Latest News

Article from our Principal Engineer, Kenn Beer There is a lot of discussion in our industry about the capability of Road Safety Auditors. We often hear statements like ‘the bar is too low’ or ‘you have to have at least 10 years experience to be an Auditor’ or ‘they’re...

Article from our Principal Engineer, Kenn Beer Roundabout, mini-roundabout, compact roundabout, traffic circle, rotunda, rotary… what’s the difference and why? I was in Mackay, Queensland, this week running a Safe System Assessment course, and saw on Google Maps the...

Article from our Principal Engineer, Kenn Beer I’m seeing a lot of Road Safety Audits (RSAs) done by the same company that did the design. This risks the integrity of the RSA and the RSA practice overall. One of the fundamental principles of RSAs is 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲....

The intersection geometry at crossroads can create a visual phenomenon known as the "see-through effect." This occurs when drivers or riders misinterpret the road layout, failing to recognise the need to stop or give way due to the straight alignment of intersecting...

In a growing number of jurisdictions, lane filtering has emerged as a legal practice for motorcyclists. This manoeuvre allows riders to navigate through slow-moving or stationary traffic at low speeds, often reaching the front of a congested queue. The potential...

Research highlights the potential dangers of distractions for cyclists, particularly those related to mobile phone use and listening to music. Here's a breakdown of the findings:  Mobile Phone Use:  Impaired situational awareness: Cyclists engaged with their phones...

Wire rope barrier systems (also called cable barrier systems) can be struck from either side by an errant vehicle and they will function as intended. This, and their narrow width, makes them a useful system for medians (wide or narrow).   There are also a variety of...

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) includes Vulnerable Road User tests, including a pedestrian crash test that estimates likely head and leg injuries to child and adult pedestrians. The tests are conducted with head-forms and leg-forms fired at the...

Urban areas are complex and lower speeds means vehicles have more time to react to the frequent hazards that arrive in their travel path.   The data is clear - lower speeds lead to significant safety improvements:  Reduced likelihood of crashes: decreased speeds...

Because Wire Rope Safety Barrier systems consist of ropes in tension, the minimum allowable horizontal curve radius is 200 metres in most jurisdictions. When designing, the effect of the curve on barrier deflection should also be considered.  The minimum allowable sag...

Each Friday of last year we published our engineers’ Safe System Sketches (AKA cartoons). Today we decided to share the 5 least understood.   Let us know if you get them, or if we’re on our own planet?  

Unlike cars with their four-wheeled stability, motorcycles rely on only two small contact points with the road, making them highly sensitive to changes in surface conditions. Even subtle variations in texture, dips, ruts, or patches of loose gravel can disrupt their...

A 2022 study by researchers at The Australian National University has exposed more of the dangers of Australia's food delivery industry. The study, titled "Necrocapitalism in the Gig Economy: The Case of Platform Food Couriers in Australia," highlights the dangerous...

It is well known that the start/end of a road safety barrier is the most hazardous part of the system. The main risks involve spearing of the errant vehicle or an abrupt stop beyond bio-mechanically survivable thresholds. While a ramp down end terminal removes the...

There are a variety of ancillary equipment dangers associated with commercial vehicles. These include height dangers, protruding vehicle elements and altered vehicle stability. While people gravitate to training and knowledge gaps (i.e. drivers might lack adequate...

Roundabouts with raised pedestrian crossings (Wombats) create a safe and accessible environment for all road users. And it’s great to see this now appear in the Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 4B: Roundabouts.  An evaluation of the installation of wombat crossings...

Paint won't protect. Physical infrastructure is needed for safety in high-speed environments.  Flexible road safety median barriers are installed along the centre of the road to prevent head-on crashes, which are one of the most common types of fatal crash. They work...

Safe System Solutions Pty Ltd conducted an evaluation of road user behaviour and their perceptions of safety at the Moray Street protected roundabout. Our evaluation found increased usage by both pedestrians and cyclists, large increases in perceived safety for both...

At-grade pedestrian crossings (AKA Zebra Crossings) leave the potential for high-speed crashes to occur. The Crash Reduction Factor/Crash Modification Factor for these facilities varies wildly amongst studies from around the world from a reduction in pedestrian safety...

Converting angle parking to parallel parking reduces casualty crashes by up to 35% (Elvik and Vaa, 2004).  The awkward sight lines for drivers reversing out of angle parking causes them to be more likely to miss a vehicle in the through lane. This is particularly the...