REVIEW OF MODIFYING THE INDICATORS OF ROAD SAFETY SYSTEM

Abstract

The new vision of road safety issue is based on a systematic approach called a “safe system’. This approach has been applied recently in some developed countries and resulted in a significant reduction in road fatalities. Alternatively, it is necessary to develop an index to use not only in assessing the size of the road safety problem but also to monitor the intermediate outcome of its operational performance. This paper aims to review the modified indicators of the operational performance of road safety systems based on the fundamentals of the ‘safe system’ vision. A methodology is presented to choose comprehensive, measurable, and independent indicators, which are relevant to the new vision and can be used to predict the conditions of the problem and enable actions to be taken to prevent road crashes from happening. In this methodology, the main indicators of road safety are classified into thematic indicators and individual indicators. These indicators are subjected to evaluation according to measurability, comprehensiveness, and availability of data. The final set of indicators is grouped into three thematic groups; safer road mobility, safer road user behavior, and safer vehicle. Based on the evaluation of the suggested indicators, it is concluded that the iRAP star rating is the most comprehensive, measurable, and dependent indicator to reflect the safer mobility indicator. Speeding, using a protective system, consuming psychoactive substances, and using a mobile phone while driving are chosen as safer road user behavior indicators. The EuroNCAP is chosen as the safer vehicle indicator.