Initiative details
The safety inspections conducted over time on incident-prone areas and the analyses carried out on accident cases through the SISS (Incident Information and Analysis System) present at the Road Safety Competence Center of Rome Capital have allowed for the identification of multiple concurrent elements that can lead to accidents, such as (indicative and non-exhaustive list):
Excessive speed relative to the road's horizontal and vertical characteristics and its context;
Driver distraction due to the use of electronic devices;
Failure to comply with road traffic rules and regulations;
Failure to comply with visibility triangle requirements or minimum safe stopping distances;
Failure to use pedestrian crossings;
Failure to obey traffic signals, either due to a lack of feedback from the signaling system (pedestrian call buttons) or excessively long signal times;
Pedestrian crossings in areas with limited visibility;
Overlap of conflicting functions in the same spaces;
Scooters or bicycles being ridden in pedestrian areas or on sidewalks;
Illegal parking at intersections, on pedestrian crossings, near waste containers, or double parking;
Excessive speed relative to the road's horizontal and vertical characteristics and its context;
Driver distraction due to the use of electronic devices;
Failure to comply with road traffic rules and regulations;
Failure to comply with visibility triangle requirements or minimum safe stopping distances;
Failure to use pedestrian crossings;
Failure to obey traffic signals, either due to a lack of feedback from the signaling system (pedestrian call buttons) or excessively long signal times;
Pedestrian crossings in areas with limited visibility;
Overlap of conflicting functions in the same spaces;
Scooters or bicycles being ridden in pedestrian areas or on sidewalks;
Illegal parking at intersections, on pedestrian crossings, near waste containers, or double parking;
Initiative date
to
Who was/is your target audience?
Policy makers
Public authorities
Children 0-16
Young adults 17-25
Adults
Parents
Fleet operators
Car drivers
Pedestrians
Topic
Improve vehicles and infrastructure
Knowledge building and sharing
Organisation details
Roma Capitale
Local Public authority
Italy
Roma/Roma/Lazio
Contact name
Roma Capitale
Telephone number
003906671070811
daria.giura@comune.roma.it
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
Roma Servizi per la Mobilità (RSM) is a crucial partner for Rome in implementing the "Pedestrian Black Spots" initiative and other road safety measures for several reasons:
1. Expertise and Competence
RSM possesses deep knowledge of urban mobility and traffic dynamics in Rome, essential for identifying and addressing critical pedestrian safety issues.
2. Advanced Data Analysis
With access to detailed traffic and accident data, RSM can conduct precise analyses to pinpoint high-risk areas and plan targeted interventions.
3. Technical and Operational Support
RSM provides crucial technical and operational expertise for implementing safety measures, such as installing smart traffic signals and optimizing pedestrian routes.
4. Integration with Mobility Plans
RSM’s initiatives align with Rome’s urban mobility plans, ensuring a cohesive approach to road safety that promotes sustainable mobility and reduces congestion.
5. Technological Innovation
RSM adopts advanced technologies to enhance traffic management and road safety, including real-time traffic monitoring systems and smart traffic lights.
In summary, partnering with RSM enables Rome to effectively and sustainably improve road safety and protect pedestrians.
1. Expertise and Competence
RSM possesses deep knowledge of urban mobility and traffic dynamics in Rome, essential for identifying and addressing critical pedestrian safety issues.
2. Advanced Data Analysis
With access to detailed traffic and accident data, RSM can conduct precise analyses to pinpoint high-risk areas and plan targeted interventions.
3. Technical and Operational Support
RSM provides crucial technical and operational expertise for implementing safety measures, such as installing smart traffic signals and optimizing pedestrian routes.
4. Integration with Mobility Plans
RSM’s initiatives align with Rome’s urban mobility plans, ensuring a cohesive approach to road safety that promotes sustainable mobility and reduces congestion.
5. Technological Innovation
RSM adopts advanced technologies to enhance traffic management and road safety, including real-time traffic monitoring systems and smart traffic lights.
In summary, partnering with RSM enables Rome to effectively and sustainably improve road safety and protect pedestrians.
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
Rome Municipality is implementing the first 30 measures under the current 2030 National Road Safety Plan, called "Pedestrian Black Spots", which focus on vulnerable road users, particularly pedestrians. Utilizing the statistical analysis from the Road Safety Competence Center, analyses were conducted to identify the distribution of accident-prone points across the territory using the spatial density of social cost and applying the filter of pedestrian involvement. This activity began in the early months of 2022 for planning interventions and will conclude in June 2025.
