A program for improving the safety of the road environment

This paper describes various aspects of the accident black spot program being undertaken by the Victorian road traffic authority in cooperation with municipalities and other authorities. The program, which was initiated in 1979, aims to provide a highly responsive approach to the identification and treatment of hazardous road locations using in the main, low cost safety improvement. In establishing the program, techniques have been developed for the identification and detailed investigation of a range of high risk locations, including pedestrian and pole accident sites. Whilst only limited evaluation of the effectiveness of the program has been undertaken to date, initial indications are most encouraging (a).