SAFETY EFFECTS OF TRAFFIC RESTRAINT. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP "RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ROAD SAFETY RESEARCH", KONINKLIJK CONSERVATORIUM, THE HAGUE, 19 NOVEMBER 1986

In recent years the effectiveness and acceptability of traffic restraint measures in residential areas has been investigated. Results of accident investigations indicate that a new layout of residential areas has a positive effect on traffic safety. Accident reductions are mainly dependent upon how much through traffic decreases in the residential area. Also, the number of accidents involving injury per vehicle-kilometre in residential streets drops considerably. But if measures are taken only in residential zones the improvement is not likely to be radical: 10% of all accidents involving injury are recorded as taking place in residential streets. The remaining 90% are recorded on main traffic arteries, the roads on which through-traffic is permitted, or desired. Research into road safety should therefore not be restricted to residential streets; attention should also be paid to the problems of traffic zones and particularly the transitions from residential to traffic zones. Therefore traffic restraint measures should be implemented in larger areas. This paper presents some thoughts about evaluating speed limiting measures. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 809367. (Author/TRRL)