COUNTY SETS A FAST PACE IN COMBATTING ACCIDENT MENACE

An account is given of the Hertfordshire accident computer system which identifies hazardous road locations, detects accident-contributory factor patterns at road sites and monitors the result of engineering remedial action. The system is capable of dealing with 2000 requests for information a year where only 50 could be dealt with previously. At present work is in hand on a new Mark V system using a rapport database mounted on a prime 9750 mini-computer. Details are given of the way in which programmes are used to detect accident patterns. Two teams of engineers devise remedial action; one for blacksites, the second for mass, route or area action. This systematic approach has resulted in a 31% reduction in hazardous road sections, an accident reduction of 28%, a first year rate of return of 197% and a discounted economic rate of return of 708%. LR1120 produced by TRRL has been used to produce an overall optimisation programme for roundabout design. (TRRL)