Road safety audit review at Tulkarem city in term of humps, pedestrian crossing and signs, and the provision of a smart solution to enhance safety
Date
2018
Authors
Hana Jamal Shebli
Dana Numan Omar
Naema Bassam Daraghmeh
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Abstract
Humps, pedestrian crossings and intersection controlling signs are very important components to reduce the potential for accidents and ensure safety, if properly installed and respected by road users. However, if the drivers don’t see them from a distance, they could not satisfy their roles. Humps even then might cause accidents, driver discomfort and sever damage to vehicles.
Information technology and its applications in many fields are of a great increasing importance. The transportation field, by default is not an exception. This is mainly due to the worlds increasing trend towards expansion and mobility requirements, which need massive use of transportation.
This study used modern technology to provide smart solution to assist in solving the problem of accidents caused by lack of attention to the presence of humps, pedestrian crossings and traffic signs. To obtain its objective, the study has two stages. The first stage of project was field studies and the research and study on smart transportation, visit institutions which are thought to be relevant to the research and collect data on accidents correlated to these elements and conduct field studies. Such studies includes collecting data on the location and other key characteristics of each of humps, pedestrian crossing and traffic signs on Tulkarem City, which is chosen as an example for the pilot study, such as dimensions, coordinates, shape, type, and nearby land use. At the first stage humps, pedestrian crossings and intersection traffic control signs were assessed through examine compliance to standards and guidelines for locating them, the locations uploaded as a database for an application which can be used by the drivers to warn them from a distance of the location of each of three components. In the second stage, the mobile application is tested and modified. Studies and research about correlation between accidents and these component were conducted. Based on the gathered information from stage one and detailed information on accidents, the importance of humps is determined and whether they need to be removed, relocated, or kept as they are. Finally, the presence of signs and pedestrian crossings in the required location and good vision of road users is verified. The result of this study may enhance safety and comfort of the drivers and pedestrians.