Road Safety

Recommended Prerequisites

Traffic Engineering; Highways.

Teaching Methods

  Using audiovisual means, concepts, principles and theories of the thematic areas included in the syllabus are presented. The presentation of theoretical component is complemented with the demonstration of study cases as well as with the resolution of exercises to consolidate concepts and integration of techniques and methods. The tutorial system is used to support the practical analysis of study cases.

Learning Outcomes

  Road Safety (RS) is fundamental to ensuring sustainable mobility in urban areas. This involves several road users, which have different characteristics in terms of mobility and vulnerability. Knowledge of these characteristics as well as the identification of methodologies for analyzing and acting on (un)safety issues show to be paramount to ensure a safe urban environment. The aim of this course is to provide students RS knowledge through concepts, methods and techniques to support the analysis of accidents and risk factors as well as knowledge about solutions to prevent and mitigate road traffic accidents. The course provides the student the acquisition of new concepts needed to analyze and to empirically or scientifically evaluate databases, identifying risk factors as well as to apply tools and techniques for safety assessment to identify and apply solutions to improve RS. 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

a.      Concepts and Safety measures;
b.    Statistical analysis: time trends; critical issues (pedestrians; Motorcycles; elders; …)
c.    Safety prediction models; Techniques of conflict analysis
d.    Techniques of accident analysis;
e.    Road safety auditory
f.    Integrated solutions of safety and urban living:  
i.    Speed management: principles and definition of maximum speed (speed limit) adjusted to the road section or corridor; traffic calming principles and solutions; Systems of dynamic speed
ii.    Intelligent solutions of space segregation and space sharing: 30 zones ; Woonerf zones; Village Trough roads
g.    Systems of Road Safety management
h.    Setting strategies and goals for Urban Road Safety
i.    Municipal Plans of Road Safety

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Project: 50.0%
Exam: 50.0%

Bibliography

Highway Safety Manual (2010): AASHTO; TRB
Bastos Silva A.M.C.; Seco A.J.M; Santos S.M (2010) -  Disposições Técnicas “Acalmia de tráfego Aplicada ao Atravessamento de Localidades”, Fasciculo I a V - Edição InIR (http://www.imtt.pt/sites/IMTT/Portugues/InfraestruturasRodoviarias/InovacaoNormalizacao/Paginas/DivulgacaoTecnica.aspx )
Elvik, R. and Vaa, T. (2004). “The handbook of road safety measures”. Amsterdam, Elsevier.
WHO ( 2013) “Pedestrian Safety: A road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners”.
ITF (2011) “Pedestrian Safety, Urban Space and Health”, OECD/ITF.
Seco A.J.M; Ferreira S.; Bastos Silva A.M.C.; Pires da Costa, A. (2008) – “Segurança Rodoviária” Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte , Porto
IRTAD (2015). “Road Infrastructure Safety Management”. ITF/OECD
Fridstrom, L (2015). “Disaggregate Accident Frequency and Risk Modelling. A Rough Guide” TØI report 1403/2015 Institute of Transport Economics.