COMMENT

A future without road deaths can be made possible with right tech

Right technology integrated into road infrastructure and traffic systems can help

Last updated: November 26, 2024 | 12:04

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3 MIN READ

Countries require drastic measures to cut down the human toll from road accidents. The need is for systemic investments in technology that can be embedded into traffic systems.

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Despite tech’s advances, road deaths persist. The World Health Organization reports over 1.19 million annual road crashes (about 3,700 deaths/day), with half of them involving vulnerable users (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.).

A common measure of road safety is the number of fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants. Some countries have cracked the code by reducing fatalities to 1-3 per 100k inhabitants. As per WHO, in Norway, the figure stands at 1.50, at 1.60 in Dubai, and rising to 2.10 in Sweden. Other countries are well behind, registering more than 35 fatalities/100k inhabitants.

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Regionally, GCC countries have prioritized road safety, with Dubai aiming for a ‘zero fatalities’ vision.

What should governments do? Go back to the basics by considering an approach across four (obvious) dimensions: infrastructure, regulations, education and awareness, and enforcement and response. And underpinned by technology advancements.

Making road infrastructure safer

Poorly designed or maintained roads and lack of technology integration are often root causes of crashes. Governments can consider:

Set road standards to align with global best practices for multimodal transport. Roads should be compliant with International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) levels, or other recognized standards. For example, there is the Saudi Arabia Road Assessment Programme done in coordination with iRAP to assess and guide road improvements.

Safety improvements: Install rumble strips, guardrails, center medians, speed limit signs, signage, variable message signs, and lighting at critical junctions.

Install traffic lights and pedestrian signals, which detect vulnerable users and activate warning signals, as deployed in the UAE and in Qatar.

Weigh-in-motion (WIM) and vehicle inspection stations: WIM stations ensure large vehicles and their loads are compliant with safety requirements, as deployed in nearly all GCC countries.

Predictive maintenance and remote inspections: Deploy AI to monitor road conditions, predict failures, and schedule maintenance (UAE), informed by drones for remote inspections.

‘Scare’ the driver

Regulations ensure safe roads, vehicles, and drivers:

Consolidate historical road traffic data and simulate potential outcomes and optimal speed limits, considering data on crash ‘black spots’.

Regulations (including point systems) establish rules for road user safety, and driver testing, covering speeding, drug use, motorcycle helmet usage, seat-belt usage, and child restraint system usage. Dubai recently tightened regulations on behaviors linked to crashes (such as phone usage, swerving, tailgating).

Establish a body that can investigate crashes, identify patterns and propose data-based measures to reduce the chance of future incidents.

Shaping driver behavior

Speeding, distracted driving, and failure to follow traffic regulations are often the result of a lack of awareness or a careless attitude toward safety. Governments should integrate road safety into school curricula, promote safety campaigns with influencers, and encourage a shift to public transport.

Enforcement and response – Don’t let it slide

Effective enforcement deters dangerous behavior:

A centralized control center enables joint emergency responses.

AI models can be deployed to determine optimal patrolling routes and daily high-risk periods.

Move towards direct enforcement via speed cameras, using real time scanning of license plates.

A future without road deaths

The current situation on road safety is concerning, but progress is possible; the solution requires a multi-faceted approach across safety frameworks. Progress is possible, as some countries have reduced fatalities significantly.

Derek Turner

The writer is Senior Advisor at Arthur D. Little and a former deputy CEO of Highways England (predecessor of National Highways)

Hassan Khairat

The writer is Principal at Arthur D. Little.