Initiative details
Problematic Speed for road safety.
Specifically: Excessive speed, that is to say driving at a speed higher than the maximum permitted speed as well as Inappropriate speed, which is defined as driving at excessively high speeds given the traffic situation, infrastructure, weather conditions and/or other special circumstances. Speed is one of the most important causes of road accidents: 10-15% of all road traffic collisions and 30% of fatal injury collisions are the direct result of excessive or inappropriate speed.
An increase in speed by 10 km/h leads to a risk of a fatality of 220% of the initial event, i.e. the risk has more than doubled.
The implementation of infrastructure projects and the identification and rehabilitation of dangerous points on the road network is one of the strategic axes of the RSI.
In a E-77 road axis part, in particular in an area of 4 km of the Chalkida-Psahna road, there has been a high rate of fatal road traffic collisions over the last 20 years due to problematic speed.
The aim of this project was the design of interventions related to infrastructure in order to improve road safety by enabling drivers to control their behaviour.
Specifically: Excessive speed, that is to say driving at a speed higher than the maximum permitted speed as well as Inappropriate speed, which is defined as driving at excessively high speeds given the traffic situation, infrastructure, weather conditions and/or other special circumstances. Speed is one of the most important causes of road accidents: 10-15% of all road traffic collisions and 30% of fatal injury collisions are the direct result of excessive or inappropriate speed.
An increase in speed by 10 km/h leads to a risk of a fatality of 220% of the initial event, i.e. the risk has more than doubled.
The implementation of infrastructure projects and the identification and rehabilitation of dangerous points on the road network is one of the strategic axes of the RSI.
In a E-77 road axis part, in particular in an area of 4 km of the Chalkida-Psahna road, there has been a high rate of fatal road traffic collisions over the last 20 years due to problematic speed.
The aim of this project was the design of interventions related to infrastructure in order to improve road safety by enabling drivers to control their behaviour.
Initiative date
to
Who was/is your target audience?
Policy makers
Public authorities
Young adults 17-25
Adults
Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Van drivers
Lorry/truck drivers
Powered two wheeler riders (excluding micromobility)
Topic
Create awareness
Improve vehicles and infrastructure
Provide alternative solutions
Organisation details
Hellenic Research and Educational Institute for Road Safety, Prevention and Reduction of traffic accidents "Panos Mylonas"
Association
Greece
Athens, Attiki
Contact name
Vasiliki Danelli-Mylona
Telephone number
(+30) 210 86 201 50
info@ioas.gr
Website
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
This project was implemented with the support and funding of R.S.I. "Panos Mylonas" and the Safer Roads Foundation (SRF).
Our partners in this project were the following:
SIMA A.E: Material/ Equipment provision and installation,
Regional Public authorities and municipal road Police: Authorization, Permits project facilitation
Our partners in this project were the following:
SIMA A.E: Material/ Equipment provision and installation,
Regional Public authorities and municipal road Police: Authorization, Permits project facilitation
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
Installation of signage equipment including 18 signs as well as 4 radar signs (VMS) actively measuring the speed of vehicles. All materials, installations and equipment were granted to the Region of Sterea Ellada, Municipality of Chalkideon and Municipality of Dirfya Messapia according to the road parts of their authority, which have full possession, responsibility for their proper operation and maintenance.
The VMS electronic signs were installed on the EO 77 - PEO 77 Chalkida - Psakhnon on both traffic streams, as a radar system to indicate the speed to passing drivers.
These electronic signs contain radar, are solar powered and display the speed of the passing vehicle in order to alert the driver of its speed. By displaying changing messages, depending on the speed, they warn the driver thus enable him to exert a self-monitoring function. In addition, the electronic signs record and store traffic data for statistical processing by the competent authority or research centre (with software provided).
The VMS electronic signs record statistical data for both directions and can operate in hide mode, i.e. only for recording statistics. This function enables comparisons to be made between data collected in normal mode and those obtained in concealment mode as well as conclusions to be drawn from statistical analyses.
Data were collected since the installation of the electronic signs. However due to the pilot - initial operation and configuration of the electronic plates, the recording of the measurements could not be completed for the initial months of function.
For the remaining period of operation the data were presented in two periods: From May 2022 until July 2022, and from August 2022 until January 2023.
Speed indication through electronic signs was used as a means of controlling behaviour through learning mechanisms.
