SAFETY ON THE WAY . FOR ALL SAFETY; CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF TRAFFIC SAFETY

Only a few people who use the road network realize the efforts that are needed to achieve and to maintain the quality of the road on an acceptable level. Acceptable traffic flow, comfort and safety set requirements for highway design, the capacity of the road, and the quality of the road surface. A starting point should be the way in which the road administrator executes his job. Roads must be built so that they can achieve these standards even under less good circumstances, such as at night, in bad weather and during maintenance work. When driving the driver has an idea about what to expect. These expectations are based on previous experience and also on recognition of the type of highway. It is essential that the driver perceives the characteristics of the road and the vehicle correctly and can act accordingly. Drivers should therefore be warned of unexpected occurences. This should be done in a uniform way by signalization. Examples are: alignment and carriageway marking at night, and on wet roads; flood warnings, drainage, and highway maintenance. This study is limited to motorways, but the results can be easily applied to other types of roads. (TRRL)