Cyclists

Local authorities play a crucial role in road safety, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. In Sweden, serious injuries among cyclists have not decreased at the same rate as injuries among car occupants, while pedestrians’ falls account for a large share of severe injuries in the road transport system. Municipal action is therefore essential for achieving Vision Zero and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Despite this responsibility, many municipalities lack a systematic approach to road safety. National follow-up has shown that only a small proportion of municipalities demonstrate a high level of systematic work for safe walking and cycling. Municipalities often focus on infrastructure planning but struggle to integrate road safety into procurement, maintenance, workplace travel, construction projects and communication activities.

Another challenge is that road safety is frequently treated as a standalone issue rather than being integrated into broader sustainability, public health and urban development agendas. Municipalities have requested practical support on how to translate Vision Zero, the Stockholm Declaration and Agenda 2030 into everyday decision-making.

Trafiksäkerhetslyftet (Systematic Traffic Safety Implementation by Local Authorities) was developed to address these challenges by providing a practical framework for systematic, organisation-wide road safety management at the local level.

To warn road users of a danger on a road section, for instance following an accident, and to divert the traffic in a safe direction, traditionally wind-powered torches made of wax material are used. This solution implies some relevant road safety problems. First, exposure and risks for operators, on one side of being hit by vehicles while torches are placed on the road surface and turned on, on the other side of being wounded by open flames. Furthermore, damage of the asphalt on which torches are placed during use, compromising its useful time, and lack of practicality since they are made of fibrous materials and wax and can’t be extinguished even if no longer needed.
Every year road workers and emergency operators are injured or killed while deploying temporary warning devices in live traffic environments. Flash-Led was conceived to eliminate this exposure by enabling remote deployment of warning systems and significantly improving operator safety.
The present invention relates to a road signalling system aimed to substitute the traditional use of wind-powered torches, allowing an effective signalling of danger and/or obstruction and/or traffic channelling, ensuring the complete operators safety, avoiding infrastructure damages and, furthermore, informing road users through road navigation platforms. The solution includes n. 4 electric movable elements signalling with high visibility LEDs, remotely controlled by an operator from a plurality of possible schemes and arranged in an easily transportable container, which can reports the danger to users through platforms like Google/Waze etc.

The main road safety challenge we address is the lack of clear, objective insight into real-life traffic behaviour around primary schools. These locations concentrate large numbers of vulnerable and inexperienced road users—particularly children—who face increased risks in complex traffic environments. During school peak hours, traffic volumes intensify within a short time frame. Parents arriving by car, combined with cyclists and pedestrians, create congested and often chaotic situations. This leads to unsafe conditions such as unclear routing, risky crossing behaviour, informal parking, and frequent near-misses. A key issue is that traditional traffic data methods—such as counts, surveys or incidental observations—fail to capture the dynamic interactions between different road users. As a result, many risks remain invisible or are only addressed after incidents occur.
In addition, there is often a mismatch between infrastructure, behaviour and organisation. Measures are frequently implemented in isolation, limiting their effectiveness.
We address these challenges by making risks visible before accidents occur, focusing on school environments where improving everyday safety for children has the greatest societal impact.

Hasselt University in Diepenbeek, Belgium, is home to one of the top transport engineering graduate programmes, the Transportation Research Institute (IMOB), and as such, attracts top talent from around the world. Around 80% of international students (713 students at the time) come from outside the European Union; meanwhile, the urban environment around Hasselt’s campus is a complex cycling network reflecting the mature cycling culture in Belgium, wherein the majority of Hasselt students commute by bicycle.

For the 713 students coming from outside the EU, largely from Africa and Asia, this can feel like a culture shock, leading to unsafe road behaviour or avoidance of cycling altogether, despite it typically being the most inexpensive and reliable commuting mode for students. A needs assessment survey to 53 international students found outsized fears around cycling and walking to campus, and pinpointed 14 critically unsafe cycling intersections.

This assessment revealed a need for dedicated orientation sessions for international students on cycling, targeted course materials on the local cycling and pedestrian culture, an awareness campaign, and targeted recommendations for top unsafe intersections around campus. These activities would not only keep students safe, but also support their inclusion and integration into Hasselt’s vibrant student culture.

Urban environments present significant safety challenges for commercial vehicle operators, particularly when vulnerable road users (VRUs) such as pedestrians and cyclists interact with large vehicles. While existing regulations and safety systems have improved protection, important gaps remain.