Driving at an inappropriate speed was defined as a target behaviour whereas exerting control and driving at appropriate speed as a desirable behaviour. In terms of learning mechanisms the introduction of a hazard warning stimulus was the intervention (dependent) condition, the purpose of which was the reduction of the target behaviour and the emergence of the desirable behaviour.
Statistical data which have been recorded, processed by the VMS software and presented in the form of graphs and pies are: average speed, maximum vehicle speed, hours in which maximum speed is observed, speed distribution and percentiles 85% (speed observed by 85% of the passing vehicles).
The VMS electronic signs were installed on the EO 77 - PEO 77 Chalkida - Psakhnon on both traffic streams, as a radar system to indicate the speed to passing drivers.
These electronic signs contain radar, are solar powered and display the speed of the passing vehicle in order to alert the driver of its speed. By displaying changing messages, depending on the speed, they warn the driver thus enable him to exert a self-monitoring function. In addition, the electronic signs record and store traffic data for statistical processing by the competent authority or research centre (with software provided).
The VMS electronic signs record statistical data for both directions and can operate in hide mode, i.e. only for recording statistics. This function enables comparisons to be made between data collected in normal mode and those obtained in concealment mode as well as conclusions to be drawn from statistical analyses.
Data were collected since the installation of the electronic signs. However due to the pilot - initial operation and configuration of the electronic plates, the recording of the measurements could not be completed for the initial months of function.
For the remaining period of operation the data were presented in two periods: From May 2022 until July 2022, and from August 2022 until January 2023.
Speed indication through electronic signs was used as a means of controlling behaviour through learning mechanisms.
Driving at an inappropriate speed was defined as a target behaviour whereas exerting control and driving at appropriate speed as a desirable behaviour. In terms of learning mechanisms the introduction of a hazard warning stimulus was the intervention (dependent) condition, the purpose of which was the reduction of the target behaviour and the emergence of the desirable behaviour.
Statistical data which have been recorded, processed by the VMS software and presented in the form of graphs and pies are: average speed, maximum vehicle speed, hours in which maximum speed is observed, speed distribution and percentiles 85% (speed observed by 85% of the passing vehicles).
Evaluation
What has been the effect of the activities?
The comparison of data collected from direction [1], where drivers were able to see their speed and get warned by the signs and direction [2] where drivers did not see their speed, offered the opportunity of drawing conclusions.
The average speed in the direction [2] where drivers did not see their speed is higher than direction [1] where drivers could see their speed and exert control.
Maximum speed was observed to a greater extent in direction [2] while most often occurred in the evening hours, which may link increased speed to lack of policing.
As far as speed distribution is concerned, in direction [2], there was a higher incidence of vehicles breaking the legal speed limit
Thus the following conclusion can be made:
The degree to which a driver perceives that his/her driving behaviour is being controlled has a significant effect on his/her final response.
The average speed in the direction [2] where drivers did not see their speed is higher than direction [1] where drivers could see their speed and exert control.
Maximum speed was observed to a greater extent in direction [2] while most often occurred in the evening hours, which may link increased speed to lack of policing.
As far as speed distribution is concerned, in direction [2], there was a higher incidence of vehicles breaking the legal speed limit
Thus the following conclusion can be made:
The degree to which a driver perceives that his/her driving behaviour is being controlled has a significant effect on his/her final response.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
Using methods of controlling road behaviour such as electronic signs at critical points on the road proves to be particularly useful.
This is measurably illustrated by the fact that in the intervention condition – that is to say in direction [1] where drivers were informed about their speed and had the opportunity to control their behaviour - drivers were able to display the desirable behaviour to a greater extent than in the condition [2].
This is measurably illustrated by the fact that in the intervention condition – that is to say in direction [1] where drivers were informed about their speed and had the opportunity to control their behaviour - drivers were able to display the desirable behaviour to a greater extent than in the condition [2].
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
Data were available to public authorities and policy makers in order to utilize the information and further develop strategies for Road Safety.
On 22 June 2022, during an event organized at the Ministry of Citizen Protection, where the headquarters of the Hellenic Police is housed, a briefing on the pilot speed management program by RSI was held.
What is more, data obtained in the context of this project are going to be presented in conferences so as to disseminate the information with partners and other road safety community members and share good practices with them.
On 22 June 2022, during an event organized at the Ministry of Citizen Protection, where the headquarters of the Hellenic Police is housed, a briefing on the pilot speed management program by RSI was held.
What is more, data obtained in the context of this project are going to be presented in conferences so as to disseminate the information with partners and other road safety community members and share good practices with them.