The best way of keeping road safety data is to use an Integrated Traffic Safety Management Information System (TS-MIS) which has a relational database. Only a Geographic Information System (GIS) is capable of storing and handling information on road and safety characteristics. An MIS in traffic safety must have the necessary GIS facilities. GIS facilities are useful for providing information for behavioural research. MIS are used for decision making. The tasks of MIS are to: store and retrieve data, simulate solutions and visualise the information. The GIS facilites needed for MIS relate to: networks inside and outside urban areas - small and large networks; links and nodes; private and public transport; and public transport; traffic data, road and traffic characteristics; environmental and weather conditions etc. Efficient collaboration between transport managers is necessary. GIS must be used together with road safety MIS and road design and maintenance MIS. Interfaces must also be created for communication between management systems. Accidents at likely black spots can be prevented by collating data relating to road and traffic characteristics with behavioural data. Standardisation is necessary to utilise the potential of interconnections and to make the systems user friendly. International Cooperation on Theories and Concepts in Traffic Safety (ICTCT) can be helpful as a forum for discussions of work regarding traffic behaviour.
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