Most current side-detection systems are designed primarily to detect cyclists travelling at speed and focus on straight-line scenarios. However, many serious incidents occur when vehicles move off or turn, particularly involving slow-moving pedestrians, older people, children, and other vulnerable road users. Existing systems can also generate excessive false alarms, causing drivers to become desensitised to warnings and reducing their effectiveness.

Radar Predict Plus was developed to address these challenges. By combining radar technology with AI-powered camera analytics, the system accurately identifies vulnerable road users while filtering out irrelevant objects and minimising unnecessary alerts. It provides targeted warnings only when a genuine risk exists, helping drivers stay focused and respond effectively.

The initiative addresses a critical safety gap by improving protection in real-world operating conditions, particularly at low speeds and during manoeuvres where vulnerable road users are most at risk.

In 2020, we undertook a comprehensive review of our vehicle safety strategy. At that time, our primary focus was on accident management, driver safety, and identifying ways to reduce both the risks our employees faced while driving and the potential risks our vehicles posed to other road users. By "posed," we refer to the fact that our fleet consisted of relatively basic vehicles, with few advanced safety features included as standard.

The initiative presented several challenges. Cost was a significant consideration, as we needed to build a strong business case to justify the additional investment required for enhanced vehicle safety features. We also needed to engage with a workforce that had strong trade union representation, making consultation and communication an essential part of the implementation process.

The programme began with the delivery of our first upgraded vehicles in 2020. At a time when advanced safety technologies attracted a substantial premium, we made a deliberate decision to invest heavily in improving the safety of our fleet. Looking back, that investment has proven to be highly successful. The results have clearly demonstrated the value of prioritising vehicle safety, with a significant positive impact on both driver protection and overall risk reduction.

Operating a national fleet of over 850 vehicles supporting more than 2,000 employees presents a unique range of road safety challenges. Employees travel daily to high-risk environments including railway level crossings, bridges, trackside locations and busy public roads, often transporting specialised equipment and working under time-critical conditions. Protecting employees and other road users while maintaining operational effectiveness remains a key priority.

Before the introduction of GSR, we had already made significant investments in vehicle safety. This included implementing telematics systems, forward- and rear-facing dash cams, and, most importantly, passive safety features across our fleet. These measures helped improve driver behaviour monitoring, incident reporting, and occupant protection. The main challenge was the cost and logistics of upgrading vehicles and ensuring consistent implementation across the fleet. However, by taking a proactive approach to safety rather than waiting for regulatory requirements, we were able to enhance driver and passenger protection, reduce risk, and establish a strong safety culture within the organisation.

One of the principal challenges has been reducing occupational road risk by ensuring that both the driver and vehicle are fit for purpose. Experience gained through managing large commercial fleets has shown that vehicle safety alone is not enough; driver behaviour, competency, fatigue awareness and vehicle utilisation all play a critical role in reducing incidents. Historically, many organisations have relied on reactive measures following collisions. Our approach has been to move towards proactive risk management.

Additional challenges included integrating specialist railway maintenance equipment safely within vehicles, adapting to emerging technologies, and preparing for the transition to electric vehicles without compromising safety standards. The increasing complexity of modern vehicle technology also required continuous education and engagement with drivers to ensure advanced safety systems were fully understood and effectively utilised.

The Tarandė Street reconstruction project was developed to address several significant road safety challenges in a rapidly growing residential area of Vilnius. Increasing traffic volumes, combined with insufficient infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, created safety risks for vulnerable road users and reduced the attractiveness of active mobility options.
Prior to the project, pedestrian and cycling connections were fragmented, and road users frequently shared space with motor vehicles. The lack of continuous and dedicated infrastructure increased the risk of conflicts between different road users, particularly children, older adults, and people travelling on foot or by bicycle. In addition, traffic speeds and limited visibility in certain areas contributed to an increased risk of road incidents.
The project aimed to improve safety for all road users while prioritising the needs of vulnerable groups. Key objectives included reducing the likelihood and severity of traffic collisions, improving the quality and continuity of pedestrian and cycling routes, enhancing visibility at crossings and intersections, and creating a safer and more accessible public space.
Through the development of new pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, safer street design solutions, and improved connectivity with residential areas and public transport, the project promotes safer travel, encourages sustainable mobility choices, and supports the creation of a more people-centred urban environment. The project contributes to Vilnius City's long-term vision of achieving safer, more inclusive, and more sustainable streets for all.