Search Results (20)

Wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) pose a growing threat to road safety and wildlife conservation. This research explores the relationship between the moon phases and the occurrence of nighttime WVCs in Serbia from 2015 to 2023. A total of 2767 nighttime incidents were analyzed to assess whether the full moon is associated with an increased collision frequency. The results revealed a statistically significant rise in the average annual number of WVCs during full moon nights compared to other nights, indicating that increased lunar illumination may affect animal movement and impact collision rates. However, no statistically significant differences were observed when comparing the frequency of WVCs across all four lunar phases. Spatial analysis identified the South Bačka and Podunavlje districts as the most at-risk regions for WVCs during full moon periods. As the first study of its kind in Serbia, this research provides new insights into the spatial and temporal patterns of WVCs. The findings can assist in developing focused mitigation strategies, such as improved signage, speed control strategies, and awareness campaigns, especially in regions with increased risk during full moon nights. Full article

This review synthesizes historical and contemporary research on wildlife–vehicle collisions and roadkill, outlining its evolution from early documentation to modern road ecology. It discusses how early efforts in North America and Europe that quantified animal casualties and developed standardized methodologies formed current studies that use advanced geospatial tools, citizen science, and artificial intelligence to analyze spatiotemporal patterns. We examine key ecological, methodological, and economic impacts of roadkill on wildlife populations and human safety, highlighting the role of road density, vehicle speed, and seasonal factors. The framework presented also underscores a commitment to sustainability by integrating environmental conservation with infrastructural development and socio-economic resilience. The review details various mitigation strategies, from fencing and wildlife crossings to dynamic signage, and evaluates their effectiveness in reducing mortality rates, thereby supporting sustainable development in transportation infrastructure and wildlife management. It also identifies research gaps and outlines future directions, advocating for integrated, multidisciplinary approaches to improve wildlife conservation, infrastructure planning, and public awareness in the context of rapidly expanding road networks. Full article

This study addresses the critical gap in designing child-friendly school commuting routes in mountainous cities like Chongqing, where steep terrain and complex infrastructure pose unique challenges to children’s safety and accessibility. Combining Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) and the Kano model, we systematically evaluated 19 design elements across safety, interest, and convenience dimensions through comprehensive field research and surveys involving 611 participants. Our analysis identified emergency signage systems, street greening, and parent pick-up points as pivotal optimization factors, while revealing significant improvement needs for vehicle speed limits and anti-slip pavement. The findings demonstrate how context-specific, evidence-based design solutions can effectively enhance children’s commuting experiences in challenging urban environments, providing urban planners with a scientifically-grounded framework that adapts child-friendly principles to mountainous contexts. This research advances the field of child-friendly urban planning by bridging the current theoretical-practical divide and offering actionable strategies tailored to geographically constrained cities. Full article

The paper presents an application of a new, simple approach for the naturalistic assessment of road sign quality from a driver’s perspective, using dashboard camera recordings. This method was used to evaluate signage along a 69.6 km road construction zone in Poland associated with the phased upgrade of a dual carriageway with unlimited access into a motorway. The analysis focused on three distinct phases of the roadwork: the beginning of roadwork, the progress of roadwork, and finishing roadwork. The correctness, visibility, and quality of the road signs were assessed on a specially developed scale. The study found that 1135 road signs were unnecessary, which was equal to 36% of all signs. The majority of all signs (48.1%) indicated prohibition: more than one third (33.6%) of them were speed limit signs, of which 52% were posted without the need. It was demonstrated that the simple method applied in this study can be considered a useful tool to identify deficiencies in signage, which could ultimately improve road safety and make road management more sustainable. Moreover, this study confirmed again that the use of appropriate video recordings makes it faster and easier to conduct an inventory of road signs. Full article

Road traffic accidents pose a significant global public health and economic challenge. In Saudi Arabia, rapid motorization and urbanization have contributed to one of the world’s highest traffic fatality rates. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Saher traffic enforcement system in the Dammam Metropolitan Area (DMA) by gathering insights from road safety experts through structured questionnaires and interviews. Findings indicate that Saher has improved traffic law compliance and enhanced perceptions of road safety. Key accident causes include driver distractions, speeding, and sudden lane changes, with younger drivers being disproportionately involved. Experts recommend expanding Saher’s capabilities by addressing violations like aggressive driving and increasing coverage of cameras, with responses of 21% and 25%, respectively. They also stress the need for better highway coverage, with a response of 32%. Proposed strategies include integrating the Saher system into urban planning, combining automated enforcement with public education, and enhancing traffic infrastructure, such as signage and signal systems. This study offers actionable insights for policymakers to improve road safety and promote sustainable urban mobility in Saudi Arabia. Full article

