Application Of Safety Inspections For Evaluation Of Two – Lane Regional Roads In Poland

Cafiso S.; Kieć M.; Milazzo M.; Pappalardo G.; Trovato F. · 2014 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.2478/ace-2014-0031

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Summary

This study addresses the need to improve the efficiency and quality of Road Safety Inspections (SIs) for two-lane regional roads in Poland by adapting established Italian methodologies. Motivated by European Directive 2008/96/CE, which mandates safety management for existing road networks, the research aims to implement the Italian IASP (Identification of Hazard Locations and Ranking of Measures to Improve Safety on Local Rural Roads) procedure in Poland. A key objective was to overcome the limitations of existing Polish guidelines, which lack quantitative risk assessment capabilities, by integrating the Italian Risk Index (RI) model and utilizing low-cost digital equipment. The methodology involved comparing Italian and Polish SI procedures and developing a unified approach. Researchers created a specialized Android application that synchronizes GPS data, video recordings, and digital checklists via Bluetooth, allowing inspectors to record data continuously while driving at 30 km/h. The study tested this system on approximately 100 km of rural two-lane roads in the Malopolska region of Poland. To ensure compatibility, the Italian checklist was modified to include specific Polish safety issues, such as vegetation, road drainage, bike paths, and geometric design consistency, while excluding irrelevant items. The Risk Index was formulated using three components: Exposure Factor (based on length and traffic volume), Accident Frequency Factor (derived from inspection findings and design consistency), and Accident Severity Factor (based on roadside hazards and speed ratios). The results demonstrated a strong agreement between the Italian and Polish approaches, though modifications were necessary to account for safety issues characteristic of the Polish network. The unified checklist allowed for efficient, continuous analysis of 200-meter road segments. The study found that while Italy experiences a higher frequency of accidents, Poland exhibits higher accident severity, as indicated by mortality crash ratios. The application of the adapted IASP procedure successfully enabled the quantification of accident risk on Polish roads, a capability previously absent in national guidelines. The digital tools proved effective in simplifying data collection and linking inspection findings to specific road locations. The significance of this work lies in providing a validated, cost-effective framework for enhancing road safety management in Poland. By integrating quantitative risk assessment into routine inspections, road agencies can better prioritize remedial measures and improve the safety of existing infrastructure. The study confirms that adapting international best practices, such as the Italian IASP method, to local conditions through careful calibration and technological support can significantly improve the reliability and effectiveness of safety inspections for rural two-lane roads.

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