.
Impediments on roads cause drivers to lose control over their vehicles and force
drivers to make illegal moves.
It should also be ensured, by the government, that the roads of a country are well
lighted in the night. Some drivers are unable to see oncoming vehicles in time and
thus collide causing death or injury. Areas of congestion are also a common
location for road injuries. Even though, patience in traffic plays the major role in
preventing road accidents in traffic, another role should be played by the
government, in preventing excessive traffic. No amount of money (bribery) for

4. license is worth a life!
81.
The introduction of self enforcing techniques in road designs is likely to have much better short
term results than improving vehicle standards and driver testing requirements. Many
developing countries have either just adopted road standards from developed countries or
modified such standards without fully evaluating the consequences. The traffic mix and road
usage in developing countries is very different from that in developed countries. Road crashes
can be prevented by better planning and more safety conscious design of the road network.
Systematic identification and treatment of hazardous locations can improve road safety
substantially. The remedial measures are usually low cost and countries with limited resources
should initially consider such schemes.
The government is in charge of making a country a safe place to drive in. The
government should ensure that there is proper maintenance of infrastructure.
Should impediments such as pot holes, branches etc be removed, roads will be
made safer to a significant degree. Maintenance of infrastructure should also
include properly functioning lights on roadways for night drivers and properly
maintained street signs and traffic directing arrows. To reduce accidents due to
speeding, there should be more effective mechanisms to detect speed for example
hidden cameras at traffic lights and radar systems.
There are many solutions to the problems. The most important, the driver’s
attitude has to change. The driver should always be patient, responsible and
cautious. He should ensure that all the fittings in the car be in such a manner as
not to cause any danger to any person in the vehicle or on the public road.
Road Safety Audits
Road safety audit is the systematic checking of the safety aspects of new highway and traffic
management schemes, including modifications to existing layouts. The main aim is to design
out safety problems from the beginning and to reduce future problems. Safety audits should be
included during the design, construction and maintenance phases of road projects. In many
developing countries safety devices are included in the designs, but are simply not constructed
on the ground. Frequently, road maintenance is limited to fixing potholes and cleaning drainage
facilities, without replacing missing traffic signs, guard-rails, road markings and other safety
features essential to create a safe road network. The Institution of Highways and
Transportation in the UK produce Guidelines for the Safety Audit of Highways.
Children's Traffic Education
Teaching safety skills to children can provide lifelong benefits to society, but should be seen as
a long term intervention strategy. Experience in many countries has shown that reliance on
individuals or organizations visiting schools to give talks on road safety are not effective on their
own. Children may remember the messages in the short term, but effective and sustainable
development of positive attitudes towards road safety are best achieved by inclusion in the core
curriculum, either as a compulsory subject in its own right or as a cross-curricular theme.
Training is best done in schools by professional teachers who have themselves been trained in
the safety issues relevant to children.
Publicity Programs
Road user education and awareness raising is an important part of any road safety strategy. To
be effective such activity must be based on analysis of data and should be designed and
monitored in a systematic way to ensure success. 80.

5. Driver Training and Testing
With road user error contributing to the vast majority of road crashes, the development of safe
drivers, skilled in defensive driving techniques, should be the primary objective of any road
safety program. Driving examiners in developing countries are rarely given special training and
driving tests an inadequate test of ability to drive safely in traffic on real roads.
Traffic Law and Enforcement
In most developing countries the Traffic Police are grossly under-resourced and under-trained
to deal effectively with road safety violations. Effective traffic law enforcement can play an
important role in reducing traffic crashes.
Vehicle Safety Standards
Improvements in vehicle design, occupant protection and vehicle maintenance have made a
significant contribution to crash reduction in industrialized countries. Occupants can be
protected by safety features such as seat belts, headrests, air bags, special seats for children.
Safety related components should be properly maintained. This can be achieved by periodic
vehicle inspections combined with frequent random checking of vehicles on the road.
Overloading of heavy goods vehicles is also a serious safety hazard for all road users.
Emergency Medical Services
Timely and proper treatment of road casualties is essential for reducing the severity of injury to
crash victims. Driver education on first aid procedures and correct transportation of crash
victims is important. A single emergency telephone number (for example, "911" is used in USA)
can facilitate the simultaneous alerting of police, ambulance and other rescue services and help
to reduce response times (depending on the availability of road-side telephones).
Road Safety Research
Research and Development is an important part of safety work and should be incorporated into
road safety programs. Road safety research aims to improve knowledge about factors
contributing to road crashes, effects of different countermeasures, and development of new and
more effective safety measures. It forms the framework of knowledge against which better
policy and resource allocation decisions can be made to ensure most effective use of available
resources.
The Role of NGOs
Road safety cannot be the responsibility of government alone. The commercial sector, service
organizations and non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play an important role in
increasing road safety awareness. NGOs have an important input at grass roots level.
It should be made mandatory that all drivers around the world should take courses on
defensive driving. There should be more police on the road during the night taking
random check tests to determine if the drivers are intoxicated. Billboards and other
artifacts must be removed from major roads to reduce driver distraction. The use of
cell phones while driving should be banned permanently as this contributes to driver
distraction. In order to avoid excessive traffic congestion, the government should make
the highways wider for many vehicles to run smoothly.
The most effective solutions to road safety related problems integrate the driver, the
vehicle, the road and environmental considerations. Improvements in road safety can
best be achieved through consultation and co operation with specific levels of
government, industry and the public. All users of the transportation system must share

6. responsibility for safety. Recently, road accidents have increased drastically and should
be really considered a major health hazard of today.82.