Prevention and road safety

The traffic control, or road safety , is the whole of measurements aiming avoiding the road accidents (prevention of the risk - Cindynique), or at attenuating their consequences (forecast).

Homonymies

; In France

Traffic control is also a French association, even the article Traffic control (association) ;
the Road safety is an interdepartmental organization, to see Road safety (French organization) .

Consequences of the accidents

In 2002 and 2003, one counted per annum in world 1,2 million died on the road and 50 million casualties, at a cost estimated at 407 billion euros. The record of the number of accident per vehicle is held by the Russia with 12 accidents for 10 000 cars and 35 000 per annum dead. In China, they are 100 000 dead which was listed for the year 2005.

This mortality is especially important in the poor countries: in the middle of the years 2000, there were 11 died for: 100000 inhabitants in Europe against 28 died for: 100000 inhabitants in Africa, and 41 died in Dominican Republic. The majority of the victims are pedestrians and of the two wheels, because of the co-education of the circulation and the brittleness of these users vis-a-vis the more massive vehicles. Between 1978 and 1998, mortality increased 44 % in Malaysia, 79 % in India, and more 200 % in Colombia, China and with the Botswana. In a publication of The Lancet of 2004, the New Zealand researcher Shanthi Ameratunga estimates that from here 2020, road mortality could grow of 66 % and to become the first cause of mortality (other sources predict 3rd) whereas it was 9th in 1990.

In the European Union, in 2005: 41600 people died in traffic accidents, 19 million were wounded.

In France, the road accidents made approximately: 7000 per annum and more dead: 100000 wounded. In 2001, they represented 61,2 % of the industrial accidents mortals (ways to go to included work), with 836 accidents, according to the data of the National bank of health insurance.

In 2005, one counted: 5318 died in France (- 4,9 % compared to 2004) and: 108076 wounded (- 0,3 %) distributed as follows according to the category of users (source: interdepartmental national observatory of the road safety):

pedestrians: 635 dead (+ 8%): 13609 wounded (- 1,4%);
cyclists: 180 dead (+ 0,6%): 4587 wounded (+ 3,9%);
auto-cycle riders: 356 dead (+ 3,8%): 13905 wounded (- 11,7%);
motorcylcists: 881 dead (+ 1,3%): 18225 wounded (+ 16,3%);
users of private car: : 3065 dead (- 10%): 53776 wounded (- 2,4%);
users of heavy trucks: 90 dead (+ 4,7%): 1076 wounded (+11 %);
other users: 111 dead (- 9%): 2898 wounded (+9,8 %).

The fall of mortality on the road thus does not concern the most fragile users (pedestrians and 2 wheels)

See also: Evolution of the road accidents in France

According to an American study , the automobile accidents constitute the leading cause of fetal deaths by traumatism at the expectant mother.

According to the weekly epidemiologic Bulletin n°23-24 of 2006 (COp cit.) published parl' InVS, the road accidents are the first cause of mortality on a journey abroad.

For the body consequences, to see the article road Traumatology .

Cost of the accidents

According to the Quid, the overall costs of the personal injuries for the year 2005 in France rise to 12 billion euros, while the overall costs of " the insecurity routière" is evaluated to 24,9 billion euros.

A multi-field field

Several factors intervene in an accident:

the behavior of the driver: the accident almost always utilizes a negligence or a human tiredness, a behavior at the risk, a bad perception of the situation. See the article Prevention ;
the infrastructures of which the roadway (road) and its state, indication;
the vehicle, its state, its safety devices;
the management of the accident, helps public, the action of the witnesses.
the interaction between various categories of road users (motorists, drivers of heavy trucks, 2 wheels motorized, cyclists and pedestrians) creating tensions for the division of the way, in particular downtown. Most fragile (pedestrians and users of 2 wheels) undergo " often physically; the " law of the more fort".

Causes of the accidents and risk factors

; Behavior of the road user

the behavior of the road user is in the majority of the cases the cause of the traffic accidents. Indeed, if it happens that accidents have causes excluding the behavior (for example falls of a tree on the vehicle), that remains extremely rare. The behavioral causes are primarily a non-observance of the highway code, although certain behaviors accidentogenes can be in conformity with the code.

In France, one noted a fall of the number of accidents in the months which followed the highway catastrophe of Beaune (July 31st 1982), whereas no lawful or technical change intervened, proof of the role of the behavior.

a fault is very often at the origin of the accident, the driver scorning the legal provision to impose a power struggle and to try to found the law of the strongest. An traffic accident often implying several users, nonthe respect of the right of the other user to make an act is often causes of accident (example a pedestrian crosses to the crossing for pedestrian, it is priority but the motorist forces the passage). Weakest (pedestrians and two wheels) often the conflicts for the division of the road undergo.

