The SWOV fact sheet series has been expanded to include a fact sheet on 'Safe roadsides'. It states that roadside crashes claim approximately 160 motorized traffic fatalities annually, primarily on 60- and 80-kph roads. To prevent roadside crashes (or to reduce their severity), a safe shoulder design is crucial. This can be achieved by:
- Providing an adequately emergency lane or narrow paved shoulder. A recovery area is intended to give drivers the opportunity to steer back onto the main traffic lane;
- Maintaining as small a level difference as possible between the lane (road surface) and the shoulder;
- Ensuring a semi-hardened and load-bearing shoulder, so that the vehicle remains more maneuverable and does not sink when it veers off the road;
- Creating a clear zone or shielding obstacles safely.
