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Bent-out cycle lane crossings are designed to provide a gap of one or two car lengths between the main carriageway and crossing. This provides an area where a vehicle can store when they turn off the main carriageway; creating safer turning movements and increasing...

Cycling harassment is a widespread issue. Over a 12-month period, 76% of male cyclists and 72% of female cyclists reported being harassed while on their bike (Heesch et al., 2011). The most common forms of harassment included driving too close (66%), shouting abuse...

Eastlink in Melbourne is regarded as one of Australia’s safest motorways, but the data might not tell the full story.  When evaluating the safety of a road like this, analysts typically focus on the mainline and on/off ramps, overlooking the interchange intersections....

The Mornington Peninsula Speed Limit Change Trial revealed some pretty important stuff: people overwhelmingly support safer and more appropriate speed limits when they align with community needs and deliver tangible benefits. In this case it was a lot of roads reduced...

Dynamic Visual Obstruction occurs when one vehicle blocks the sight lines for another road user. This is a common issue at intersections. It often happens when turning vehicles obscure the view for drivers exiting or entering side roads, creating a higher likelihood...

Trail bike crashes are a less visible but significant contributor to road trauma. Often classified as off-road incidents or reported on-road for insurance purposes, they fly under the radar of traditional road safety statistics.  In Victoria, around 700 crashes...

Raised pedestrian crossings (or wombat crossings as they’re commonly known in Australia) are among the best treatments we have for improving pedestrian safety and accessibility. They reduce vehicle speeds, enhance pedestrian visibility, and make crossing the road...

Rigid barrier systems come in various forms, typically made of steel, concrete, or a combination. While these systems can result in a harsher impact for vehicle occupants compared to more flexible barriers, there are specific applications where their advantages...

Traffic cone theft is a big issue. While we don’t have figures for Australia and New Zealand, the US reports that 1 million traffic cones go missing from worksites each year. Stealing traffic management cones or bollards might seem harmless or even a bit of fun to...

This video from Australia leaves us a bit lost for words (it’s more reminiscent of scenarios we’ve seen in other countries). But it raises an important question: how does risk perception influence behaviour in situations like this Several factors seem to reduce the...

People make mistakes, and while we all continue to strive to reduce the number of mistakes on our roads, we need to sharpen our focus on managing their consequences - specifically, managing the energy in a crash scenario. This video is a brilliant example of a barrier...

One reason crashes between passenger vehicles at roundabouts tend to be less severe than those at traditional square intersections is the angle of conflict. At roundabouts, the angles of vehicle collisions are typically much shallower compared to the 90-degree impacts...

When designing roadside barriers, there are many factors to consider within the context of the site. One important trade-off is between the stiffness of the barrier system and its offset from the edgeline.  A more flexible barrier system typically reduces occupant...

Riders face unique challenges on the road. Their smaller size compared to other vehicles makes it more likely for drivers to miss seeing them - creating situations where anticipation and quick reactions can make all the difference.  While we work to make drivers more...

Lateral Protection Devices (LPDs) fitted to trucks are an effective way to lessen the severity of a crash with a pedestrian or cyclist. According to Knight et. al (2005) the effectiveness of LPDs in preventing fatalities in crashes with the side of large trucks range...

In this video, it’s hard to tell exactly what’s happened. Let’s give the driver the benefit of the doubt and hypothesise that they identified the queuing vehicles too late and made a choice to avoid a rear-end collision with the queue.  This scenario highlights an...

Did you know that there’s no legal requirement to install a Give Way sign at a T-intersection? According to the Road Rules, vehicles on the terminating road are already required to give way to traffic on the through road (includes garbage bins it seems 😂). This means...

Pedestrians face frequent, varied, and high-severity risks in urban areas, particularly at intersections. These risks aren't just due to crossing the road; intersections are also high-risk points where vehicles may leave the road unexpectedly - whether avoiding other...

In three recent road safety audits, we’ve observed items attached to barrier systems that are not part of the system. While some, like the plastic guidepost contraption, are unlikely to affect the barrier's functionality, it’s not considered good practice....

Merges from the right are a higher risk road design than merges from the left (in drive-on-the-left countries) for a number of reasons:  Drivers’ line of sight  Blind Spots: Drivers in drive-on-the-left countries sit on the right side of the vehicle, making it more...