It arrives as well often as several users made a fault.

; Substances influencing the behavior

Certain psychoactive substances or Drug S (whose alcohol) and unquestionable drugs in particular the Hypnotic S and the Tranquillizing S (in particular the Benzodiazepine S), influence the behavior, by slowing down the reflexes, by decreasing vigilance (risk of somnolence) even by distorting the judgment.

the Cannabis at the wheel is as blamed in the increase in the accident risks but in a way less as alcohol and with different mechanisms.

alcohol the cause or one of the major causes of many accidents.

; Tire, lowers vigilance and somnolence

One notes a fall of vigilance approximately every hour and half or every two hours, with a peak of accident at four hours of the morning and another between thirteen and sixteen hours.

to limit the consequences of drowsiness to the wheel, particularly at the time of the long ways, much of highways and certain primary distributers is equipped with rough edge lines, which cause vibrations in the vehicle when that rolls above. devices of detection of crossing of continuous line appeared in option on certain models as the Citroen C4 whose operator's seat starts to vibrate when it crosses a continuous line.

Infrastructures

In the poor countries, the leading cause of accidents is the cohabitation of the various means of transport (pedestrians, two-wheeled vehicle, cars and trucks) on the same way. Certain countries succeeded in decreasing the mortality of 28 % by building pavements, cycle tracks, and by decreasing the power of the two-wheeled vehicles.

When the roadway is in good state, the vehicles circulate quickly. Consequently, the configuration of the road can have an important influence: visibility, steep turns, intersections on level… France set up the policy of reduction of the “black spots”, consisting in locating the places where serious accidents are frequent to arrange them; some criticized the fact that these installations arrived after accidents whereas one could have envisaged them before (the question of the relevant selection criteria arises then, the frequencies of accidents being objective contrary to the personal estimates).

The budgetary increase and the publication of the figures of investments in the improvement of the road infrastructure should appear in the European road safety indicators in order to reveal in a clear way the will of the States to make safe road displacements.

In Swiss, a national standard (SN 640 ' 009) milked localization of the black spots of the highway network. In parallel, a technical method of analysis of the accidents, worked out by the Polytechnic school of Zurich, confronts the analysis of the accidents and situation analyzes. This superposition of the two analyzes, carried out in the ideal separately by two specialists, allows with a great probability of highlighting the defects of the road infrastructure and of proceeding to the cleansings necessary.

Concerned with safety units of a car

The car envisages many safety devices, making it possible to avoid the accident ( safety activates or primary safety ) or to decrease the consequences of the accident ( safety passivates or secondary safety ).

Certain safety devices are more of the arguments marketing than the real ones advanced in automobile safety. Thus, the inflatable cushions with explosive (airbag) are systematically associated with a Prétensionneur of belt which improves the coupling of the passenger with the seat; if the passenger is plated with the file, one can wonder which is the utility of the cushion, the studies comparing the rate of survival compared to a car with belt alone, but not compared to a car with pretensionor alone.

Active safety

to see : projectors before (headlights) using the night, Rear view mirror S to be used before any deceleration and change of management, by paying attention to the dead angles;
to be considering : side-lights before (lanterns) and back (red lights), indicators and hazard warning lights ( warning ), fires stop;
to control the vehicle : driver, Tire S and Brake S in good state.

Optional devices

Most current:

reversing light, the third fire stop;
ABS: Antiblockiersystem , system anti-locking of the wheels, it makes it possible to keep the control of the direction while slowing down; contrary to a spread idea, it does not decrease the braking distance;
ESP: Electronic Stability Program , control system of stability, it makes it possible automatically to detect the losses of adherence and the errors of trajectory (on-turn or understeering) and to cure it, within the limit of the laws of physics, while briefly slowing down on one of the 4 wheels of the vehicle.

But also:

ACC: Activates cruise control / Adaptive cruise control , detector anti-collision, which adjusts the speed of the car to maintain the security distance
AFL: Adaptive forward lighting , lighting is adjusted according to the speed and the rotation of the wheel
Détection of crossing of lines:

AFIL : involuntary Alarm of crossing of line (Citroen): an infra-red sensor locates the white lines of the ways. Beyond 80 km/h and in absence of indicator, when the vehicle crosses a discontinuous white line, the seat vibrates on the level of base, on the left or on the right according to the case to simulate a rough band (similar to those present on flat rim of the roadway of the highways).
Driver alert (Volvo): a camera locates the white lines of the ways, an alarm resounds when the vehicle drifts
LKAS: Lane-keeping assist system (Honda), a camera detects the white lines of the ways, and the system adjusts the couple wheel to maintain the car in the way;

