Methodologies and Tools

NEWSLETTER 3The aim of SaferBraIn is to increase the level of safety of the whole road transport sys-tem and its components, focusing the attention on vulnerable road users, thus contribu-ting to the overall scope of reducing the number of fatalities and the severity of injuries caused by road accidents. We work together with India and Brazil aiming at adopting EU experiences thus improving VRU’s safety in these Countries.

ContentThe Safer BraIn project is steaming ahead. On the website the first results can be found on:Analyses of Local Requirements (newsletter 1)Conditions for transferability (newsletter 2)Methodologies and tools (newsletter 3)Recommendations and guidelines (newsletter 4)Pilot projects (newsletter 5)

In newsletter 6 we will be able to report on the planned trainings and details of the final conferences that will be held in India and Brazil. In this first newsletter we will introduce the relevant issues short and snappy. Easy access can be gained in the content letters that can be found on the website. Obviously you can also read all full documents.

PortugueseWe offer translations of some of the work done in Portuguese; for now we haveavailable for you:Inventário das necessidades locais para a melhoria da segurança no Trânsito dos Usuários Vulneráveis de Rodovias (UVR)Relatório sobre Auditoria de TransferibilidadeRelatório da Auditoria de TransmissibilidadeInventário das necessidades locais para a melhoria daRevisão das experiências e práticas sobre a gestão da segurança rodoviária, a audito-ria de segurança rodoviária, o projeto de infra-estrutura e planejamentoFuncionalidades e especificações do Sistema de Apoio à decisãoSistema de Apoio à Decisão

Short and snappyMethodologies and toolsMethodologies and Tools is the definition of suitable measures, methodologies and tools to improvemanagement of vulnerable road users in Emerging Economies.We focus on several results amongst which a downloadable DSS System as well as:• The evaluation of the applicability of European experience aimed at improving vulnerable users road safety and the adaptation of these practices to Emerging Economies;• The development of innovative methodologies of conceiving and maintaining road infrastructure able to ensure a high level of pedestrian safety as well as tools for protecting vulnerable road users with special consideration with regard to infrastructure design and land use planning;• The definition of the requirements and functions for a vulnerable road user GIS-based oriented Decision Supporting System, allowing to improve the decision-making in vulnerable user’s road safety in Emerging Economies. The DSS is suitable for the definition of the most suitable strategies and the identification of the most effective/efficient countermeasures, supporting the local technici ans and decision-makers in: w accident analysis, w identification of main causes of accidents, w identification of possible countermeasures, w choice of most efficient countermeasures on the basis of Cost-Benefit Analysis and Cost- Effectiveness Analysis, w monitoring of results.• Programming (implementation and testing) of the DSS software based on the previous experiences carried out at National and European level and on what defined and tested in the previous step.

Several categories of practices, currently adopted in Europe, have been found to be potentially useful. The existing practices have been for instance divided in shared space schemes, prioritised space schemes, segregated facility schemes, child focused schemes, school zones, etc.

For each of practice reviewed, examples (photos) have been reported and advantages / disadvantages in using them have been described. Also indications about the kind of users to which they are recommenda-ble have been provided through figures.

The existing Decision Support Systems (DSSs) reviewed have been categorised depending on the pres-ence of GIS or the fact they are web applications. The review of DSSs is concluded by an overview of their data need and applicability.

The tools appearing to be more reliable for the objective of SaferBraIn were PCA and ISIDE, dealing with analysis of accident data, definition of accident causes and selection of most suitable countermeasures.

The review also allowed to report about a methodology for assessing the safety level of a pedestrian cros-sing, used for the evaluation of 215 pedestrian crossings in 17 European cities for the Pedestrian Crossing Assessment Project co-financed by FIA Foundation.

The methodology appeared to be a good candidate for adapting it to the local conditions in India and Brazil and thus to be provided as additional outcome of the project.

The results of the review about possible tools and methodologies that could be included in the Decision Support System focused especially on the following methodologies:• Road Safety Management.• Infrastructure design & planning.• Road Safety Audit & Road Safety Inspection.

The topics reviewed mainly related to European experiences in these fields that could be adapted to speci-fic situations in Emerging Economies (in particular in India and Brazil).

Based on the need for a system that includes: VRU consideration, accident analysis, definition of strate-gies, the identification of cost-effective countermeasures, the Road Safety Audit and the Road Safety In-spection three existing DSSs were identified (PCA, ISIDE and PBCAT). From these three, PCA and ISIDE were chosen based on their high applicability at the local level and low data need. From this starting point, the specific functionality and specification for the development of these existing tools into the SaferBraIn DSS could be developed.

The programming of the tool will take place using the results of this work and will be tested as part of the pilot site developments in India and Brazil. Proposed lists of accident crash patterns, accident causes and countermeasures were assessed by local partners in India and Brazil to ensure transferability of the items included in the DSS. The suggested changes to ensure transferability reflect the specific culture and norms of the countries being considered (for example, the number of ice-cream vendors in India who operate from the edges of roads). These elements will be added to the existing tables of accident crash patterns, causes and suggested countermeasures. It is possible that an Indian version and a Brazilian version will be needed, and specific versions for any other countries that might use the tool in the future, to ensure that the measures proposed are as relevant to the country as possible.

The DSS of SaferBraIn is a flexible tool that can be used by decision-makers and practitioners to analyse safety conditions of Vulnerable Road Users (with specific reference to cyclists and pedestrians). The tool can be used both for taking decisions in a preventive or in a corrective phase.

The preventive approach relates with cases where accident data are not available, making impossible the choice of treatments based on accident analysis. This case typically refers to verification of safety conditions of infrastructure designs or on existing roads without accident data. Thus, the DSS supports the execution of Road Safety Audits or Inspections, providing specific check-lists for safety of cyclists and pedestrians and tools for reporting about recommendations proposed.

The corrective approach relates with analysis based on accident data. In this case the DSS, basing on reliable data, provides a support for defining the accident causes and the possible countermeasures / treatments that can be adopted. The corrective approach is usually used to make safer infrastructures where several accidents occur. For this approach, the DSS also supports the identification of more reliable treatments basing on expected impacts and costs.

In all cases, the tool has been developed in order to be adapted to the local conditions of India and Brazil and to be also easily adaptable to other situations or regions.

SaferBraIn DSS is fully in line with the indications of the Directive 2008/96/EC on road infrastructure safety management. Especially, the tool provides support concerning road safety impact assessment for infra-structure projects (Article 3), road safety audits for infrastructure projects (Article 4) and safety inspections (Article 6).

The DSS aims to provide help to technicians and decision-makers to carry out accident analysis or road safety audits/inspections. Its use requires a knowledge and experience about road safety issues, espe-cially necessary for selecting the most appropriate countermeasures or to produce recommendations for road safety audits.

SaferBraIn DSS has been developed as a web application accessible for free from the project web site together with the user guide.

The full documents can be found here:Review of international experiences and practices aimed at improving vulnerable road users’ safetyReview of experiences and practices about road safety management, road safety audit, infrastructure design and planningDecision Support System functionalities and specificationsDecision Support System

Also available are online short documents on:Executive Summary: Review of international experiences and practices aimed at improving vulnerable road users’ safetyExecutive Summary: Review of experiences and practices about road safety management, road safety audit, infrastructure design and planningExecutive Summary: Decision Support System functionalities and specificationsExecutive Summary: Decision Support SystemOverview of DSS data need and applicabilityShared Space Schemes9 cells model for the design of shared spaceSafe Routes to SchoolRecommended Web ResourcesRoad Safety in ItalyRoad Safety Audits in ItalyRoad Safety in The NetherlandsRoad Safety in UK

The content can also be read in Portuguese. Relevant documents in Portuguese can be found here: Inventário das necessidades locais para a melhoria daRevisão das experiências e práticas sobre a gestão da segurança rodoviária, a auditoria de segurança rodoviária, o projeto de infra-estrutura e planejamentoFuncionalidades e especificações do Sistema de Apoio à decisãoSistema de Apoio à Decisão

This News Letter was produced by Velo Mondial in the context of its dissemination tasks for Safer BraIn.Please send any comments, queries, advice you may have to Safer BraIn c/o Antonino Tripodi:tripodi@ctl.uniroma1.it

Partners in Safer BraIn• University of Rome, Italy• Loughborough University, UK• Master Plan BV, Netherlands• IMR, Brazil• Balancia, Netherlands• A+S Consult GmbH FuE, Germany• Mobycon, Netherlands• SUNCON Pvt. Ltd., India• Foundation of Support to University of San Paulo, Brazil• Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd., India• I&D Consulting, Belgium• I.T. Ingegneria dei Trasporti srl, Italy Articles about road safety• In poll season, better traffic flow ideas likely to fall on deaf ears, Times India, 25.5.2011• Decade of action• Cycle path with room for improvement• Critical Mass in Brazil, 25.2.2011, VERY SAD NEWS!• Pune: Mishaps down, but deaths are a worry, TOI 30 Nov 2010• DHL Deutsche Post, Global Road Safety Initiative• PROMISING: Cost-benefit analysis of measures for vulnerable road users• Need for evolving a hassle-free system for pedestrians• India streets• Gehl & Hook: a cool duo• Europe: more action on road safety• Punes Pilot Project, TOI 4 Sep 2010• Walkers have little space on many widened roads, TOI 03 Sep 2010• Walkability in Asian cities: state and issues• GTZ Sourcebook Module on Financing Sustainable Urban Transport• Deadliest for Walkers: Male Drivers, Left Turns• Bottom-up urban planning, Standard / New Delhi 18 Jul. 2010• India and Brazil Green• Shimlas’ strategy to curb road accidents: Build a temple• Traffic in the Era of Climate Change - Walking, Cycling, Public Transport Need Priority• Pune gets ready for skywalks, TOI 30 Jun. 2010• Commuting school children TOI 27 Jun. 2010• Traffic control branch Pune statistics June 2010• Drunk driving, TOI 22 Jun. 2010• LordRobertsonCommGRoadSafety DecadeofAction BBC4 20110511 by Morten7an• Parking norms, TOI 8 Jun. 2010• Road Safety Patrol, Pune• Traffic offences, TOI 15 Apr. 2010• ‘Killer’ roads to turn safe, one by one• Volvo introduces helmet to protect against Volvos • “Where are we to walk?”, from Pune in Maharashtra, India (video)• Jaipal Reddy urges states to promote public transport