THE INFLUENCE ON TRAFFIC SAFETY OF THE INTRODUCTION OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SCHEMES IN CITIES

Because of the increasing traffic in cities and therefore increasing noise and air pollution, preventive measures are wanted. The French government has introduced in the beginning of the seventies traffic management schemes for cities with more than 20.000 inhabitants. Such traffic management schemes have three main objectives: (1) to improve traffic conditions and traffic flow (2) to decrease urban traffic and (3) to conserve and even to improve the environmental conditions by decreasing traffic noise. Financial help is given by the government for the introduction of the scheme. An evaluation regarding traffic safety is given of some schemes now in action. There are about 10.000 accidents less in 1977 due to the introduction of the schemes. (Author/TRRL)