Speed management proposal - Essay Example

SPEED MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL By Introduction Safety and mobility that are traits of performance of transport were indicated via speed both directly and indirectly. For shippers, motorists and the industry for commercial transport, it is not desirable to have the machines operating at high speeds. Speeds that are higher translate to travel times that are lower and thus an indication that mobility is good. Moreover, complexity and lack of clarity exist between safety and speed. Probability of speed effects still has very few consensus points. Highways of high speed are a factor that is complicated since crashes involved are very small. However, such highways also have design features that can be distinguished but it is still difficult to separate other traits from the speed effects. A general agreement that exists is that injuries on the roads increase because of speed and so objectives of safety and mobility can be conflicting. Globally, over speeding is one hell of a predicament to control in our roadways and is an immense contributor to most of the accidents witnessed both in rural and urban areas by traffic officials and residents. It is a belief by many individuals that eradication of speeding will save people’s lives by driving at a speed that is appropriate (Ioainnoou, 1997, pg 216). A road accident is considered related to over speeding if the driver is charged with an offense of over speeding. Additionally, if a traffic officer who is on the location indicates that the driver at some point was over speeding past the required speed limit when the accident occurred then it became over speeding-related. Road accidents related to over speeding have led to many deaths worldwide and, as a result, the community, and insurance firms have incurred excessive costs. Accidents or crash are more likely to happen the faster a driver drives and the higher the risk of getting injuries that are brutal and even loss of life. Accidents and speed relate to another due to a number of dependent factors. For instance, how severe the injury of the occupants of the vehicle involved in a crash is not only determined by the speed that resulted in the collision but also the difference in mass of the two involved vehicles. Speed has a more important part in cases that are more intricate like it happens on urban roads as compared to motorway routes that are less complex. In either situation, the effect of the measures of over speeding is examined by absolute speed of driving, types of roads and the differences of speed of the involved vehicles. Management of speed includes enforcement, engineering and education to the public to help in eradicating accidents on roads that relate to over speeding of vehicles. Actually, this would help uphold the movement of road users in an orderly manner. Time of engineers of traffic and energy is consumed in building residential streets and local roads, and thus few traffic accidents are always experienced in such areas. This paper discusses enforcement of the law by traffic officers, engineers of traffic and the public to the concept of tranquilizing the traffic that may aid in eliminating over speeding among drivers (Chen, 2008, pg 115). Calming of traffic is the use of controls that are physical and public support to reduce the adverse effects of caused by motor users, change behaviors of drivers and safeguard the pedestrians. Aims and Objectives Objectives of calming of traffic include reduction of speed in motor vehicles, crash frequency, and severity reduction. Additionally, increasing safety to pedestrians and installation of road safety measures to reduce the need for enforcement of laws by traffic police officers are part of traffic calming goals. Hypothesis Speed management as a measure to a reduction of road crashes Speed management not as a means of a decrease in road crashes Literature Review The principle objective of speed management is to increase is to reduce fatal accidents thereby increasing safety on the roads. It entails planning and designing the layout of a road in a manner that appropriate required speed can be attained. This paper seeks to understand the role of speed management in our roads and how it helps eradicate most of the witnessed crashes. It also examines the measures that would assist in safeguarding the users and non-users of highways. The paper also looks at the effects of speed and how severe the vehicle occupants can be brutally injured as a result of the speed of the vehicle. It reviews practices for locating and implementing limits of speed on all road types and providing guidance to drivers and other road users with alternative strategies for setting speed limits. It aims at strategies put forward improving understanding and recognition of the road users and non-users of the risks that can be encountered on different road types and the limits of speed that should be applied. Explanation on road safety, which ensures improved quality of individuals’ lives and balances that, is better between road securities, objectives of the environment accessibility by everyone. Additionally, high rate of reduction in the number of collisions of road traffic, injuries and deaths in which over speeding is a factor that contributes to the mentioned hazards. Transport research laboratory has verification on the effects of speed on collisions and crashes. Research on individual drivers indicates that when driving at a velocity of more than the average of 25% then a driver is in a more risky position to cause a crash. It is also observed