CONTROLLERS ARE ALSO COMING FOR ROAD SAFETY

 Filenews 24 August 2020 - by Petros Theoharidis

The public consultation process of the road safety bill in relation to the road network, which puts the state's road safety provisions on Cyprus' road safety provisions to a much stricter level, introduces specific road safety inspectors for infrastructure and mandatory assessments. It also establishes, inter alia, the specific investigation and report on the contribution of the road network in all cases of fatal accidents, together with the other key data leading to the accident.

The new regulations concerning measures to improve the road network are reflected in the bill which is Cyprus' obligation to the EU to legislate by 2021, it concerns road projects planned, under construction, but also those given to traffic. The obligations are included in a European Directive, as part of the measures for the new interim target to halve the number of serious injuries by 2030 compared to 2020.

Following the completion of the public consultation of the road infrastructure safety management bill, the Ministry of Transport will seek short legislative control and promotion as soon as possible to the Cabinet for approval and to the House for a vote. The aim is to establish with specific powers and obligations the implementation of procedures for road safety impact assessments, road safety checks, road safety inspections and road safety assessments.

Among other things, procedures are laid down for road safety impact assessments, road safety checks, road safety inspections and safety assessments of the entire road network. The aim is to gradually increase road safety to the extent that the road network is "forgiving" to errors to such an extent as to largely avoid death and serious injury in road accidents.

The spirit of the European Directive, which goes through the legislation under way, is that accidents can be largely prevented and ensuring that road accidents do not lead to serious or fatal injuries is a shared responsibility at all levels. "Proper planning, proper maintenance and clear road marking and signalling should reduce the likelihood of road accidents," says the European Directive. There is also talk of 'forgiving road infrastructure', i.e. roads must be designed intelligently so that driving errors do not immediately have serious or fatal consequences; should reduce the severity of accidents.

Obligation for invisible self-readable signs

One of the problems that drivers regularly encounter on Cypriot roads, that of hidden or illegible road signs and signs, is also solved by the road safety measures provided for in the legislation, since the European Union regards the situation with the signs as contributing to road accidents.

This requires that, as in road safety studies on the roads, account be taken of the distance of visibility and recognition of signals, the permissible speed limit, the visibility without obstacles and the readable of road signs (position, size, colour). , but also the possible concentration of water and the drainage potential of the water.

Certified road safety auditors

Specific certified auditors will be appointed to check the road safety of the road network and its characteristics, making recommendations on road safety in each project being promoted.

Road safety inspectors will be trained in traffic management, traffic engineering and road safety technologies and road accident analysis. They will also review road safety issues on all roads where accidents occur frequently.

They must also analyse parts of the road network which have been in operation for over three years and in which a large number of serious accidents have occurred in proportion to the flow of traffic. The first safety assessment of the entire road network should be completed by 2024 at the latest.

Subsequent assessments of the entire road network, in accordance with the legislation being promoted, shall be carried out at a frequency sufficient to ensure appropriate levels of safety, but in any case, shall be carried out at least every five years.

For each fatality, under the responsibility of the Chief of Police, an accident report will be prepared in relation to road conditions at the site of the accident with recommendations for improvements to the sections of the road network. Other important findings, such as the type and possible relationship of the vehicle, driver experience and possible effects, etc., will be recorded in the reports.

Special measures for pedestrians and cyclists

Particular provisions are included for the protection of vulnerable road users, i.e. pedestrians and cyclists, including the existence of alternative routes or separation devices from the movement of high-speed motor vehicles, as well as for motorised bicycles.

Road safety measures shall take into account the density and location of intersections for pedestrians and cyclists, separate measures for pedestrians and cyclists on affected roads in the area and separate pedestrians and cyclists from the movement of high-speed motor vehicles or their passing through alternative routes on lower-class roads.

"It should ensure that Union funds are not used to build unsafe roads," the European Directive states in its preamble.