This paper concludes that a comparative frequency analysis of the application of specific road and traffic safety countermeasures between countries and between different conditions is useful for road administrators and it illustrates that such an analysis is possible. It is the opinion of the authors that the optimal use of road and traffic safety countermeasures depends on them being applied at appropriate frequencies and under appropriate conditions and that neither the relative frequency of application nor the conditions of application should differ greatly between countries. From the survey conducted, using a basic road classification scheme, it became clear that there were marked differences between countries in both the frequencies of application and in the road conditions at which they choose to apply them, even between those that used the same countermeasure. An international road and traffic research organisation should conduct a more extensive survey of the type described in this paper to reveal more precisely, by comparison, the differences between national practices and therefore clearly point out proven ways to increase road and traffic safety globally. (A)
Abstract