ROAD SAFETY: INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS

It is difficult to compare the safety records of different countries because of differences in reporting accidents, population sizes and numbers of vehicles. Smeed's formula for predicting the expected number of road deaths in a country from the size of the population and the number of motor vehicles is critically evaluated. The difference between the number of deaths expected from the formula and the actual number of deaths in different countries (which does not seem to depend on the degree of motorization) is recommended for international comparisons. Some effects of legislation, propaganda, education and enforcement in various countries are reviewed. The road safety measures used in selected countries, with especially good or bad safety records, are compared. Countries with fewer road deaths than expected have lower speed limits and stricter laws to prevent driving after drinking than countries where there are more road deaths than expected. It is suggested that, if a country decides that the existing death rate on the roads is intolerable and is prepared to spend money and introduce and enforce legislation, then the road deaths can be reduced dramatically, as demonstrated by Japan. (a) (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/7802200
• Corporate Authors:

  Taylor & Francis

  4 Park Square, Milton Park
  Abingdon,   United Kingdom  OX14 4RN
• Authors:
  • Preston, B
• Publication Date: 1981-1-3

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 75-100
• Serial:
  • Transport Reviews
  • Volume: 1
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Routledge
  • ISSN: 0144-1647
  • EISSN: 1464-5327
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ttrv20

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Blood alcohol levels; Crashes; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Education; Fatalities; Forecasting; Foreign; Highway safety; Highway transportation; Highway travel; International; Law enforcement; Legislation; Mathematical models; Population; Publicity; Speed limits; Statistics; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic regulations
• Uncontrolled Terms: Traffic laws
• Geographic Terms: Africa; Europe; United States
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 8001: Africa; 1553: Blood alcohol content; 1534: Enforcement (law); 8034: Europe; 1602: Fatality; 132: Forecast; 9034: International; 1556: Legislation; 6473: Mathematical model; 624: Speed limit; 6555: Statistics; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Geotechnology; Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00341868
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 22 1981 12:00AM