Centre for Automotive Safety Research reports

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/2440/38925

Browse

Browsing Centre for Automotive Safety Research reports by Author "Austroads"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Developing measures to reduce unlicensed driving
    (Austroads, 2013) Baldock, M.; Royals, J.; Raftery, S.; Bailey, T.; Lydon, M.; Austroads
    This report considers countermeasures to reduce the incidence of unlicensed driving on Australian roads. Unlicensed motorists pose a problem to road safety authorities as they are operating independently of the established licensing system and are known to have higher than average crash rates. By operating beyond the licensing system, unlicensed motorists reduce the ability of authorities to monitor and manage driver behaviour and reduce the impact of the sanction of licence loss. The report is based on a review of Australian and international literature, with an emphasis on articles with the greatest relevance to Australia and discussions with stakeholders. It identifies the countermeasures most likely to be effective and feasible in Australia and provides a path to their implementation.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Guide to Road Safety Part 5: Road safety for regional and remote areas
    (Austroads, 2019) Wundersitz, L.N.; Palamara, P.; Brameld, K.; Thompson, J.; Raftery, S.; Govorko, M.; Austroads
    Road trauma in regional and remote areas of Australia and New Zealand are a major road safety problem. Drivers and riders in regional and remote areas are at an unacceptably greater risk of road deaths and injuries than those living in major cities. This updated version of the Austroads (2006) Guide to Road Safety Part 5: Road Safety for Rural and Remote Areas provides practical guidance on the most effective responses to reduce road trauma in regional and remote areas in Australia and New Zealand. The guide examines the characteristics of crashes on regional and remote roads through analyses of casualty crash data and identifies causes and risks associated with regional and remote crashes in the existing literature. Closely aligned with the Safe Systems holistic approach to eliminating harm on the road network, the guide concludes with a discussion of evidence-based countermeasures and new initiatives that are urgently needed to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries in regional and remote areas.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    National view on regional and remote road safety
    (Austroads, 2019) Wundersitz, L.N.; Palamara, P.; Brameld, K.; Raftery, S.; Govorko, M.; Thompson, J.; Austroads
    Road crash fatality rates continue to be unacceptably higher in regional and remote areas than major cities. This report provides a comprehensive investigation of the causes of road crashes in regional and remote Australia and gives strategic guidance to identify the best approaches to eliminate harm on the road network in these areas. The research suggests that, consistent with the Safe System approach, long term strategic perspectives are important, and jurisdictions should use network safety plans to determine how to allocate resources. Systemic change is integral and treatment options should support corridor safety plans that incorporate solutions beyond infrastructure alone and facilitate enforcement, quality rest stops, and alternative transport options. Other key Safe Systems solutions that show promise in regional and remote areas are: vehicle based speed management technologies and fleet speed/fatigue management policies; incentives and policies to accelerate proven safety and driver assist technologies into the driving fleet; alternative community transport services; and community led programs in remote areas that improve access to licensing and fit child restraints. The report concludes with a series of recommendations and areas for further research that provide strategic directions and clear sustainable actions that are urgently needed to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on regional and remote roads.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Older road users: Emerging trends
    (Austroads, 2016) Baldock, M.R.; Thompson, J.; Dutschke, J.; Kloeden, C.; Lindsay, V.; Woolley, J.; Austroads
    This report identifies trends in crash involvement amongst older road users (aged 75+). The project incorporated a literature review; analysis of 10 years of crash data from every jurisdiction in Australia and New Zealand; analysis of three years of detailed hospital injury data for older road users in South Australia; analysis of the contributing factors in older road user crashes examined using the Centre for Automotive Safety Research in-depth investigation method; consultations with representatives of all jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand; and a summary of relevant sections of road safety strategies in a sample of international jurisdictions. The report provides policy recommendations and describes crash countermeasures relevant to older road users.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Passing Lanes: Safety and Performance
    (Austroads, 2019) Espada, I.; Stokes, C.; Cairney, P.; Truong, L.; Bennett, P.; Tziotis, M.; Austroads
    This report examines the impacts of passing lanes on safety, journey time and user experience and provides guidance to assist in the development of passing lane installation projects. The research found that passing lanes result in safety benefits, including perceived safety by motorists, safer operational conditions, and historical crash reductions. Passing lanes were also found to improve journey times through a small increase in travel speed and a significant reduction in percentage of time spent following a slower vehicle. This project included a literature review safety analysis, before-and-after analysis of crash records, speed and headway analysis, and overtaking behaviour analysis journey time analysis, including development of modelling guidance and numerical experiments on the impact of passing lanes on travel speed and per cent time spent following road user experience survey analysis, including an analysis of perceptions and valuation of level-of-service a review and re-calibration of the TRAffic on Rural Roads (TRARR) model.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Review of the National Road Safety Strategy
