Good practices

Ciudad de Mollet del Vallès, 52.100 habitantes. Sita en la corona metropolitana de la ciudad de Barcelona. Pionera de las primeras ciudades de España en ser Ciudad 30. 18 años sin ninguna víctima mortal por accidente en núcleo urbano.
- La seguridad de la movilidad de los usuarios más vulnerables
- Reducir los accidentes de tráfico, patinetes, bicicletas y peatones
- Concienciar y educar a la ciudadanía en el uso de estos vehículos
- Ciudad30, dar espacio a estos vehículos de movilidad personal i desplazar a grandes vehículos del centro de las ciudades.
- Impulsar y promover el uso de vehículos más sostenibles

Die Zahl der getöteten Pkw-Insassen lag 2023 um 26 % niedriger im Vergleich zu 2013. Bei Fußgängerinnen und Fußgängern, fiel der Rückgang mit 18 % deutlich geringer aus. Dagegen ist die Zahl der getöteten Fahrradfahrenden im Jahr 2023 im Vergleich zu 2013 um 27 % gestiegen (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2024).
In Deutschland finden grundlegende Schulungen des sicheren Verkehrsverhaltens hauptsächlich während der Jugendverkehrsschule (9-10 Jahre) und der Fahrschulausbildung (ab 17 Jahre) statt. Dabei adressieren wenige Programme die Altersgruppe von 13 bis 16 Jahren, so dass eine Lücke in der kontinuierlichen Verkehrserziehung von Jugendlichen entsteht. Dem gegenüber ändert sich gerade in diesem Lebensabschnitt das Mobilitätsverhalten der Jugendlichen stark und sie bewegen sich nicht nur zunehmend selbstständiger, sondern haben auch einen größeren Aktionsradius. Neben der Nutzung des ÖPNV und Wegen zu Fuß nehmen insbesondere Wege mit dem Fahrrad zu. In der Folge steigt gerade in dieser Altersgruppe das Risiko, im Verkehr zu verunglücken. Daher herrscht besonderer Bedarf, das Bewusstsein über Verkehrsunfälle und ihre Ursachen bei Jugendlichen in diesem Alter zu stärken.
Das Projekt Fraunhofer IVI Accident Prevention School (FAPS) hat zum Ziel, die Fähigkeiten und das Wissen von vulnerablen Verkehrsteilnehmenden durch innovative Anwendung von Virtual Reality in der Verkehrserziehung zu verbessern. Die Einnahme verschiedener Perspektiven steht hierbei im Vordergrund.

In Valladolid, one of the main road safety challenges we identified was the safety of children on school routes, especially at intersections with high vehicle flow and limited visibility. Traditional pedestrian crossings, marked only by paint, often fail to capture drivers’ attention — particularly during early morning or late afternoon hours when light conditions are poor, and traffic is dense.

Children, due to their smaller size and unpredictable behavior, are among the most vulnerable road users. Despite the presence of static signage, many drivers fail to reduce speed near school zones, and pedestrians, especially children, faced heightened risks when crossing.

We addressed this issue by implementing the Retrolight System®, an innovative smart crosswalk solution with embedded LED panels and intelligent vertical signage, in one of Valladolid’s key school routes. The system uses real-time sensors to detect pedestrians’ intention to cross and activates dynamic lighting both on the ground and in vertical signs, immediately alerting approaching drivers. By combining active visual cues with automated detection, the system significantly improves pedestrian visibility, raises driver awareness, and ultimately reduces crossing-related risks. This project serves as a replicable model for enhancing safety on school routes across urban environments.

Roadscor tackles critical road safety challenges by shifting from reactive to proactive design evaluation, especially for vulnerable road users (VRUs) at urban intersections. Traditional safety assessments rely heavily on historical crash data or near-miss observations, which are often incomplete or outdated. This limits the ability to anticipate and prevent future incidents. Roadscor introduces a groundbreaking methodology that uses advanced traffic simulation and automotive-grade scenario analysis (aligned with ISO 21448 – Safety of the Intended Functionality) to identify both known and unknown high-risk traffic conflicts - before they occur.

By simulating all physically possible interactions between road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, Roadscor enables traffic engineers to quantify safety risks and evaluate the impact of design changes or behavioral measures prior to implementation. This data-driven approach supports more effective, evidence-based decision-making and helps prioritize interventions where they will have the greatest impact. Ultimately, Roadscor empowers cities and road authorities to design safer, more inclusive infrastructure, accelerating progress toward Vision Zero goals.

Program design to solve several road safety challenges for higher school students:

1. Expand Knowledge About Safe Road Traffic Practices
Many students lack formal education on road safety beyond basic traffic rules.
• Providing comprehensive road safety theory, including updated traffic laws, defensive driving techniques, and situational awareness.
• Teaching risk assessment skills, such as identifying potential hazards and understanding the impact of speed, fatigue, and distraction.
• Simulations and case studies that help students understand real-world consequences of unsafe driving behaviors.
2. To develop knowledge about the safety and use of micromobility vehicles.
Promote the correct use of bicycles, e-scooters and other micromobility vehicles as an alternative to promote green mobility culture.
• Offering specific modules on micromobility, covering legal regulations, safe riding practices, and correct equipment use (e.g., helmets, lights).
• Demonstrating shared space etiquette, including how to safely interact with pedestrians, cars, and other micromobility users.
• Promoting vehicle maintenance awareness, like checking brakes, battery levels, and tire conditions.
3. Road safety awareness, road culture and sense of responsibility.
Road safety is not only about knowledge and traffic roles, but also about attitudes and behaviors.
• Workshops on respectful and ethical driving, emphasizing patience, empathy, and mutual respect among all road users.
• Addressing aggressive driving behaviors, such as road rage, tailgating, and inappropriate honking.
• Fostering civic responsibility, encouraging students to act as positive role models and promote safe practices in their communities.