that he can cause a crash six times more than a driver operating at a required average speed. Those who drink and drive are also more associated to road accidents. Further study proves that the number of collisions and crashes increases on every road type with an average speed that increases. The effect of speeding differs on different kinds of roads and is most experienced on roads that are slowest. Confirmed data shows that if the average speed reduces by 1mph then accidents are reduced by 5%. As per Napier University research, data indicates that people are aware that the speed limit they adopt while driving in the absence of any observation from traffic officers is always not safe to them. Methodology Work in the field was conducted along the roads in the U.K. Some of the roads were single carriage while some were dual carriageway with two lanes each running in the opposite direction. The location of measurement was set along the direction of East to West. The main methods that were identified for use in the collection of data were four. Such methods included mirror, radar meter, method of using radio and GPS observers in vehicles that are moving and use of spot speed. The four methods were initiated in two different phases. The data that is considered raw was adequately scrutinized by categorizing vehicles in the road into two distinctive groups such as light and heavy. The four methods of data collection are discussed below. Mirror The method of mirror is founded on the optical theory. Two mirrors were used during the observation period. The two mirrors were placed on a raised road site to make it easier for the mirrors to capture any reflection on the road. Additionally, there were also two tapes that were marked by the barrier considered to be central whose roles were to reflect the beginning and the end point of the sections that were measured. Such reflection could be observed on the mirror. Approximately a length of 40 meters was determined for the distance of traveling. Stopwatch was used in recording data as the vehicles were seen passing the beginning and the end points of the measured sections. Radar Meter Radar, introduced in the radar gun theory, has the effect of Doppler in which the frequency difference of a microwave can be measured. It enhances the precise achievement of the speed of an individual’s vehicle. During the session of surveillance, it was essential to have two observers to perform different roles (Raghavan, 2003, pg 121). The first observers role would be to read and record the vehicles’ speed passing on the road as observer two’s role would be to record the speed of both the heavy and light vehicles. Spot Speed Spot speed that is computed at a particular point on the road is known as spot speed. Measurement of spot speed can be used to obtain a sampled vehicle’s speed passing a particular highway or street at a given time (Hoyle, 1995, pg 101). There were marked spots on the road covering a distance of about 50 meters. A stopwatch was used to observe the vehicles speed as it passed over the marked lines of the beginning and the terminal points. Radio This measurement was efficiently conducted by two students in which the measurement distance was of a length of 100 meters. The two students were located at different points in which one was based at the starting point of the motor vehicle while the other was based on the end point of the mark. The student at the end point measured the speed of the vehicles using a stopwatch and recorded the data too. The two students communicated through the radios as the student at the starting point informed the one at the endpoint that the vehicle had already taken off for data to be taken appropriately. Work program The work program of the research was to identify issues of speeding and the causes of speed in roads and what can aid in speed management so as to protect lives. Students formed a team of speed management to observe the problem of speed and cover the speed management in different areas. Their goal was to use and come up with the most efficient measurement methods that can help avert crashes that cause severe injuries and result in loss of life. The study also sought to evaluate the efficacy of an approach that is wide-ranging to the problem of management of speed. The work program entailed collection of data posted speed limit assessment and to determine whether excessive speeds are the only causes of crashes. Crashes that were available were also reviewed, and data of roadway collected to pin down the factors that are associated with the causes of accidents on roads. Other speed management stakeholders were also consulted to learn more about management of speed in an efficient manner. The data was collected from accident records, concerned citizens and conditions of the roads in which there were frequent accidents. The team identified affected areas where frequent crashes were witnessed, and a thorough research was carried out on the causes of the crashes. The team also assessed the speed limits of vehicles and had the interest to check if the motorists voluntarily complied with the set speed limits. The team also had to verify if speed applied is more excessive than the set speed limits that are about a speed of about 85th percentile in which drivers are classified as prudent and reasonable. The team also identified roads that are unpaved and carried a research study whether there were frequent crashes witnessed in such routes. The discovery was that since such roads lack clear zones and areas for runoff then there should be a different set speed limit to minimize