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Safe System Snippet 452: Filter Turns at Traffic Signals
Filter right turns at signalised intersections is where right turning traffic is allowed to “filter” through gaps in oncoming traffic. These intersections allow drivers/riders to judge and execute turns based on traffic conditions. We have long advocated for a...
Safe System Snippet 451: Median Safety – The Research
We recently prepared a comprehensive report for Austroads emphasising the critical role of median barriers in mitigating the risk of head-on crashes on high-speed, two-lane roads across Australia and New Zealand. Head-on collisions in high-speed environments generate...
Safe System Snippet 450: Building Safer School Crossings
Protecting children as they travel to and from school garners strong community support for robust safety measures. These improvements not only safeguard children but also benefit all road users in school zones. Over the past decade, we’ve worked extensively on road...
Safe System Snippet 449: Wide Median Challenges
Wide Median Treatments were introduced in Victoria during the 1980s as a way to manage side-road movements at intersections on high-speed, divided rural roads. These treatments use wide medians and deflected paths to highlight the intersection and control vehicle...
Safe System Snippet 448: Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) Plans
Keeping speeds down and minimising rat-running through residential areas is not only important for safety but also enhances amenity, encourages active transport, and reduces noise.Developing an LATM plan requires careful analysis of the area, including vehicle...
Safe System Snippet 447: Sign Poles and Motorcyclists
Most road signs in Australia are mounted on galvanized steel tube posts, typically C250L0 (or sometimes lighter C350L0). These posts are designed to deform on impact, reducing vehicle damage and protecting occupants. However, the risk for cyclists and motorcyclists...
Safe System Snippet 446: Post Crash Care
One often overlooked element of the Safe System is post-crash care. This is how quickly and effectively injured parties receive medical attention after a crash event. The speed and quality of care can make a significant difference in reducing the severity of...
Safe System Snippet 445: The Real Cost of Speeding
In 2015, US data scientist Max Galka made a startling revelation in his analysis of the social cost of speeding. For every 1 minute saved by speeding, 2.5 minutes of human life are lost. This data is another way to try to get across the message of the cost of speeding...
Safe System Snippet 444: Bent-out Cycle Lane Crossings
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...
Safe System Snippet 443: Cyclists on the Road
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...
Safe System Snippet 442: Interchange Intersections – The Hidden Killer
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....
Safe System Snippet 441: Who says the community doesn’t want safer speeds?
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...
Safe System Snippet 440: Dynamic Visual Obstruction
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...
Safe System Snippet 439: Trail Bike Safety
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 Crossings – It Must Be a Sign… The Updated Version
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...
Safe System Snippet 438: Rigid Barrier Systems
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...
Safe System Snippet 437: Cone Theft
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...
Safe System Snippet 436: Risk Perception and Behaviour
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...
Safe System Snippet 435: Safe System in Action
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...
Safe System Snippet 434: Angle of Crashes at Roundabouts
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...