How to design and implement a drinking and driving programme pdf ...

Reducing roadside hazards
Drinking and Driving: a road safety manual
A high proportion of crashes involving drinking and driving are “run-off road” crashes.
Such crashes will be more severe if they result in a collision with fixed roadside
objects such as trees or electricity poles. As such, action to relocate, guard, or remove
fixed roadside objects where drink-driving crashes are likely to occur should have a
positive impact on the severity of these crashes.
Enhanced information presentation in the traffic system
Visual, perceptual and cognitive skills are adversely affected by alcohol and it therefore
follows that providing information in a clear and easy to understand manner will
be important in maximising the performance (and thus minimising the crash risk) of
drunk drivers.
Some elements that may enhance information provision include improved guidance
around curves and audio-tactile edge lining. Australian field experiments (22)
revealed that of nine roadway delineation treatments trialled by drivers with BAC
of 0.05, the most beneficial form of delineation was chevron alignment signs. These
were shown to help drivers negotiate curves. In addition, the use of a wide edge-line
tended to reduce the extreme lane positioning common among drink-drivers. Consequently,
the “optimum” delineation treatment appeared to be one which combines
chevron alignment signs with a wide edge-line.
It is also important, given the dulled cognitive and physical functioning of drunk
drivers, to ensure that road geometry and delineation are kept as consistent
as possible.
3 | How to design and implement a drinking and driving programme
Pedestrians
While alcohol-impaired pedestrians are not a main focus of this manual, this road
user group is at high risk of injury and death in road crashes, particularly in low
and middle-income countries. For this reason, a few measures are provided below
that have proven effective in reducing the incidence of road crashes involving all
pedestrians.
Lower speed limits
Lower speed limits have the potential to improve safety for alcohol-impaired pedestrians
in a number of ways. Gaps in traffic traveling at lower speeds are easier to judge
for alcohol-impaired pedestrians. Drivers traveling at lower speeds have greater ability
to avoid a collision with a pedestrian, and, in the event of a collision, the severity
of the injury will be reduced.
111