This paper examines how engineering can contribute to greater road safety; it briefly reviews current practice and the implications for casualty reduction targets. For many years, British engineers have played a leading part in Accident Investigation and Prevention techniques (AIP). Several effective types of schemes use relatively low cost engineering measures. However, shortage of trained and experienced staff is a much greater constraint than shortage of cash for most highway authorities. Athough the Department of Transport (DoT) now requires safety audits for all trunk road schemes, their effect on accident reduction is very difficult to assess, and it may take many years for it to be substantial. It is not clear whether the casualty savings from building new high-quality roads will be as much as the DoT predicts. With the Traffic Calming Act 1992 now law, the DoT has begun to prepare traffic calming regulations. Although traffic calming measures are not cheap, they can offer high rates of return and are also seen as environmental. Altogether, engineering measures could contribute between one third and two thirds of the target reduction in road casualties. Significant points for debate include: (1) the growing split between aims and design principles for urban and rural roads; (2) conflicts between some traffic calming schemes and traditional road engineering objectives.
Abstract