The consequences and outward signs of urban growth are increasingly being called into question. In particular, urban growth involves new travel practices which change old urban references. The urban space as experienced by the inhabitants does not necessarily follow the administrative borders of towns. This involves an increase in the use of the private car, the mode most adapted to this new urban reality. And this raises the question of the influence on road safety. Links between urban growth, new travel practices and road safety have been little dealt with in the literature. The article looks therefore into the question of the consequences of urban growth on travel practices and their influence on road safety problems. To deal with this question, a “life territory” was defined to account for new travel practices. This method gives a better picture of new urban realities. The study was carried out in the area of Salon-de-Provence (France). An analysis of urban evolution in the area was then placed alongside the evolution of road safety. And the results show that the question of the influence of urban growth on road safety can be posed in terms of a reflection on the effects of road network management and road improvement. Urban growth causes road safety problems due to the increase in traffic and use of the networks, but these can be managed to a certain degree. And reflections should include the effects of regulations within the urban system. (Author/publisher)
Abstract