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Road markings for motorcyclists win road safety award

The award ceremony was presented by Kristian Schmidt, European Road Safety Coordinator for the European Commission (right), FEMA’s General Secretary Wim Taal (left) was a member of this year’s jury.

In Brussels the European Road Safety Charter Excellence in Road Safety Awards 2024 were presented to the winners of five different categories:

  • Education
  • Motorcycling
  • Pedestrians and cyclists
  • Technology and innovation
  • Urban

The European Road Safety Charter, led by the European Commission, is the largest civil society platform on road safety. To date, more than 4,000 public and private entities have committed to the Charter and carried out road safety actions and initiatives targeted at their members, employees and the rest of civil society. Together, these various entities form a community in which members can share their expertise and actions, inspiring and learning from each other. FEMA is a member of the European Road Safety Charter.

Pedestrians and cyclists >> Alternative mobility strategy in Galicia – Recognising the need for safer routes, Axencia Galega de Infraestruturas noted that many interurban routes leading to schools, health centres, and public facilities were primarily designed for motorised traffic, posing challenges for vulnerable road users. In response, they developed pedestrian and cycling paths along these routes, ensuring safe, independent travel without motorised traffic. Since 2014, over 280 km of these paths have been built, backed by a 143.4 million euro investment, resulting in zero accidents involving vulnerable users and increased pedestrian and cyclist presence.

Technology and innovation >> Traffic lights of the future – Center for Traffic Management Bavaria observed that vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists face considerable safety challenges at intersections and crossings due to insufficient markings, traffic light issues, and lack of pedestrian priority. To improve safety, Bavaria has implemented intelligent systems in traffic lights, including emergency vehicle prioritisation, collision warnings, pedestrian green time requests, and cyclist priority features like an intelligent bicycle totem. These innovations benefit larger groups, schoolchildren, wheelchair users, and elderly pedestrians.

Education >> LEARN! Leveraging Education to Advance Road Safety Now! – The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) recognised that road safety education for children varies widely across Europe, lacking a unified methodology and platform for sharing best practices. The LEARN! project aims to standardise and enhance traffic safety education throughout Europe. To achieve this, the project creates and shares reports that offer recommendations, guidance, resources, and inspiration for road safety education professionals. Policy recommendations are also provided for decision-makers. Key publications, the LEARN! Key Principles and LEARN! Manual, were developed with expert input. The LEARN! Flash series offers shorter reports on specific traffic safety topics, and since 2019, the project has hosted the annual European Traffic Education Seminar. LEARN! materials have supported national learning goals, promoting a cohesive approach to road safety education across Europe.

Urban >> Bologna City 30: more safety and more space for people – Commune di Bologna acknowledged that in Italy, 73% of crashes occur on urban roads, with Bologna experiencing the third-highest road death rate among major cities. The City 30 initiative tackles this by setting 70% of the city as a 30 km/h zone, investing €24 million in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, launching awareness campaigns and an ambassador programme, and increasing police patrols for law enforcement. Nearly 20,000 residents shared feedback, and online engagement was high. Early 2024 data shows promising results, with a 14.5% drop in crashes and a 12.6% drop in injuries.

The winners in the motorcycle category are Martin Winkelbauer (left) and Gerald Höher from the KFV Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit, for their innovative road markings that guide riders through dangerous bends. After winning the award, Martin Winkelbauer said: “I am very thankful, this was probably the best day in my professional life. Special thanks to the Jury for considering our initiative best among three outstanding activities for the sake of motorcycle safety!” (Photo: Wim Taal).

Motorcycling >> Special road markings on bends – KFV (Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit, Austrian Road Safety Board) highlighted that research shows that motorcyclists often ride too close to the centre line on left-hand bends with limited visibility, increasing the risk of sudden evasive actions and loss of control. This project aims to mitigate such risks by adding W-shaped road markings beside the centre line, encouraging riders to keep their heads safely within their lane. This self-explanatory, user-friendly measure has proven highly effective, achieving an 80% reduction in injury-related crashes and is adaptable to various road conditions. Click here to read an article FEMA published about the markings.

Platforma VIZE 0 was chosen by the audience at the awards ceremony to receive the People’s Choice Award. Their awareness campaign about aggressive drivers was innovative and eye catching – delivering great results and safer roads.

To learn more about the projects, watch the videos by clicking here.

Written by Wim Taal

Source: ERSC

Top photograph courtesy of KFV/Martin Winkelbauer

This article is subject to FEMA’s copyright

 

 

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