Making Europe's roads safer

Keeping the roads safer

In Europe, there has been a massive push by individual countries to make their roads the safest, not just on the continent, but in the world.

In the UK, the RSMA's report, Marking out A Safer Future was compiled following a meeting of the RSMA Safer Future Working Group; a group comprising experienced road marking contractor and manufacturer representatives formally established to look at the Government's proposals. In it, the RSMA highlighted how road markings could seriously reduce the number of those killed/or seriously injured (KSI) on UK roads.

The report covered seven main recommendations including:

• Enhanced road marking performance through improved specifications
• Reduced C02 emissions from the operation of the highways network
• Improved use of wet night visibility products across the network
• Formalisation of road marking maintenance requirements for all highway authorities
• Adoption of wider road markings in line with independent research findings
• Revision of regulations and specifications relating to the spacing of road studs
• Requirement for highway authorities to report on annual road safety plans and ring fence budgets

However in Europe, they have gone a step further and have looked at ways to make the continent's roads safer, not just with road markings, but with new technology.

New technology

At the International Road Safety and Equipment Exhibition, which took place in Spain last year, a number of products were unveiled to keep people safer on Europe's roads.

While there was a lot of new road safety developments like traffic control and management, as well as high-tech car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communication systems, it was reported that there was a definitive push for upgrades on the classic road sign.

As such, reflective road signs that can be seen by all motorists from long distance at any time of the day, irrespective of any weather conditions, have been very popular, as have new reflective sheeting and printed signs. These signs are reportedly made from a retro reflective adhesive material covered with a transparent or coloured coating, which gives to the product excellent protection against outdoor conditions such as rain, hot temperature and so on.

Other gadgets showcased at the exhibit that could soon find themselves on Europe's roadways included a Glass Bead System for wet roadways. These glass beads help in making wet roadways to be brighter with optimal reflectivity and visibility, especially in the night. The beads ensure high levels of retro-reflectivity, even in rain or wet conditions.

Next generation paints are also due to be trialled, including some that create more brightness for dangerous areas or uneven surfaces such as "hot spot" and safety corridor areas, run-off road, narrow road or road without hard-shoulder, and construction areas. The paint is also able to withstand extreme temperatures at either end of the scale and works on vertical surfaces, such as coarse grade, profiled thermo, and rumble strips. This paint has solved the problem of inferior paints. This new product guarantees binder-effectiveness of the adhesion coating-retroreflection in different weather conditions.

In the past, Siim Kallas, European Commissioner for Transport, has pushed for Intelligent Transport Systems properly implemented at EU level to help reduce traffic accidents and fatalities. It is technology such as those mentioned above that could potentially save hundreds of drivers across Europe.

Relevant articles:

Private Pods: Quiet alternative to the metro? | Sky cyclists | London to Beijing...by rail?

Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

Like this article? Get the RSS feed: