Fact Sheet 2 - Safer Roads - Design, construction, upgrades and maintenance of safe roads

It is essential that the provision of road systems throughout Queensland be based on international best practice for the design, construction, maintenance, signage and environmental safeguards which will apply during the life and usage of the roads and when alterations to improve road safety are necessary, ensure they are carried out promptly.

Safe roads minimise the chances of crashes happening and, if they do occur, they can help to minimise the severity of the crash. Protecting against human error and recognising that mistakes are an intrinsic part of human behaviour is understood in rail transport, aviation, and workplace safety, and road safety should be no different (RACQ 2008, p5).

The National Road Safety Strategy, agreed to by the Commonwealth and all State and Territory Governments, has shown that safer roads have the potential to save as many lives as safer vehicles and improved driver behaviour combined – 332 of the 700 lives projected to be saved every year (RACQ 2008, p5).

During 2008 there were 119 fatalities as a result of crashes involving road and roadside characteristics in Queensland, which represented 36.3% of the Queensland road toll (Data Analysis Unit 2009). There were 31 fatalities as a result of crashes involving other road factors, representing 9.5% of the Queensland road toll (Data Analysis Unit 2009).

Motorists recognise the road safety benefits of good roads. Poor surfaces, large potholes, road and roadside design, poor alignment and narrow lanes are recognised as contributing to making roads dangerous (Market and Communications Research December 2008). These are potentially hazardous when combined with human factors such as inappropriate speed, unfamiliarity or impairment.

Appropriate road width and alignment, good visibility, regular overtaking opportunities, clear and correct pavement markings and signs, as well as forgiving roadsides, all contribute to a safe traffic environment. Duplicated roads, particularly motorways and freeways, are our safest roads. For example, a modern freeway can be more than ten times safer per vehicle kilometre travelled than an undivided two-lane road (Australian Automobile Association 2003).

Run-off-road crashes are common and a forgiving roadside can reduce impact and injury severity by providing clear run-off areas (clear zones) or guard fencing to protect motorists from hazards such as trees. Roads with sealed shoulders can have a fatal crash rate 60-70% less than roads with unsealed shoulders (Australian Automobile Association 2003).

Trying to fix all substandard sections or locations is costly. But it is important for road authorities to be proactive and identify, document and rectify such hazards as early as possible to prevent crashes or reduce their severity. While it is perceived that most hazards exist on older roads, it is important to ensure that potential hazards on new or planned roads do not arise and it is essential that audits be followed by prompt remediation.

Where roadwork is being undertaken it is vital that sites are appropriately signed in accordance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices to communicate to motorists what is required of them. Good communication through effective use of roadwork signs helps to encourage compliance from motorists at work sites.

The RACQ supports and encourages the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads to educate motorists about the meanings of roadwork signs and their importance. The Club will continue to assist the Department in this area.

Queensland’s population is growing quickly and is progressively aging. By 2056 the population is expected to have almost doubled to approximately 8 million (Population Projections Working Group 2008, p3), and the majority of growth is expected in older age groups with a more than fourfold increase in people aged 65 or older by 2056 (Population Projections Working Group 2008, p2). Driving is likely to be the increasingly preferred mode of transport for older Queenslanders. This will place different demands on roads, particularly in relation to signs, pavement markings and delineation.

Within the limits of its resources, RACQ continues to investigate traffic hazards reported by members. In addition, the Club conducts a range of surveys to identify road user concerns and problem locations where the road is perceived to be in a poor or inadequate condition, unfit for the function it was designed to perform and not providing an acceptable level of service in terms of safety and efficiency. Lack of visibility, confusing signs/markings, poor road layout, slippery surfaces and roadside hazards are among the main sources of motorist complaint. Members’ views are valuable when discussing funding and high priority improvements with relevant authorities.

Together with other state motoring Clubs, RACQ intends to continue to highlight problems with Australia’s road network using the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP), a safety rating scheme for roads that complements the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

Priorities: Design, construction, upgrades and maintenance of safe roads

1. Monitor and report on the contribution of roads and roadside environments to the occurrence and severity of crashes in Queensland in a timely and consistent manner to assist in identifying problem locations or practices.
   
   
2. Fast-track the identification and rectification of substandard sections and locations on existing roads by applying appropriate treatments in accordance with engineering guidelines, e.g., improve vertical and horizontal alignment, increase overtaking opportunities, enhance signs and pavement markings.
   
   
3. Fast-track the identification and rectification of roadside hazards for run-off-road crashes by applying appropriate treatments in accordance with engineering guidelines, e.g., widen and seal shoulders, remove roadside hazards to provide ‘clear zones’, install frangible poles and safety barriers.
   
   
4. Ensure appropriate asset maintenance programs are in place to sustain safe operating conditions across the Queensland road network.
   
   
5. Conduct safety audits on all stages of major new projects and on at least one stage of smaller projects to eliminate hazards before they cause a problem.
   
   
6. Continue to evaluate treatments to hazardous locations so engineers can identify the best options for reducing crashes according to environment, e.g., where to install roundabouts, new traffic lights with turn arrows, medians, non-skid surfaces, edge lines, traffic islands, indented traffic lanes and sealed shoulders in capital cities and regional areas.
   
   
7. Ensure against the introduction of hazards into the road or roadside, e.g., not planting vegetation or installing structures that could potentially become a road hazard, obstruct visibility or increase the chance of colliding with such a hazard.
   
   
8. Separate opposing streams of traffic on high-volume roads or high-risk locations to protect drivers or riders from head-on collisions, e.g., duplicate carriageways and install safety barriers along centre lines of undivided roads.
   
   
9. Improve overtaking opportunities on major rural highways, e.g., provide overtaking lanes for every 10 minutes of travel and every three minutes in hilly terrain.
   
   
10. Redesign intersections for improved safety, e.g., replace "Y" intersections with "T" intersections.
    
    
11. Target known fatigue zones by installing road-based fatigue countermeasures, e.g., rumble strips, audible edge lines and a network of roadside stopping places including quality rest areas.
    
    
12. Realign or upgrade railway crossings identified as locations where casualty crashes have occurred between vehicles and trains.
    
    
13. Progressively provide a safer and more legible physical road environment for older road users, e.g., clearer signs with larger lettering, better street lighting, higher performance retro-reflective material in signs and pavement markings for night time visibility, wider lanes, longer merge and exit lanes.
    
    
14. Ensure roadwork sites, layouts and signs are set up correctly and in accordance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices to reduce risk exposure to workers and the travelling public, and to provide clear communication as to the conditions and what is required from road users.
    
    
15. Monitor and report on the number of kilometres of roads where longitudinal treatments (e.g., shoulder sealing, edge lines and barriers) and intersections are improved and changes in crash rates and injuries and report on changes as treatments are undertaken.
    
    
16. Improve awareness in government and community about the safety rating of roads in terms of road/traffic conditions and crash statistics (focussing on injuries as well as fatalities), e.g., AusRAP.
    
    
17. Ensure that legitimate needs of all road users are considered and catered for in the development and management of roads.
    
    
18. Increase safe integration of traffic flow and reduce road damage by:
    • installing bus stops in protected areas separate from traffic flow;
    • removing, where possible, heavy freight vehicles from local streets;
    • encouraging road users to travel along the most appropriate routes.
      
      
19. Better educate motorists and the general public about what aspects of roads make them less safe, e.g., contribute to crash severity, and how they can be improved.

References

Australian Automobile Association 2003, Inquiry into National Road Safety: How can we stop more deaths on our roads, Australian Automobile Association, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Australian Transport Council 2008, National Road Safety Action Plan 2009 and 2010, Australian Transport Council, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Data Analysis Unit 2009, Personal Correspondence to RACQ, 03/06/09, Queensland Transport, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

Market and Communications Research December 2008, RACQ Safety Policy.Survey: Quantitative Research Report, Market and Communications Research, Spring Hill, Queensland, Australia.

Population Projections Working Group 2008, Queensland Government population projections to 2056: Queensland and statistical divisions, 3rd edition 2008, Queensland Government, Web Document, Accessed 26/03/09: http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/queensland-by-theme/demography/population/regular-publications/qld-govt-pop-proj-2051-qld-sd/qld-govt-pop-proj-2051-qld-sd-2008.pdf

RACQ 2008, Safer Roads Save Lives: Star Ratings for Queensland Country Highways, RACQ, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Contact

For more information contact RACQ Traffic and Safety on 1300 853 658 or 07 3872 8925, or email traffic@racq.com.au.