ROAD SAFETY AUDITS ON ABU DHABI CITY ROAD NETWORK

Transcription

1 ROAD SAFETY AUDITS ON ABU DHABI CITY ROAD NETWORK Sami ALmusawi Bani Hashim, MCIHT Head of Road Design Section

2 History of Road Safety Audits in Abu Dhabi A View from the Abu Dhabi and a few other things Introduction A History of Road Safety Audit A UK View Benefits History of Road Safety Audit 4 A Local View Point 5 Summary & Questions

3 Benefits- What do we understand by Road Safety Saving Lives Preventing or minimising the effects of Life Changing Events Making the roads infrastructure safer for all Drivers Riders Cyclists Pedestrians People with Disabilities

4 How do we improve Road Safety Most importantly there must be commitment at the highest level to road safety for all. Understanding the problem Long term commitment Backed up with legislation Multi agency cooperation Enforcement Education Sufficient funding Engineering Using experience of others

5 Engineering So where does Road Safety Audits fit in our Road Network Roads and Streets New Projects/ Existing Road Network Traffic Road Safety Engineering Road Safety Audit

6 What / When? A formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. Stage 1 Audit Preliminary design stage Where a Stage 1 has already been submitted, a Stage 2 Audit is required for detailed design approval Sometimes the first Audit is a stage 1/2 at detailed design Stage 3 carried out on completion of the works Stage 4 carried out 12 months and subsequently 36 months after completion

7 Road Safety Audits Process? Monitor and Evaluate Audits Implement Findings Response

8 History of Road Safety Audit Abu Dhabi View Origins of safety engineering traced back in the Abu Dhabi to the ADM Circular in Dec 2009 The Circular Requires ADM to In constructing new roads, shall take such measures as appear to the Authority to be appropriate to reduce the possibilities of such accidents when the road comes into use

9 Present and Future.. Burning Issues in Road Safety Audits Recognition that road safety in Abu Dhabi has been compromised through: - Use of a network mainly constructed before current standards & knowledge - Where designs only comply with standards despite the knowledge that these are not adequate - Where route management has in the past been carried out without reference to road safety engineering

10

11 Safety Auditing Abu Dhabi Challenges are very different to the Rest of the world Pedestrian Behaviour. Citizens of different countries from around the world Roads are completely different in nature and driver behaviour is completely different too. Culture of speeding, especially amongst local youth. Auditors need to understand this and have direct experience of the local networks before Auditing Limited crash and other data available Roads are usually built to a Standard

12 Typical Examples of Problems in Abu Dhabi City: Network hierarchy Revising street layout moving arterial function from edge of community into the sector, splitting the community with dual carriageway roadway; Roads and Streets layout Successive interchanges are located in close proximity requiring multiple decisions by drivers without due consideration of perception-reaction time.

13 Physical hazards: Unprotected physical nose exists on split in an interchange ramp; Splitter island noses are not identified as physical hazards; Lighting columns are located immediately behind the curbs.

14 Signs, Markings and Traffic Signals Overhead mounted traffic signals are too close to the stop line for stopped drivers to see; Inconsistent display of regulatory and warning signs leading to possible driver confusion. Limited directional signs for streets with multiple approach lanes hampering early lane selection;

15 Examples After Safety Auditing in Abu Dhabi City Old Road New Road 15

16 Provides better pedestrian facilities - minimise the risks for pedestrians 16

17 Unification of RSA in the Emirates Processes July 2011 Unification of RSA Committee September 2011 Road Safety Audit Manual

18 UPDATE to the Road Safety Audit Procedures Aligned with Abu Dhabi Govt requirements and best international practice (UK DMRB) and AustRoads Vigorous new procedure for pre-approval of auditors New Audit Client requirements New model reports and templates Umbridge for Abu Dhabi

19 Why? More aligned with local and international requirements. Poor candidates for RSA being put forward. Bringing professionalism to Road Safety Audits in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Provide Consistent Standards for Service Providers.

20 Conclusion We are making progress. There has been change, but we still have a long way to go. It s a simple fact that road traffic injuries cannot be completely prevented, but if all of work together we can reduce them. Abu Dhabi Municipality are committed to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety!

21 PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE Thank You