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
The "Pedestrian Black Spots" initiative in Rome significantly improved pedestrian safety by focusing on high-risk areas and vulnerable road users. Key strategies included statistical analysis and spatial density mapping to identify dangerous locations. A major aspect of the initiative was the modification of intersections and pedestrian crossings to counteract illegal parking, which often obstructs visibility and creates hazards for pedestrians.
The initiative included redesigning intersections to improve sight lines and adding measures to prevent vehicles from blocking pedestrian pathways. Enhanced pedestrian crossings, with features such as raised crosswalks and extended curbs, helped reduce illegal parking and ensured safer pedestrian movement. Early planning and phased implementation, beginning in 2022, allowed for thorough preparation and effective deployment of pilot programs to test and refine these interventions.
Engaging local communities and stakeholders in the planning and implementation phases ensured that safety measures addressed specific needs, such as combating illegal parking. Collaboration with experts and the use of smart technologies like traffic sensors further improved the effectiveness of the measures.
Despite challenges like ensuring data accuracy, dealing with infrastructure limitations, and overcoming public resistance, proactive planning and stakeholder engagement played crucial roles. The initiative highlighted the importance of targeted intersection modifications and enhanced pedestrian crossings in improving urban pedestrian safety and reducing accidents.
The initiative included redesigning intersections to improve sight lines and adding measures to prevent vehicles from blocking pedestrian pathways. Enhanced pedestrian crossings, with features such as raised crosswalks and extended curbs, helped reduce illegal parking and ensured safer pedestrian movement. Early planning and phased implementation, beginning in 2022, allowed for thorough preparation and effective deployment of pilot programs to test and refine these interventions.
Engaging local communities and stakeholders in the planning and implementation phases ensured that safety measures addressed specific needs, such as combating illegal parking. Collaboration with experts and the use of smart technologies like traffic sensors further improved the effectiveness of the measures.
Despite challenges like ensuring data accuracy, dealing with infrastructure limitations, and overcoming public resistance, proactive planning and stakeholder engagement played crucial roles. The initiative highlighted the importance of targeted intersection modifications and enhanced pedestrian crossings in improving urban pedestrian safety and reducing accidents.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
The monitoring is carried out through statistical analysis of accident rates over 1, 2, and 5 years. Over time, experiments have been conducted related to a set of intervention types, categorized as follows:
Type A: Improved definition of trajectories; possible calibration of intersection areas (mostly through signage and minimal physical works).
Type B: Speed control and reduction: new horizontal/vertical/luminous signage.
Type C: Light reorganization of intersection infrastructure (reprofiling of curbs and median barriers; remodeling and securing of spaces and paths/crosswalks, optimization of parking spaces and visibility).
Type D: Optimization of maneuvers and traffic light regulation.
Type E: Revision/modification of traffic rules.
Type F: Complete heavy infrastructure reconfiguration of intersections (underpasses/roundabouts/ramps).
Type G: Specific use of technological solutions (for red light violation control, adherence to speed limits, etc.).
Each type has been assigned an expected effectiveness indicator based on monitoring of previously executed interventions.
Type A: Improved definition of trajectories; possible calibration of intersection areas (mostly through signage and minimal physical works).
Type B: Speed control and reduction: new horizontal/vertical/luminous signage.
Type C: Light reorganization of intersection infrastructure (reprofiling of curbs and median barriers; remodeling and securing of spaces and paths/crosswalks, optimization of parking spaces and visibility).
Type D: Optimization of maneuvers and traffic light regulation.
Type E: Revision/modification of traffic rules.
Type F: Complete heavy infrastructure reconfiguration of intersections (underpasses/roundabouts/ramps).
Type G: Specific use of technological solutions (for red light violation control, adherence to speed limits, etc.).
Each type has been assigned an expected effectiveness indicator based on monitoring of previously executed interventions.
What has been the effect of the activities?
Based on the total accident data from the Rome Capital Road Safety Competence Center, we chose to use 2019 as a reference year, despite having data available for 2020. This decision was motivated by the fact that 2020 data reflects both lockdown periods and subsequent phases, during which peak values and hourly traffic flow distributions on the road network were altered due to varying mobility dynamics.
