„Vulnerable road users“ require special protection in traffic. However, there is no need to draft any new age- or group-specific design regulations or guidelines. These are the conclusions drawn from a study commissioned by the UDV (German Insurers Accident Research) which focused in particular on the frequency and nature of accidents at intersections and junctions in built-up areas as well as on the correlations with the existing infrastructure. The design of intersections which were characterized by high accident levels often did not comply with the planning recommendations set out in modern guidelines and regulations and therefore did not correspond to the current state of the art or meet road safety requirements. Many of the identified deficiencies, which in some cases were directly related to the frequency and nature of the recorded accidents, would not occur at intersections designed in accordance with current guidelines and regulations. Existing current guidelines and regulations are capable of providing a high level of protection for „vulnerable road users“ provided that they are applied appropriately and consistently. However, more exacting regulations concerning the use of signal control for traffic turning left (across the oncoming traffic) would be particularly beneficial for older drivers and would furthermore generally help improve road safety at intersections. The same is true when it comes to ensuring adequate sight areas which enhance safety for all road users and for children in particular. Children, older people and people with particular restrictions to mobility or mobility-related disabilities are frequently disadvantaged in traffic due to their physical and cognitive limitations. Such individuals number among the so-called "vulnerable road users". This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that these groups of persons are subject to particularly severe, and indeed even fatal (older road users), injuries when using the road on foot or as cyclists. In the case of older people, the increased risk of fatal injury when exposed to accidents of the same level of severity as other road users is a further negative factor influencing accident outcomes. In this context, the risks at intersections are particularly high. More than half of the accidents that occur in built-up areas take place at intersections. In order to provide an efficient approach to increasing road safety for "vulnerable road users", the UDV conducted the research project "Safe intersections for vulnerable road users". Its results include recommendations for intersection design as well as recommendations for action relating to the drafting and application of guidelines and regulations. Special attention was paid to the issues of pedestrian and cyclist road use by children and young people (14 years or less) and older road users (65 years or more). In addition, older people were also primarily considered in their role as drivers. The use of public transport (buses and trains) and road use as passenger were not included in the scope of the current study. The results presented for the group of individuals with particular restrictions to mobility or mobility-related disabilities were also based on requirements communicated in response to queries to the relevant umbrella organizations as well as on third-party research results. (Author/publisher)
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