Urban transportation systems, particularly underground interchanges, present significant challenges for sustainable and resilient urban design due to their complex road geometries and dense traffic signage. These challenges are further compounded by the interaction of diverse road users, which heightens the risk of accidents. To enhance both safety and sustainability, this study integrates advanced driving simulation techniques with machine learning models to improve driving safety and comfort in underground interchanges. By utilizing a driving simulator and 3D modeling, real-world conditions were replicated to design key traffic safety features with an emphasis on sustainability and driver well-being. Critical safety parameters, including speed, acceleration, and pedal use, were analyzed alongside comfort metrics such as lateral acceleration and steering torque. The LightGBM machine learning model was used to classify safety and comfort grades with an accuracy of 97.06%. An important ranking identified entrance signage and deceleration zones as having the greatest impact on safety and comfort, while basic road sections were less influential. These findings underscore the importance of considering visual cues, such as markings and wall color, in creating safer and more comfortable underground road systems. This study’s methodology and results offer valuable insights for urban planners and engineers aiming to design transportation systems that are both safe and aligned with sustainable urban mobility objectives. Full article

The average daily throughput of large-scale passenger high-speed railway stations is large, and the design of the inbound space connecting with the underground and other modes of transport affects the passengers’ wayfinding behaviour and time spent, which in turn affects the efficiency of the inbound station. How to optimise the design of station entry space and signage arrangement becomes the key to shortening the station entry time. In this paper, eye tracking, spatial syntax, and semantic difference methods are used to evaluate the passenger’s wayfinding process in the underground hub of a large high-speed railway station and the spatial syntax is used to quantify and analyse the wayfinding path segments, to explore the influence of the spatial attributes of different nodes and the spatial arrangement of the guiding signs on the passenger’s wayfinding behaviour data and the difference in attention, and to find out that the connectivity of the wayfinding nodes, the area of the field of view, and the passengers’ The study concludes that the connectivity and visual field area of wayfinding nodes have a strong positive correlation with the passengers’ route choice time, which has less influence on the correct rate of wayfinding and can be taken into less consideration in the subsequent design. While analysing the spatial density of signs and the correct rate of wayfinding in the sample, it is concluded that the density of guide signs is maintained in the interval of 5–11‰, and at the same time, the number is sufficient to point to the destination is a more appropriate interval, and ultimately, the impact of the correct rate of wayfinding of the weighting of the following: signage focus on the time > density of information > density of key information > diameter of the pupil. The study analyses the influencing factors affecting passengers’ wayfinding behaviour from a human factors perspective and provides feedback on the design of underground entry spaces in large passenger high-speed rail stations. Full article

Tunnel–interchange connecting sections pose significant safety challenges on mountainous expressways due to their high incidence of accidents. Improving road safety necessitates a comprehensive understanding of driver behavior in such areas. This study explores the influences of road characteristics, signage information volume, and traffic conditions on drivers’ car-following and lane-changing behavior in tunnel–interchange diverging areas. Utilizing driving data from 25 subjects of 72 simulated road models, driving performance is assessed using the Friedman rank test and multivariate variance analysis. The results highlight the significant influence of both connection distance and signage information load on driving behavior. In tunnel–interchange scenarios, the reduction in velocity increased by 62.61%, and speed variability surged by 61.11%, indicating potential adverse effects on driving stability due to the environmental transitions. Decreased connection distances are associated with reduced lane-changing durations, larger steering angles, and increased failure rates. Furthermore, every two units of increase in signage information leads to a 13.16% rise in maximum deceleration and a 5% increase in time headway. Notably, the signage information volume shows a significant interaction with connection distance (F > 1.60, p < 0.045) for most car-following indicators. Hence, the study recommends a maximum connection distance of 700 m and signage information not exceeding nine units for optimal safety and stability. Full article

