Latest News
Safe System Synopsis – Reverse Angle Parking
Reverse angle parking – pros, cons and handy pointers. See attached. Interested in front angle parking? - see our Safe System Snippet number 90: Safe System Snippet #90
Road Safety Barrier Training
Last week’s Road Safety Barrier training in 1:30.Technical road safety training delivered by practitioners, for practitioners.
In-person Road Safety Barrier Training
In-person road safety barrier training is back.We were excited to welcome the Day 1 participants to the Safe System Solutions Pty Ltd technical training in Melbourne. This course covers road safety barrier selection, test requirements, design specifics, road user...
Safe System Snippet #136 Multi-lane Roundabouts
Roundabouts are a Primary Safe System solution for passenger vehicles because of their effective reduction in death and serious injury. However, at multi-lane roundabouts the second circulating lane can create vehicle exiting conflicts. On roundabouts with more than...
Safe System Snippet #135 Longitudinal Grates
Placing grates of any sort on bicycle lanes or bicycle/shared paths should be avoided. However, this is not always practicable as storm water drainage structures are usually located along the edge of roads where cycling facilities are likely present. All drainage...
Safe System Snippet #134 RDN 04-03 Compact Roundabouts in Rural-High Speed Environments
The Department of Transport has just released RDN 04-03 Compact Roundabouts in Rural-High Speed Environments. The document covers site selection and considerations, safety implications, design considerations and the Lance Creek case study. Big effort from the a number...
Free Online Seminar – Application of Road Safety Star Ratings
This free online seminar is a good opportunity to understand the application of road safety star ratings in Australia.Our Principal Engineer, Kenn Beer, will discuss the use of star ratings in Road Safety Audits to strengthen findings and recommendations.To...
TAC’s Light Insights Trial (LIT)
Our senior cycling specialist Max McCardel is part of the TAC’s Light Insights Trial (LIT). This innovative technology records Max’s cycling activity and shares data of abrupt decelerations, swerving, road surface roughness, near-misses and a whole lot more. The idea...
Safe System Snippet #133 Barrier Transition
Barrier transition done right – Calder Freeway, Victoria Wire rope safety barriers (WRSB) are not designed to be connected to semi-rigid or rigid barriers or bridge ends. However, WRSB can be transitioned to more rigid systems provided that the WRSB overlaps the more...
Safe System Snippet #132 Heavy Vehicle Stability
Trucks are more likely to roll than skid when travelling too quickly through a curve/corner (unlike cars). The trailer(s) tips first due to the high centre of gravity (relative to the prime mover). Changes in superelevation (i.e. crossfall) within an intersection can...
Safe System Snippet #131 Flaring a Barrier
Flaring a barrier end terminal can aid in maximising the protected area when there is insufficient length before the hazard. It can also improve sightlines out of access points or side roads. While the flared portion of the barrier can increase the impact angle (and...
The Global Plan for the Decade of Action 2021-2030
The Global Plan for the Decade of Action 2021-2030 is now available. The plan has the Safe System at its core.Available here: https://lnkd.in/e8ux_Wuf
Safe System Snippet #130 Pedestrian and Cycling Underpass
Pedestrian and cycling underpasses can eliminate exposure to crashes with vehicles. They are a Primary Safe System solution, but sometimes planners and designers are reluctant to include them in a project due to flood risk. We say this should be challenged, and that...
Safe System Snippet #129 Monkey See, Monkey Drive
In a 2001 study from the US, the driving records of young drivers were compared with those of their parents. The results showed that a child’s driving record is related to their parent’s driving record. Children whose parents had three or more crashes on their record...
Safe System Snippet #128 Bumper Trajectory
When a vehicle strikes a kerb, it can act like a ramp. The trajectory of the vehicle will depend on the speed, angle, kerb dimensions, vehicle characteristics and more. Upon striking a kerb at speed, an airborne vehicle has the potential to vault an adjacent barrier...
Safe System Snippet #127 Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) was introduced when vehicle manufacturers realised that 90% of drivers fail to brake with enough force during emergency braking. EBA works by detecting when a driver is about to perform an emergency brake but does not apply full braking...
Australasian Road Safety Conference – Early Career Professional Event
Thanks to the 40 people that attended the Young Professionals Event as the curtain raiser to the Australasian Road Safety Conference.Thanks also to the wonderful presenters; Paulette Ziekemijjer (TAC), Amanda Stephens (MUARC), Andrew Hardwick (Hard Edge and Re:act)...
Safe System Snippet #126 Raised Safety Platform Ramps
Raised safety platform ramps should be designed so that vertical acceleration is kept in the range of 0.4 – 0.7 g for the desired operating speed. Vertical acceleration exceeding 0.7 g is considered too dangerous and may damage vehicles, and below 0.4 g is not enough...
Safe System in action
Paul Zlatkovic, Principal Engineer says, "My new role at Safe System Solutions Pty Ltd. has me straight in optioneering Safe System treatments for priority intersections in regional cities in Victoria. As part of this I have assessed the details of past designs,...
Safe System Snippet #125 Driver Attitudes to Speed Enforcement
In 2013 Austroads conducted focus groups with over 150 road users to understand their attitude to speed enforcement. Participants who said that they at least sometimes drove/rode above the speed limit tended to report that, in the absence of a clear and immediate...