    (Austroads, 2015) Lydon, M.; Woolley, J.; Small, M.; Harrison, J.; Bailey, T.J.; Searson, D.; Austroads
    This report details the results of a review of the 2011 Australian National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) designed to identify new countermeasures or changes in trauma patterns that would support changes to priorities in the next Action Plan. The project was commissioned as part of the first review of the NRSS. The project included a targeted literature review including strategies from successful countries, consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, a review of the level of implementation of the NRSS and data analysis including fatal crash data, hospital separations data, speed surveys, vehicle kilometres travelled and properties of the vehicle fleet. Increased emphasis was recommended for 13 priority areas including developing a Safe System for vulnerable road users, improving safety for older road users and better understanding serious injuries. It was also recommended that more support be provided for the introduction of new technology for vehicles and infrastructure.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Safe System Assessment Framework
    (Austroads, 2016) Turner, B.; Jurewicz, C.; Pratt, K.; Corben, B.; Woolley, J.; Austroads
    This report proposes an assessment framework designed to help road agencies methodically consider Safe System objectives in road infrastructure projects. The framework considers key crash types that lead to fatal and serious crash outcomes, as well as the risks associated with these crashes (exposure, likelihood and severity). It provides prompts to ensure each pillar of the Safe System are considered. A treatment hierarchy is also provided to help identify the most effective treatments that might be used to minimise death and serious injury. The framework was developed following a review of literature on Safe System infrastructure and existing risk assessment frameworks. Examples are provided on its application.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Safe System Infrastructure on Mixed Use Arterials
    (Austroads, 2017) Turner, B.; Partridge, R.; Turner, S.; Corben, B.; Woolley, J.; Stokes, C.; Oxley, J.; Stephan, K.; Steinmetz, L.; Chau, P.; Austroads
    This report provides a synthesis of key safety solutions as well as issues that need to be considered when effectively addressing safety on urban mixed use arterial routes. Mixed use urban arterials account for a large proportion of high-severity crashes in Australia and New Zealand, particularly involving vulnerable road users. Austroads commissioned research to help identify solutions that might be applied on these arterial roads to improve safety through the provision of Safe System infrastructure. The project involved assessment of six case studies around Australia and New Zealand. Preliminary concept designs were developed for each of the routes based on the findings from the workshops and subsequent discussions. The likely safety benefits were assessed with estimates of likely crash reductions as well as alignment with the Safe System objective of eliminating death and serious injury.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Towards Safe System Infrastructure: A Compendium of Current Knowledge
    (Austroads, 2018) Woolley, J.; Stokes, C.; Turner, B.; Jurewicz, C.; Austroads
    This report provides a compendium of knowledge on Safe System treatments and identifies real world experience in the practical application of solutions that can mitigate crash severity. The Safe System is internationally regarded as the best practice approach to road safety. Although Australia and New Zealand have been early adopters of the approach since 2004, there has generally been a lack of clarity amongst practitioners on how best to integrate the approach into their daily activities. Assessment frameworks and tools are also now emerging that allow the alignment with Safe System be better quantified. A hierarchy of treatments is described that provide practitioners with a basic understanding of the types of practices that should now be applied on a trajectory towards a Safe System. Primary treatments are capable of virtually eliminating death and injury and certain supporting treatments can transform the network a step closer to reducing the overall harm being caused.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemMetadata only
    Understanding and Improving Safe System Intersection Performance
    (Austroads, 2017) Jurewicz, C.; Sobhani, A.; Chau, P.; Woolley, J.; Austroads
    Intersection crashes account for approximately 30% of severe injuries in Australia and New Zealand. This study sought to improve understanding of the key factors in intersection severe injury crashes, and to develop initiatives to improve the design of intersections for better alignment with the Safe System objective of minimising death and serious injury. The study reviewed recent literature and data to synthesise the following Safe System intersection design principles: minimise conflict points, remove/simplify road user decisions, minimise impact angles, and minimise entry and impact speeds. Using inputs from literature and data findings, a new safety analytical method, and practitioners, the study proposed nine innovative intersection design concepts seeking to increase Safe System alignment across a wide range of scenarios (urban/rural, new/retrofit). These design concepts form a starting point for practitioners’ trials and refinement. The study concluded that achievement of Safe System for intersections requires significant supporting contributions from emerging transport disciplines such as C-ITS, autonomous vehicles, and Movement and Place.