In 2019, the following overall accident values were recorded (values in parentheses refer to comparisons with 2011):
• 29,314 Road accidents
• 102 Fatalities
• 14,014 Injuries
• Mortality rate at 3.63
• Injury rate at 499.02
Pedestrian Incidents: Referring specifically to pedestrian-involved incidents in 2019, based on data collected by the Competence Center, the following were recorded (values in parentheses refer to comparisons with 2011):
• 1,931 Pedestrian incidents
• 41 Pedestrian fatalities
• 1,392 Pedestrians injured
• Pedestrian mortality rate at 1.46
• Pedestrian injury rate at 76.14
We expect to impact this statistical data considering that simulations indicate these actions reduce accident rates with varying effectiveness, in some cases reaching up to 100%.
In 2019, the following overall accident values were recorded (values in parentheses refer to comparisons with 2011):
• 29,314 Road accidents
• 102 Fatalities
• 14,014 Injuries
• Mortality rate at 3.63
• Injury rate at 499.02
Pedestrian Incidents: Referring specifically to pedestrian-involved incidents in 2019, based on data collected by the Competence Center, the following were recorded (values in parentheses refer to comparisons with 2011):
• 1,931 Pedestrian incidents
• 41 Pedestrian fatalities
• 1,392 Pedestrians injured
• Pedestrian mortality rate at 1.46
• Pedestrian injury rate at 76.14
We expect to impact this statistical data considering that simulations indicate these actions reduce accident rates with varying effectiveness, in some cases reaching up to 100%.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
We expect to impact this statistical data considering that simulations indicate these actions reduce accident rates with varying effectiveness, in some cases reaching up to 100%.
Our "Pedestrian Black Spots" initiative is a good example of improving road safety because it uses a data-driven approach to identify high-risk areas and focuses on the needs of vulnerable road users like pedestrians. By redesigning intersections and enhancing pedestrian crossings, we effectively reduce accidents and combat illegal parking, which obstructs visibility and endangers pedestrians.
Lessons for Others:
Data-Driven Approach: Use accident data to identify high-risk areas and target interventions effectively.
Focus on Vulnerable Users: Prioritize pedestrian safety to improve overall road safety and promote walkability.
Community Engagement: Involve local communities to ensure that safety measures address specific needs and gain public support.
Pilot Programs: Start with small-scale trials to test and refine interventions before expanding.
Technology Integration: Use smart technologies for better monitoring and responsive safety measures.
Implementation Ease:
Other organizations can replicate this initiative by collecting relevant data, engaging stakeholders, starting with pilot projects, leveraging technology, and securing funding. The approach is scalable and adaptable to various urban contexts, making it a practical model for improving road safety.
Our "Pedestrian Black Spots" initiative is a good example of improving road safety because it uses a data-driven approach to identify high-risk areas and focuses on the needs of vulnerable road users like pedestrians. By redesigning intersections and enhancing pedestrian crossings, we effectively reduce accidents and combat illegal parking, which obstructs visibility and endangers pedestrians.
Lessons for Others:
Data-Driven Approach: Use accident data to identify high-risk areas and target interventions effectively.
Focus on Vulnerable Users: Prioritize pedestrian safety to improve overall road safety and promote walkability.
Community Engagement: Involve local communities to ensure that safety measures address specific needs and gain public support.
Pilot Programs: Start with small-scale trials to test and refine interventions before expanding.
Technology Integration: Use smart technologies for better monitoring and responsive safety measures.
Implementation Ease:
Other organizations can replicate this initiative by collecting relevant data, engaging stakeholders, starting with pilot projects, leveraging technology, and securing funding. The approach is scalable and adaptable to various urban contexts, making it a practical model for improving road safety.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
Our "Pedestrian Black Spots" initiative has so far been shared primarily at the local level. Information about the project and its results has been disseminated through institutional websites and local newspapers.
Institutional Websites: Detailed reports and updates about the initiative have been published on the municipal and relevant departmental websites, providing accessible information for local residents and stakeholders.
Local Newspapers: We have collaborated with local newspapers to publish articles and features that discuss the project's goals, implementation strategies, and outcomes, ensuring that the community is informed and engaged.
As a result, the initiative is well known locally, with widespread awareness and support from the community. However, broader dissemination at regional, national, or international levels has not yet been pursued.
Institutional Websites: Detailed reports and updates about the initiative have been published on the municipal and relevant departmental websites, providing accessible information for local residents and stakeholders.
Local Newspapers: We have collaborated with local newspapers to publish articles and features that discuss the project's goals, implementation strategies, and outcomes, ensuring that the community is informed and engaged.
As a result, the initiative is well known locally, with widespread awareness and support from the community. However, broader dissemination at regional, national, or international levels has not yet been pursued.
