Knowing the risk factors means preventing accidents

Road safety analyses today are primarily based on accident figures from the Astra database, which is based on police accident logs. The number of recorded accidents is - fortunately - slowly decreasing, but the causes are changing due to social developments. In addition, many accidents are not reported to the police and are therefore not recorded. This lack of data makes prevention more difficult because risk factors and trends are identified too late or only with difficulty.

Astra is aware of the importance of these data gaps and has therefore launched a research project. A working group consisting of TCS, ZHAW and Swisstraffic AG has been commissioned to investigate various indicators in order to improve road safety. «By participating in this study alongside recognized partners such as the ZHAW and Swisstraffic, TCS is making its expertise in the field of road safety analysis available and thus reaffirming its ongoing commitment to the sustainable improvement of road safety in Switzerland,» emphasizes Christophe Nydegger, Head of Road Safety.

The study first examined which existing indicators and risk factors are currently measured and recorded in road traffic. The focus today is on causes of accidents such as speed, alcohol and drug influence as well as the wearing or non-wearing of helmets and seat belts. The authors of the study therefore recommend a new system of «Safety Performance Indicators (SPI)», i.e. measurable factors that make risks visible even before an accident occurs, to supplement the current data collection. In contrast to other countries, a large amount of data on accidents without police records is not systematically recorded in Switzerland. Although a lot of relevant data already exists, it is often not standardized and cannot be accessed in a common system. In future, it would therefore be important for all statistical data on accidents to be collected and collated, regardless of whether it comes from the police or insurance companies. This would provide a comprehensive and realistic picture of the accident situation.

The study defined various new SPIs that can be used to better measure road traffic risks. The most important new indicators recommended by the study include the measurement of distraction caused by smartphones, infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, and the recording of reaction times after an accident.

Distraction is responsible for 18 percent of all accidents, a significant proportion of which are likely to be due to smartphone use. If smartphone use is now recorded as part of traffic observations, the data could be actively used for prevention campaigns. Measuring systems that record smartphone use while driving already exist and could be introduced at relatively low cost.

Separate cycle paths and cycle lanes demonstrably improve road safety. The authors of the study therefore recommend an SPI that precisely records the proportion of cycle paths. This would make it possible to identify gaps in the network and push ahead with expansion measures.

In addition to the SPIs, which focus on prevention, the study also takes a close look at the rescue services. The focus here is on response time - i.e. how much time elapses between receiving the emergency call and the arrival of the emergency services at the scene of the accident. Although this SPI cannot prevent accidents, the response time does provide information on how efficient the processes are and how well the rescue organizations are covered. Rapidly initiated treatment of accident injuries can also speed up the healing process and reduce long-term impairments.

Source: TCS