AFU : Assistance with emergency braking , assistance with braking to reduce the braking distance
CBC: Cornering brake control , adjustment of the force of braking on the wheels individually during braking in turn
DDS: Deflation detection system , detection of the deflating of the tires
DSTC: Dynamic stability and traction control system
EBD: Electronic brake force distribution , individually adjusts the force of braking on each wheel to take into account the transfer of weight; complementary to ABS
Whips: Whiplash protection system
LSD: Limited slipway differential
TCS: Traction control system , adjustment of the force of braking and the gasoline arrival to avoid the loss of adherence of a wheel
UCL: Understeer control logic , system decreasing the gasoline arrival or increasing the force of braking when the vehicle threatens to leave in Sous-virage

Passive safety

Safety belt three points, the belt passing on the basin (iliaques peaks) and the cross-belt passing on the Clavicle (for an expectant mother, it belt must pass below and above the belly); in the event of shock, it makes it possible to avoid striking the cockpit and being ejected;
devices of reserve for the children: seats back with the road or nacelle until approximately 15 month, sits baby vis-a-vis the road until approximately 4 years, rehaussor (allowing to adjust the belt well) until approximately 12 years;
seat fixed well at the floor;
telescopic column steering, preventing the wheel from striking the Thorax driver in the event of frontal shock;
zone of deformation before (driving compartment) and back (trunk) allowing to absorb the shock; the sheet yields in predetermined points what avoids wounds (for example decapitation by the cap);
Windshield in Laminated glass, to avoid the fragments of glass;
not very deformable cockpit, arches of safety for the convertibles, ensuring a zone of survival;
protection of the pedestrians: in 2006, one directs oneself towards a avoid-shock on the level of the leg and either of the knee (the traumatism of the knee has more complications than a Fracture of the tibia and/or Fibula), and a cap more lengthened in order to be able to receive the body of the victim.

Optional devices

Most current:

well regulated head-rest;
Prétensionneur of belt;
inflatable Cushion with explosive Airbag ;

But also:

Sips: Side impact protection system (Volvo, 1991), protection against a side shock by bracing bars in the doors, and a side displacement of the seats in the event of shock
Rops: Rollover protection system (Volvo), protection in the event of barrel with a reinforced roof and cushions inflatable which remain inflated longer

Safety post accident

SUAL : Service of emergency Call and Assistance Localized (Peugeot and Citroen, since 2003), all GPS of the RT3/Navidrive types has a button S.O.S. It makes it possible to start a call towards an help center in the event of faintness or if the driver is pilot of an accident. The position of the vehicle went up by SMS what makes it possible to provide instantaneously to the helps the exact position of the accident and minimizes their time of intervention. The driver is connected in voice communication with the help center. In the event of accident with deployment of the airbags, call S.O.S leaves automatically. This function uses chart SIM of the driver, that this last must insert in RT3/Navidrive. This service makes it possible to help the driver in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, always in its native tongue.

Influence modern active systems

Many active systems (ABS, ESP, Sips, LSD…) facilitate the control of the vehicle and avoid the losses of control (wheel locking). By doing this, the drivers are not any more aware of the limits of the car. The Times made lead a car without active system (a BMW series 3 of 1990) to drivers accustomed to these systems; the same test was successful without problem with the personal vehicle of the drivers, but ended in a skid with the “old” vehicle

Safety of the workers

Many people work on the road: , garbage collection highways department, workman of public works, organizes, firemen… The safety of these people passes primarily by an indication.

When it is about a foreseeable building site, he can be set up a restriction of circulation with a provisional speed limit; in France, that passes by a local by-law or prefectoral. This temporary indication is variable according to whether it is a question of a fixed or mobile building site, and according to the country concerned.

The people must carry they-even a behavior to high visibility. In the European Union, these behaviors are defined by the Norme INTO 471, which includes/understands three classes:

class I (privative way): 0,14 m ² of fluorescent surface (either 14 DM ² or 1 400 cm ², in general yellow or orange fluo) and 0,10 m ² of reflecting surface (either 10 DM ² or 1 000 cm ², in general in the shape of a band of 2,5 cm in height);
class II (public highway): 0,50 m ² of surface fluo and 0,13 m ² of reflecting surface;
class III (expressways and Highway S): 0,80 m ² of surface fluo and 0,20 m ² of reflecting surface (in general in the shape of bands of 5 cm in height).

In 2005 in France, 20 pedestrians died on highway, and in 75% of the cases the night, which shows the importance of the visibility.

