Every Accident is One Too Many Every Accident is One ... - UNECE

Chapter 4
Roundabouts
observation and speeding should, if
successful, be followed up and
disseminated throughout all of Denmark.
Roundabouts are effective in reducing speed and also
have fewer conflict points than traditional T-junctions and
crossroads. Roundabouts are particularly effective on
primary roads. Here, roundabouts can reduce the number
of injuries to just ten per cent of previous levels. In urban
areas, the number of people injured is reduced to 33 per
cent of previous levels. This effect is, however, more
pronounced for drivers, whereas the number of bicycle
accidents remains unchanged. The trend is, however, for
such accidents to be less serious for the cyclists hit than
would otherwise be the case.
Speed reductions at junctions
Studies show that the number of accidents at road
junctions on primary roads with an 80 km/hr speed limit
drops if the average speed through junctions is reduced to
60 or 70 km/hr. The Road Safety Commission calls for
greater use of this initiative.
Familiar, yet effective solutions
The total list of proposed initiatives includes a number of
suggested solutions which do not fall directly under the
headings of the four focus areas, i.e. accidents due to
speeding, drink-driving, accidents involving cyclists, and
accidents at road junctions. Some of these proposals are
of a technical nature, such as:
• Better or modernised road lighting
• Measures to improve safety in curves
• Measures addressing the so-called ‘grey areas’, i.e.
stretches of roads with particularly high accident rates
• Use of new and safer intersections on roads in the
countryside.
During the twelve years to come, it will be necessary to
devote more attention and resources to such technical
measures. Consequently, costs as well as safety impacts of
these measures have been included in calculations.
Stop signs
Stop signs at road junctions without any traffic lights are a
very cheap and effective measure - one which many local
authorities do not yet use, according to the Danish Road
Directorate study of municipal road safety efforts. Thus,
there is relatively great potential for reducing the number
of accidents by means of this simple measure. However,
the effect of stop signs is greater if they are not placed at
all road junctions; they should be placed specifically at
those junctions where many accidents happen. If stop
signs were to be used on a massive scale, the actual effect
might prove limited, as experience shows that road users
lose respect for the signs when used too frequently.
Better traffic lights
A number of measures directed at traffic lights can help
improve road safety. These measures include longer
pauses, more visible lights, road islands for pedestrians,
traffic channelling, traffic control, etc.
Measures against accident black spots
Identification of black spots and subsequent improvements
to road safety at junctions is a tried and tested way of
combating road accidents.
All road authorities are called upon to use the annual
reports from the police to pinpoint the location of all
accidents in order to systematically identify black spots -
i.e. places where road accidents occur too frequently in
view of the amount of traffic and road type.
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