This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Diez propuestas para lograr ‘0’ muertes en la red de alta capacidad en 2020

Turn a dream into reality

Ten proposals for '0' deaths in the network of high capacity in 2020

Source: AEC - Spanish Road Association 14/03/2011

on March 14, 2011

"I dream a horizon in the year 2020 in which don't have any dead car accident on Highway". The director-general of traffic, Pere Navarro manifested as well at the end of January. And since the Spanish Road Association (SRA) are convinced that this dream is achievable, but they point out that this is a challenge for which the action on own road infrastructure has a decisive role.

Undoubtedly, the stable and continuous road safety improvement requires implementation underway of comprehensive policies that affect the user, the vehicle, the control of compliance with the rules and infrastructure. This approach has been that has led to the reduction of the accident record which our country has lived in the last decade.

However, without neglecting the importance of having an impact in the first three elements - user, vehicle and control-from the Spanish Road Association is convinced that achieving '0' deaths in the network of high capacity over the next decade is only possible with an active and determined policy on road.

For the AEC achieved '0' deaths in the network of high capacity over the next decade is only possible with an active and determined policy on road.

10 proposals to achieve the ' 0' by 2020

Generalize in the road network as a whole the implementation of preventive and mitigation strategies for the improvement of road safety included in Directive 2008/96/EC: the management of sections of concentration of accidents, road safety inspections and road safety audits should be implemented in a systematic manner to ensure that the road network operates in the maximum security conditions.
Ensure the existence of safe margins, under the concept of 'road to forgive', which offset the errors of the users. To this end, there must be an area free of obstacles and without strong slopes route; If not possible, they must install containment systems suitable for all types of users.
Increase investment in conservation of firm, which has been significantly affected by the current situation of economic crisis; a pavement in good condition is essential for a safe movement, as well as comfortable and with an adequate quality of service. A well-preserved road is a road that offers greater safety margins.
Replace in term and way marking vertical, horizontal and elements of buoyage; most of the information that users of the road and its surroundings did get through these elements, so it is essential to ensure their existence and optimal state of repair. A knowledgeable user is a more secure user.
Generalize the night lighting of the network of motorways and dual carriageways, promoting the circulation of vehicles heavy overnight. In this way, would rise significantly levels of security during the day, to reduce the 'coexistence' between light and heavy, one of the main causes of the accident.
Take advantage of the possibilities of the technology of control and management of the movement to obtain the maximum knowledge of the road and traffic in real time, in a way that can implement plans to improve the fluidity and safety appropriate to the circumstances of each way on each comment.
Develop a programme of adaptation of Spanish tunnels to the European directive on tunnels (lighting, ventilation and removal of particles, telematics and specific security elements, etc.).
Define a plan for the revision of the current state of the bridges in the network of high capacity, primarily of the structures of factory (pillars and beams) and carry out their adaptation if necessary.
Analyze accidents occurring on motorways and dual carriageways and, in particular, in accident concentration sections, in order to identify its causes and implement solutions in the short term, avoiding administrative complications and delays in the award of projects and beginning of the work required.
Undertake the follow-up to the so-called 'white sections', term created by the Spanish Road Association to describe the sections of road where no accidents with victims during a certain number of years, so that conclusions about the influence of the geometric characteristics of the route can be obtained, its uses, the equipment, State of conservation, etc., on road safety.

A high percentage of accidents and fatalities occur in conventional road, outside these paths of high-capacity network. Photo: Robert Howell.

In any case, remember that a high percentage of accidents and fatalities occurs in conventional road network, i.e., outside of these high-capacity routes. Therefore, from the AEC warn that this Decalogue should be complemented with a specific and urgent plan of improvement of security in the conventional process; "the misnamed 'secondary network' is both as a key network for accessibility and cohesion in the territory."