Safer
roads ahead
It’s up to all of us to improve road safety. Authorities, vehicle manufacturers, road designers, motorists, pedestrians and dozens of other contributors all play a role in keeping each other safe. This edition, we profile some innovative remedies that have been designed to help protect us on the road.
Words: Andrew Rasch
RJAWS
This road safety feature sounds like the latest sequel to the blockbuster movie about a giant shark, but it’s much more than that. Rural junction active warning systems (RJAWS) are installed at select high-speed intersections in rural areas to help reduce the likelihood or severity of crashes.
When a vehicle approaches an RJAWS intersection from a minor road, it triggers underground sensors. This warns vehicles on the main road near the intersection – with an electronic sign that temporarily reduces the speed limit or flashing advisory speed signs – that a vehicle is approaching the intersection from the side road.
In 2022, the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Automotive Safety Research (CASR) released an evaluation of RJAWS in rural South Australia. CASR found that the treatment was expected to reduce the average risk of a casualty crash occurring at the trialled junctions by up to 65 per cent.
Dr Christopher Stokes from CASR says RJAWS are likely to become more common at risky road junctions across SA.
“Although their use will remain limited, we expect RJAWS to be used at intersections with a higher-than-usual safety risk,” Christopher says.
You’ll see examples of RJAWS at the intersections of Cudlee Creek Road and Fox Creek Road, Cudlee Creek; McLaren Flat Road and Baker Gully Road, Kangarilla; and Malpas Road and California Road, McLaren Vale.
3D dragon teeth
We’re not talking about mythical, fire-breathing lizards. The dragon teeth in question here are three-dimensional, painted blue and white triangles, arranged in pairs on each side of the road lane. They aim to reduce traffic speed by grabbing drivers’ attention and warning them there’s a low-speed zone ahead.
CASR was also involved in the dragon teeth project to develop and trial the markings with SA’s Department for Infrastructure and Transport earlier this year.
Dr Mario Mongiardini from CASR says data from the trial is being collected, with results to be assessed in the coming months.
“If it proves successful, the markings may be installed – with potential modifications – at additional sites in the future,” Mario says.
Currently, there are four Adelaide roads with dragon teeth, including at zones along Magill Road, Magill, and Beach Road, Christies Beach, which both have high pedestrian activity.
Raised pedestrian actuated crossings
This type of road safety measure combines a traditional, traffic light-controlled pedestrian crossing with a raised pedestrian crossing. Pedestrians must push the button and wait to cross, but drivers need to slow down to negotiate the raised section, even if the traffic light is green. Slowing traffic improves pedestrian visibility for drivers and lessens the impact if there’s a collision.
If you’ve driven on the upgraded section of Hutt Road in the CBD lately, you’ll have noticed this type of crossing between South Terrace and Glen Osmond Road. This is the first of its kind in SA, but more are planned for Port Adelaide and on other roads that pass through the Adelaide Park Lands.
Compact roundabouts
As the name suggests, a compact roundabout is a smaller version of a traditional roundabout. Compact roundabouts are cheaper to build and often more appropriate where speed limits are lower or where land acquisition is difficult.
Their main design benefits come from managing vehicle speeds via raised platforms at the entry points, instead of the traditional reverse curves on a larger roundabout.
If you’re travelling through McLaren Vale, you’ll find a compact roundabout (the first of its kind in rural SA) at the junction of Chalk Hill Road, Olivers Road, and Field Street.
The City of Onkaparinga’s Acting Director of Operations, Matt Buckell, says the roundabout has improved safety for road users.
“When the intersection was controlled with stop signs, northbound and southbound vehicles travelled through at between 60km/h and 70km/h,” Matt says.
“The probability of a death from a side-impact crash at those speeds was about 80 per cent.”
However, since the compact roundabout was installed, motorists are negotiating the intersection at about 25-30km/h.
“A collision at these speeds is unlikely to cause injury,” Matt says.
Final question
You might wonder why you have to slow down at an intersection or a pedestrian crossing, especially when you may have priority and you’re paying attention. But think about it. If it costs less than 10 seconds of your day and reduces the likelihood of a serious crash occurring, isn’t that a price worth paying?
IMAGES: RAA/Mike Lockheart, Wil Stevens.
