Road accidents can be minimized by the joint effect of highway engineer, road users and the legal authorities. The engineer should provide geometrically designed elements of roads adequate channelization of traffic etc. the road users should follow traffic rules and the legal authorities should get the traffic rules enforced.
The following measures or remedies are suggested to avoid accidents
Engineering aids
The following engineering aids are provided as preventive measures for road accidents
- By checking and redesigning the road geometries if necessary
- By removing the obstruction responsible for the accidents.
- By providing the required traffic control devices such as traffic signs, marketing’s, signals etc.
- By providing proper pediatrician crossing neatly lined in white colors for pedestrians to cross the road.
- By providing foot paths along both sides of the subjected to heavy intensity of traffic in urban après.
- By putting barriers at unauthorized crossings.
- By segregation of traffic on urban roads subjected to heavy intensity of mixed traffic.
- By improving the road intersections with the provision of traffic signals, rotary and channelizing islands or by grade separation.
- By providing adequate lighting specially at road inter sections, bridge sites and at places of restricted road traffic movements.
- By, before and after studies of road accidents. For this purpose he record of accidents is collected before and after taking the necessary improvements in the geometrical design of roads and enforcing regulation to study their efficiency. Then further engineering measure are taken to avoid accidents.
Enforcement aids
Traffic police should be engaged on important and busy road junctions to guide the vehicles. The traffic police should also be given power to prosecute drivers for committing traffic offences and breaking the rules driving at excessive speeds, disobeying the signals, driving on wrong aides and making wrong turns.
Educational aids
Road users should be educated as the importance of cultivating road manners and road sense. For this purpose, propaganda regarding dangers of boarding a running vehicle, through pictures and slides may import the knowledge of law and other requirements of the use of road. This type education should also be given to children under guidance of traffic authorities.
