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Safe System Snippet 459: Paint By Numbers (AS1742.10)
In the 2024 update to the Australian Standard 1742: Manual of uniform traffic control devices, Part 10: Pedestrian control and protection there was clarification on the correct colours to mark crossing points. ⬛⬜ For a Pedestrian Crossing (AKA Zebra Crossing), it’s...
Safe System Snippet 459: Pedestrian Operated Signals – designers – be extra careful
Pedestrian Operated Signals (POS) are good for encouraging walking by giving pedestrians confidence to cross safely. However, that confidence can sometimes lead to reduced alertness among pedestrians. Meanwhile, drivers at midblock POS have a greater chance of running...
Safe System Snippet 458: Compact Urban Roundabouts
Safe System Solutions completed an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of this compact urban roundabout in Mildura. It showed a 19.20km/h reduction of entry speed (average), with new 85th percentile speed of entering vehicles of 19.26km/h (and 99th percentile...
Safe System Snippet 457: Pedestrian Safety and E-Scooter Collisions
E-scooters have become a preferred mode of micromobility in many cities around the world, but this can come at the cost of pedestrian safety. A recent study by Paudel et al. (2023) offers insights into the dynamics of e-scooter-pedestrian collisions. It highlights...
Safe System Snippet 456: Forward Collision Warning Systems… on motorcycles
Motorcycle safety is evolving with the introduction of advanced technologies, and forward collision warning (FCW) systems are a notable example. While these systems have been common in cars for years, they’ve only recently made their way onto motorcycles, primarily on...
Safe System Snippet 455: Raised medians… good, but its no barrier
Raised medians are a valuable tool in road design. By separating opposing traffic streams, they reduce the likelihood of head-on crashes. However, it’s important to understand their limitations. While raised medians help guide traffic and improve safety, they lack...
Safe System Snippet 454: Motorcyclists and Median Openings
Closing median openings is one of the treatments we recommend in the Making Roads Motorcycle Friendly guidelines (download it free here: https://lnkd.in/gnFcWptT). These openings, while common on many high-volume urban routes, can pose unnecessary risks to...
Safe System Snippet 453: Less is More
Human brains are incredible, but they have limits - especially when processing large amounts of information when driving. Research shows that as a driver’s workload increases, their performance decreases. This is particularly true when navigating roads cluttered with...
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...