The safety of roads in urban areas is a major concern for governments, demanding innovative solutions to enhance pedestrian safety. This paper introduces a novel approach to crosswalks by integrating resin with photoluminescent additives, offering a significant boost to road safety. A thorough methodology was employed to assess its effectiveness, covering mechanical, lighting, and vibroacoustic aspects, alongside a photogrammetric analysis of real-world experiments. The material exhibited noteworthy mechanical properties, displaying consistent tensile strength, load capacity, and strain values with a remarkable Shore A hardness. After 20 min, luminance values peaked at 68 mcd/m², surpassing standard vehicle headlights at 100 m. Additionally, vibroacoustic analysis highlighted a noticeable relationship between vehicle speed and sound bandwidth, indicating the system’s potential to alert pedestrians. Tests revealed that the proposed system significantly decreased the average vehicle speed by 36.96% compared to conventional crosswalks, with a 27.80% reduction when drivers yielded to pedestrians. Furthermore, a survey involving 35 participants, focusing on the knowledge of road safety regulations, behavior, signage, and visibility, found positive results regarding accident reduction. The estimations indicate potential decreases of 26.26% in injuries and 35.4% in fatalities due to improved road conditions, 26.58% in injuries and 53.16% in fatalities resulting from reduced average speeds, and 52.56% in injuries and 79.91% in fatalities through enhanced road education. This underscores the multifaceted impact of the system on urban road safety. Full article

In the process of driving in an underground interchange, drivers are faced with many challenges, such as being in a closed space, visual changes alternating between light and dark conditions, complex road conditions in the confluence section, and dense signage, which directly affect the safety and comfort of drivers in an underground interchange. Thus, driving simulation, building information modeling (BIM), and data mining were used to analyze the impact of underground interchange safety facilities on driving safety and comfort. Acceleration disturbance and steering wheel comfort loss values were used to assist the comfort analysis. The CART algorithm, classification decision trees, and neural networks were used for data mining, which uses a dichotomous recursive partitioning technique where multiple layers of neurons are superimposed to fit and replace very complex nonlinear mapping relationships. Ten different scenarios were designed for comparison. Multiple linear regression combined with ANOVA was used to calculate the significance of the control variables for each scenario on the evaluation index. The results show that appropriately reducing the length of the deceleration section can improve driving comfort, setting reasonable reminder signs at the merge junction can improve driving safety, and an appropriate wall color can reduce speed oscillation. This study indicates that the placement of traffic safety facilities significantly influences the safety and comfort of driving in underground interchanges. This study may provide support for the optimization of the design of underground interchange construction and internal traffic safety facilities. Full article

By being able to communicate the speed limit to drivers using speed sign recognition cameras, Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) is expected to bring significant road safety gains through increased speed compliance. In the absence of complete digital speed maps and due to limited cellular connectivity throughout Australia, this study estimated the forgone savings of ISA in the event that speed signs are solely relied upon for optimal advisory ISA function. First, speed-related fatalities and serious injuries (FSI) in the Australian states of Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland (2013–2018) were identified, and published effectiveness estimates of ISA were applied to determine the potential benefits of ISA. Subsequently, taking into account speed sign presence across the three states, the forgone savings of ISA were estimated as FSI that would not be prevented due to absent speed signage. Annually, 27–35% of speed-related FSI in each state are unlikely to be prevented by ISA because speed sign infrastructure is absent, equating to economic losses of between AUD 62 and 153 million. Despite a number of assumptions being made regarding ISA fitment and driver acceptance of the technology, conservative estimates suggest that the benefits of speed signs placed consistently across road classes and remoteness levels would far outweigh the costs expected from the absence of speed signs. The development and utilisation of a methodology for estimating the foregone benefits of ISA due to suboptimal road infrastructure constitutes a novel contribution to research. This work provides a means of identifying where infrastructure investments should be targeted to capitalise on benefits offered by advanced driver assist technologies. Full article

Due to the large difference between normal conditions and damaged road images, geo-location in damaged areas often fails due to occlusion or damage to buildings and iconic signage in the image. In order to study the influence of post-war building and landmark damage conditions on the geolocation results of localization algorithms, and to improve the geolocation effect of such algorithms under damaged conditions, this paper used informative reference images and key point selection. Aiming at the negative effects of occlusion and landmark building damage in the retrieval process, a retrieval method called reliability- and repeatability-based deep learning feature points is proposed. In order to verify the effectiveness of the above algorithm, this paper constructed a data set consisting of urban, rural and technological parks and other road segments as a training set to generate a database. It consists of 11,896 reference images. Considering the cost of damaged landmarks, an artificially generated method is used to construct images of damaged landmarks with different damage ratios as a test set. Experiments show that the database optimization method can effectively compress the storage capacity of the feature index and can also speed up the positioning speed without affecting the accuracy rate. The proposed image retrieval method optimizes feature points and feature indices to make them reliable against damaged terrain and images. The improved algorithm improved the accuracy of geo-location for damaged roads, and the method based on deep learning has a higher effect on the geo-location of damaged roads than the traditional algorithm. Furthermore, we fully demonstrated the effectiveness of our proposed method by constructing a multi-segment road image dataset. Full article