the rate of accidents. The whole program took a week to be accomplished as all the four mentioned speed factors had each of them being observed in a day. Data analysis Methods A sample of 30 vehicles was taken from both the light and heavy vehicles, and standard deviation of their speed calculated. Since setting limit of speed is a safety measure on roads, it is significant to know the impacts of speed on safety of road users. The severity of a crash is directly linked to the speed of a vehicle though there is a contradiction on the speed impact on the occurrence of the crash. The calculation of the standard deviation was done, and the measurement distribution of all the methods put into the record. On the other hand, there was a comparison between the four methods of measurements of the vehicles’ speed and normal distribution was also achieved. Moreover, after the field work, an analysis is carried out and irrelevant and complex data is disposed off. Theory of statistics was of relevance in the accurate analysis of the collected data as this helped in the description of the data more accurately. Further, for smooth and precise work, SPSS software and Excel were the most relevant in the compilation of data to avoid all the unnecessary errors. The data collected from the methods used in the field were tabled and used to plot curves of cumulative frequency. The curves were then used to obtain the mean, modal and median speeds of the sampled vehicles. The curves were also used in the computation of the standard deviation of the distribution of speed of the vehicles. Results Determination of the sample size by obtaining all the data collected in the field relied on a particular measure methods. For instance, when measuring the speeds of light vehicles, it was appropriate to use radio and mirrors to obtain the most accurate data. Time wasting while measuring the speed of the vehicles was avoided, just the most necessary data that was collected which represented the allocation features were taken into consideration. As a result, this aided in the analysis of the speed of the data. The standard deviation of the traffic engineering is always set at 5mph. Measurement of spot speed was used in the calculation of Time Mean Speed (TMS) whereby TMS was achieved by using the mirror and radar methods of measurements. Collection of the spot speed of vehicles is much aided by the radar gun as it is considered fastest and most convenient. The speed of the vehicles’ was determined while directly observing their speed. Moreover, the speed of the vehicles was also influenced ones the drivers learned that their speed was being monitored. The observed errors also resulted due to the site of the observer who could have been due to being placed in the opposite direction of the vehicle under observation. It was also discovered that radio and mirror measurement methods had errors that were generated from the end-point determination, the delays in the readings and lack of proper and efficient communication between the observers. The errors, however, were avoided via proper use of the mirrors that apply the theory of reflection in optics as they improved the visibility of the start and ends of the vehicles. Conclusion In this research, the principle objective is on examining the traits of each measurement method that was used on the site and the observed speed data scrutiny. It also aims at providing the most efficient method of calming of traffic. Calming devices of transportation that include bumps and speed humps, street closures, rumble strips and diverters of traffic among others are some of the most efficient methods of curbing the speed that might result in a crash. Moreover, brutal injury and unnecessary deaths are curbed. On the other hand, the most considered approach to be above board in speed measurement when comparing with the rest of the methods is radar. Nonetheless, when radar method is compared with mirror and radio methods of analysis, then it is found that external factors of the environment can be an uphill to avoid. As a result, the speed that is not expected is determined in the processing of data. Unexpected speeds can also result due to mechanical problems that include failure of the brakes. Statistics should properly be applied to the handling of data to provide the most correct and required analysis of the speed management. For proper speed management, residents and local officials must work together with the objective of safety improvement on streets of residents and also on road and non-road users. Safety alternatives that would help improve road safety through programs of calming of traffic should be fully explored. More of public education should be conducted to inform road users of the devices of traffic calming. The education can be done by the installation of adequate signs with warning directives markings by the roadside that are permanent. Other research studies also indicate that speed management can be well conducted by providing capacity that is adequate on the main streets. Though it is a costly method to use, it finally helps reduce the number of complaints in residential streets, as well as the improved safety of road users. References Organisation For Economic Co-Operation And Development, European Conference of Ministers Of , & Oecd/Ecmt Transport Research Centre. (2006). 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(2004). “Optimal transit route network design problem: Algorithms, implementations, and numerical results.” Rep. SWUTC/04/167244-1, Center for Transportation Research, Univ. of Texas at Austin, Tex. Read More