Measurements taken to reduce the accidents and their consequences

Independent measurements

The principal prevention campaigns road aim:

to remind the drivers to respect the highway code (to control its speed, divides road between the various categories of users motorists, pedestrians, two wheels; weakest being often victims of serious accidents)

Effectiveness of measurements

In France, the most fatal year was 1972 with more 16 500 killed. Previously, the curve of mortality followed the growth of circulation, from there, measurements made it possible cause a drop in the number of accidents in spite of the progression of circulation: between 1973 and 2002, the number of accidents and victims was divided by two whereas the road traffic was multiplied by 2,5. Two important measurements which followed the black year 1973 were the speed limit in 1973 (this year, the number of deaths decreased with a little more 15 600 killed) and the port of the safety belt in 1975.

Some deplore the methods employed to reduce the number of road accidents and reproach at the State for stigmatizing such or such category of users (such as the vehicles of private individuals or the motorcyclists).

The vigilance and the experiment of the drivers are never proposed like as many sources of improvement of the behaviors at the risk.

History of the measurements taken in France

Great stages of the regulation:

1893 : certificate of competence for the control of the vehicles
1899: first speed limits; 30 km/h in open country and 20 km/h in agglomeration
1917: creation of the first driving schools
1921: introduction of the highway code
1922: the certificate of competence for the control of the vehicle takes the name of Permis to lead
1954: the speed limit in agglomeration is of 60 km/h (decree of the July 10th)
1959: sanction of the driving under influence of intoxication (ordinance of the December 15th)
obligation to subscribe to an insurance of civil responsibility for the terrestrial engine vehicles
1961: limitation to 90 km/h in end of the week for the roads charged (2 100 km)
1965: installation of the measurement of blood alcohol content by expired air (Breathalyser test)
1969: the speed is limited to 90 km/h during one year for the new holders of the driving license
1970: law fixing the threshold of the alcohol level in the blood (blood alcohol content) of the drivers: 0,80 g/l of blood for a Infringment and 1,20 g/l for a Offense
1973: limit the speed to 110 km/h on the primary distributers (13 100 km) and to 100 km/h on the other roads (decree of the June 28th), then limitation to 120 km/h on highway and 90 km/h on the roads (decree of the December 3rd)
port of the belt with before for the recent vehicles except agglomeration, port of the helmet except agglomeration for the motor cycles, and everywhere for the motor bikes (decree of the June 28th)
1974: new speed limits: 90 km/h out of road 110 km/h on expressways with 2×2 ways 130 km/h on highways
1975: port of the obligatory belt for the front passengers, in agglomeration the 10 p.m. night to 6 a.m. and permanently on the urban fast tracks (decree of the July 16th)
interdiction to put the children of less than 10 years at front, obligation for the pedestrians to go on the left except agglomeration, obligation for the motor bike to light their headlight the day (decree of the August 26th)
limitation of the auto-cycles with 45 km/h by construction (stopped December 8th)
1976: port of the obligatory helmet except agglomeration for the users of auto-cycles
1978: organization of operations of tracking for the driving under influence of intoxication
1979: creation of the system of no-claims bonus-malus on the premiums of insurances (stopped of May 23rd, 1979) in order to responsabiliser financially bad drivers. Relate to the motor vehicles of at least 80 cm ³
1979: creation of the Inter-ministerial committee of road safety and the station of interdepartmental deputy to the road safety (decree of the July 5th)
1982: decree on control on wet road limiting speed to 80 km/h on road, 100 km/h on expressways and 110 km/h on highway.
1983 : the threshold of the offense of blood alcohol content passes from 1,2 g/l with 0,80 g/l
1986 : obligatory technical control
1988: installation of the AAC (anticipated training of control) called also led accompanied

1989 : limit the speed in agglomeration to 50 km/h
1990: girdle obligatory for all the passengers
1992: coming into effect of the license at points
1993: creation of the National institute of the Road safety and Research (INSERR)
1996: installation of the BSR (patent of road safety)
2002: the BSR is obligatory to lead a auto-cycle
2003: Automatic radar in France
2004: coming into effect of the probatory license

The Nationale minister of education under the aegis of the ministry for Transport implemented the ESA 1st and 2nd (School Certificate of Road safety). It is about an examination which occurs in classes from 5th and from 3rd and which aims to evaluate knowledge of the pupils on the road safety. The first level makes it possible an young age at least 14 years to pass the Patent of Road safety in driving school. The second level (in 3rd) is now obligatory to pass the Permis to lead. If one does not have it, one with the possibility of passing the ASR (certificate of road safety) in a GRETA free. It is necessary for that to consult them as a preliminary in order to know which documents to provide them for the constitution of the file. The only disadvantage is, that at present, the GRETA, organizes only three or four sessions per annum, which is well too insufficient for stage with the request.

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