STOP COUNTERFLOW!

Initiative details

After experiencing accidents due to vehicles entering highways in the opposite direction, we decided to bring a new innovative and modern system to stop this dangerous situation from happening ever again.

Initiative date

to

Who was/is your target audience?

Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Van drivers
Lorry/truck drivers
Cyclists

Topic

Improve vehicles and infrastructure

Organisation details

GRANVIA
Association
Slovakia
BANSKA BYSTRICA

Contact name

MIA BAJAKOVA

Telephone number

00421918751645

Website

Project activities

If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.

We work with the public authority, Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak republic.

Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.

We installed a counterflow detector in Banská Bystrica, the previous entrance in the opposite direction.
The system is based on a camera with pattern recognition software. If the software detects that the vehicle is in the opposite direction, it automatically illuminates a strong light and warns the driver. During the test period, the system was able to prevent up to 80% of counter-entry.
Thanks to successful tests, it will be extended to the Kostiviarska and Rudlová intersections during the years 2022-2023.
Important is that we created a safe turn around space for those who need to go back.

The system automatically records a video of each incident.

Evaluation

What has been the effect of the activities?

In 2020, we experienced a tragic car accident in the opposite direction.
In 2022, there were a record 23 vehicles that reached the R1 PR1BINA expressway in the opposite direction. In 2022 , we do not record any traffic accident caused by drivers in the opposite direction on the section we monitored, which does not mean, however, that these drivers do not endanger others on the road.

Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.

It stops the drivers from entering in the opposite direction.
We also run an extensive awareness campaign to inform drivers about the importance of paying attention to the road signs. Part of the campaign is educating them on how to behave safely if they do appear in the wrong direction.

How have you shared information about your project and its results?

yes, we communicated the results via media and social media platforms. The idea had a nation-wide coverage and we believe other road operators will be inspired by it.

Supporting materials

Vehicle in the wrong direction.
Flashing lights to alert the drivers they are in the wrong direction.
Vehicle turning to a safe island to make a u-turn back to the right direction.
Flashing lights to alert the drivers they are in the wrong direction.