Light rail transit (LRT) systems are vital aspects of the worldwide endeavor to achieve transport sustainability and have been essential in enhancing the economies of urban areas. Issues such as pollution, the risk of road accidents, and traffic congestion could be resolved using this progressive alternative. The statistics showed that only 20% of the commuters in Malaysia use public transport, including LRT, and 80% use private transportation. It is relatively low compared to other Asian countries. High-quality service is essential to improve users’ perceived satisfaction with the provided services and increase LRT ridership. The objective of the present study is to acquire an understanding of which factors are crucially influential on users’ perceptions of satisfaction. In-person questionnaires were utilized to obtain the information for this paper, with a total of 417 LRT riders in Malaysia’s Klang Valley surveyed. This study adopted the factor analysis, correlation test, and artificial neural network (ANN) model. Eight elements related to the quality of service were extracted to ascertain how they influenced the perceived satisfaction of users: information signs, ticket-based services, amenities, safety, employee performance, speed, comfort, and the service details available to riders. Each factor was significantly related to the perceptions of satisfaction, according to the correlation test. Finally, the ANN model shows that the dominant factors determining the LRT users’ perceived satisfaction are the signage, amenities, and provision of information. The findings of this research should benefit the providers of services, policy makers, and planning departments by enabling them to formulate successful approaches that ensure user satisfaction is enhanced and the number of riders on the LRT increases. Full article

Road crossings across two or more lanes in one direction are particularly dangerous due to limited sight distance and high vehicle speeds. To improve their safety, road authorities should provide safety treatments. These may include additional measures to reduce speed and narrow the road cross-section and the introduction of active pedestrian crossings. Equipped with flashing lights activated automatically when a pedestrian is detected, the crossings are painted red and have an anti-skid surface on approaches. The article presents an analysis of road user behaviour at pedestrian crossings on dual carriageways with a varying provision of road safety measures in some Polish cities. It also evaluates the effectiveness of the measures over time. The study was conducted before, immediately after and one year after the additional signage was introduced. The evaluation is based on how vehicle speeds changed before the pedestrian crossing, how pedestrians behaved versus the vehicle and their readiness to cross the street. The number of conflicts on selected crossings was also evaluated. The safety treatments under analysis were found to be less effective than the traditional pedestrian safety measures such as speed cushions or roads narrowed to one lane. This suggests that if used on dual carriageways the measures should only be temporary and should ultimately be replaced with traffic lights or a grade separated solution (a footbridge or tunnel) on exits from urban areas. No clear-cut conclusions about pedestrian safety can be drawn based on the traffic conflicts in question. The article is divided into the following sections: introduction with a review of the literature on pedestrian and driver behaviour studies at pedestrian crossings, including midblock crossings and dual carriageways; a description of the research method and test sites, the results, discussion of the results and conclusion. Full article

Advanced driver assist systems are being promoted with the expectation that enhanced driver support will mitigate road trauma. While these technologies are optimised for certain road and traffic conditions, not all roads across Australasia are equipped with ADAS-supportive infrastructure. This study developed a desk-top methodology for using road classes (disaggregated by remoteness levels) to estimate the presence of quality roads, road delineation and speed signage in Victoria, Australia. Aerial imagery and mapping data were used to assess a number of random locations based on a developed protocol. The methodology demonstrated that in Victoria, major and arterial roads across all remoteness levels had high-quality sealed surfaces but 42% of all remote roads were unsealed. Delineation (crucial for lane support systems) were absent across 73% of sub-arterial roads independent of remoteness, and absent across 96% of sub-arterial roads in regional and remote areas. Speed sign availability across remote and regional areas was sparse, with only 65% of all roads assessed having signage. Results are reflective of Victoria’s road funding model and consistent with on-road audits conducted by other researchers. This methodology enables the proportion ADAS-ready roads to be estimated so the benefits of ADAS technologies can be quantified and investments into ADAS-supportive infrastructure be readily allocated. Full article