Kuvapaikka The role of researchers in Finnish safety management Harri Peltola /VTT harri.peltola@vtt.fi
The role of researchers in Finnish safety management Harri Peltola /VTT Politicians and officials working at the ministries, road administration, local authorities and traffic safety organisations do the most important decisions having effects on traffic safety. The decisions can improve safety only if they are based on valid research. Good co-operation and communication is evidently needed between researchers and decision-makers. In Finland researchers are involved in the advisory board of traffic safety. The board can do proposals and recommendations to the Ministry on Transport and Communications but it can not do any firm decisions. Researchers are also developing administrative tools for the evaluation on traffic safety effects of road improvements. Quick surveys of matters to be decided in a few weeks time at the latest are becoming more popular and basic studies with a fixed budget is only a distant dream - at least in Finland. The changing role of researchers in Finland will be discussed and explained with examples.
In 2001 the Council of State: The road transport system must be designed so that nobody should die or be seriously injured on the roads. A young male speeding against red light caused a death of a school girl and caused lots of need for safety actions 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 3
Road traffic fatalities and targets in Finland Fatalities/year 1400 1200 1000 800 600 1 Two successful safety targets have been achieved already before 2 400 3 200 0 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 4
The Consultative Committee on Road Safety Purpose of the Committee: Assists the Ministry of Transport and Communications in planning, developing and harmonising the national road safety policy Makes suggestions and initiatives concerning road safety to Ministry of Transport and Communications Preparation and follow -up of the National Road Safety Plans 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 5
KILLED IN ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS BY ROAD USER GROUP AND SAFETY TARGET Killed (12-month floating point number) 800 Recent safety figures urge for drastic measures based on research findings to achieve the safety targets 700 600 Total 500 400 300 200 100 In passenger cars Bicyclists, pedestrians and mopedists Others 0 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 2001 2002 Source: Statistics Finland, year 2002 preliminary data LP/4.2.2003 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 6
Valid Independent Reliable Useful Influential Information Research Results ROAD ADMINISTRATION Cost-effective Quickly Just On Request 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 7
Evaluation of safety effects of road improvements Injury accidents on a road section (5 years) Average accident rate and its variation on a road section Current number Change in safety of accidents situation (1 (2 ROAD ADMINISTRATION Forecast of the number of accidents Measure and its impact coefficient Accident reduction Average accident severity in road conditions in question and its change 1) Reliable estimate of current safety situation 2) For example, traffic or land use change Traffic fatality reduction 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 8
Evaluation of safety effects of lower speed limits during winter months 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 9
100 % of vehicles below indicated speed V85 50 0 Winter Summer Lower speed limits during winter moths is an effective and well motivated safety measure. 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 Speed (km/h) V15 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 10
Thank you for your attention. 30.10.2003 Harri Peltola 11