Pedestrians

The campaign addresses potentially dangerous situations in road traffic that often arise due to distractions or speeding. In particular, lack of concentration, for example, due to handling a mobile phone while being on the move, poses a great risk. Increased consideration and mindfulness not only contribute to the safety of everyone but also ensure that all road users, including the slower and weaker ones, can feel comfortable in traffic.

In-depth accidents analysis is a unique research activity conducted by Transport Research Centre (CDV). Data from In-depth Accident Analysis provide a comprehensive view of all the factors related to a particular accident and serve to identify the characteristics leading to the crash occurrence and how they affect its consequences.
In – depth Road Accident Analysis includes following research areas:
-transport infrastructure,
-vehicle design and construction,
-human factor and psychology
-medical research.
Our activities are realized in long-term horizon and all the research is subjected to strict conditions, including personal data protection.

We conduct traffic accident research within the National Centre of Czech In-Depth Accidents Analysis (CzIDAS). One of its aims is cooperation with entities that could further use the results of research, for example road owners or administrators, vehicle designers and also researchers etc.
The CzIDAS data is used for various purposes and helps to face current road safety challenges:
- Due to its comprehensiveness, Czech in-depth crash analysis is one of the most effective tools for targeted and comprehensive decision-making on measures related to road safety and the establishment of the National Road Safety Strategy and other government documents related to road safety.
 CzIDAS is a source of unique information for targeting preventive information campaigns. The use of in-depth data allows us to influence road users using real crash scenarios with their consequences and highlights specific risky behavior.
 the database creates also a unique framework for a number of educational activities, e.g. Education on children's traffic behavior in the form of LARP, methodology for teachers of traffic education, Seniors in road traffic, e-TESTs and teaching and training methodology for the initial education of examiners and for subsequent periodic education of examiners,
 The activity contributes to the creation of safe road infrastructure (infrastructure adjustments based on the measures as a result of in-depth crash analysis).
 The project serves and has the potential to serve as a unique source of data and knowledge for further research in this area, including autonomous control systems. Data was used eg. for the development of a specific technical element of passive safety to protect the cervical spine, the development of an element of active vehicle safety to mitigate the effect of primary contact between pedestrian and vehicle, etc.).
 The data also serves fo validation of models used for accident analysis or creation of knowledge-based database for forensic experts,.
 Traffic crashes, however, result not only in physical but also the psychical health damage and serious social consequences. Every road traffic accident has the potential to be a traumatic event and may result in significant disruption to the psychological integrity of the people involved. The impact of a road traffic accident can adversely affect the quality of mental and physical health and subsequently interfere with many areas of one's social life. The contribution of the project could be seen also in psychological assistance to the traffic accident victims at the scene of the traffic accident.

The Vision Hero initiative highlights an area where VM are compliant using Para 5.21 (5.21.2) of the European R48 Lighting Regulations in such cases where the rear lights are blocked by more than 50% by moving components (i.e. Rear Doors). Placing a notice AND communication in the vehicle (owners handbook) therefore gives the VM full compliance. However, the liability then reverts to the owners / operators to notify other road users of the presence of the vehicle. The initiative using Para 5.21 but 5.21.1 of the said mentioned regulation to result in the vehicle being seen with the rear door/s open - therefore the owners / operators have no requirement to notify other road users of the presence of the vehicle because the vehicle can be seen under these conditions. Major efforts were made to ensure that full compliance in accordance with 5.21.1 including Gaining E.U. Type Approval, all position, geometric visibility, colorimetric and photometric requirements were addressed. Both EU and National (Irish) legislation was fully adhered to when putting the kit together. The support slides and videos demonstrate the current situation and also shows a vast improvement when using the initiative kit proposed. This results in a massive road safety improvement pertaining to involved units in Europe.

Speed limits and speeding in the vicinity of schools.

In Ireland many of our ‘Front of school’ zones tend to be busy and congested. Where school bus transport is not available for example, children often travel several kilometres to their schools from rural localities in the private family car. We also have the habit of very short and often unnecessary (less than 1km) trips by car to school; parents frequently cite traffic and speed as a reason for the car trip. In essence it’s a self-propagating habit; the more who drive, the more who feel it’s dangerous and so the drive level ensues.

Wicklow County Council are conscious and concerned regarding their school going population. We are aware of studies detailing that pedestrians have a 90% chance of surviving a car crash at 30km/h or below, but that the probability of a pedestrian being killed rises by a factor of 8 as the impact speed of the car rises from 30km/h to 50km/h. Existing speed limits in the vicinities of County Wicklow’s schools varied from 50km up to 80km per hour. Wicklow County Council were keen to address this lack of equity in shared spaces where vehicles and vulnerable road users mix on a thrice daily basis.

We felt there was no justification for drivers to travel at high speeds in the vicinity of schools. Changes were proposed to reduce speed, to reduce risk and to make the front of school environment a safer place for all. Various options were looked at, including the enforcement of fixed speed limits or the introduction of periodic speed limits in school zones which would require drivers to reduce their speed.

It was agreed that the on roads outside schools that would not be subject to a fixed speed limit of 30km/h, periodic speed limits of 30km/h should be proposed to Elected Members*, as anything that addresses the notion of reduction in speed must be considered for the most vulnerable road users.

The members of each local authority are called 'Councillor’s, or ‘Elected Members’. Councillors are directly elected in local elections, to represent their district at a local level. The number of councillors elected to each local authority depends on the population of the local authority area. In total, Wicklow have 32 Elected Members.

The aim of my project is to design a portable device or app to detect fast moving objects.

Approximately 2.2 million people globally are vision impaired.

As a vision impaired person, I have difficulty seeing oncoming vehicles and other hazards, such as electric cars or e-scooters.

For these reasons, I developed VIPMOD: Vision Impaired Person's Moving Object Detector.

Vision impaired people are not the only group of people with this difficulty.

People with other access needs, such as mobility disabilities, or people who are hearing impaired, will also benefit from VIPMOD, helping them to live safer and more independent lives.