The aim of this study is to analyse whether the economic resources invested in roads—both investment in construction and expenditure on maintenance and conservation—have any influence on road fatality rates. Since this is a complex problem, and because there are many factors that can influence the fatality rate, other variables related to specific transport, socioeconomic and meteorological factors are also considered. The study was carried out using a panel data model, modelling road mortality as a function of 12 variables. The scope of the study is international, focusing on the interurban road network. Data were collected from 23 European countries for the period 1998–2016. The main results obtained are that both expenditure on road maintenance and conservation and the proportion of motorways in the total road network contribute to reducing road mortality. Contrariwise, greater investment in construction leads to an increase in the fatality rate.

Longitudinal road markings are a valuable aid in driving guidance. An increase in their width may influence driving and, therefore, road safety. Wider road markings generate a perception of a narrowing lane, which may induct drivers to reduce speed. The present study tries to verify if an increased width of longitudinal road markings actually helps one to drive more slowly, and consequently leads to enhanced road safety. For this purpose, three curves with reduced visibility were selected and driving speed was measured with normal and modified (wider) longitudinal road markings. The results showed a speed reduction effect of around 3.1% with wide road markings. The speed-reducing effect of wide marks was greater during weekends and with more intense traffic volume, while it was slightly attenuated by night. Finally, the calculation of some standard cases on a working day, and considering average traffic volume, gave the following speed reductions during the day and at night, respectively: for light vehicles, 2.24% and 1.96%; for heavy vehicles, 2.46% and 2.15%. In view of the results obtained, it may be said that using wide road markings can help reduce vehicle speed, thereby contributing to reduced traffic accidents and making road transport more sustainable.

No abstract

This study analyzes how economic resources invested in roads may affect mortality, depending on the level of economic development of a country. To this end, 23 European countries were classified into two groups—high-income countries and low-income countries—according to their average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita over the period 1998–2016. The economic resources are considered through the investment in construction and the maintenance expenditure. Further variables are included to control for several factors related to the infrastructure, socioeconomics, legislation, and meteorology. Fixed-effects panel data models were built separately for the interurban road network of each group of countries. These models also capture the international inequalities within each group and the country-specific national trend for the study period. The main results indicate a reduction effect on the fatality rate of road maintenance expenditure (in both groups), and of the investment in construction (in the low-income countries). Other variables—such as proportion of motorways, motorization rate, unemployment rate, GDP per capita, alcohol consumption, Demerit Point System, and mean annual precipitation—showed statistically significant results as well. Finally, the country-specific fixed effects and the country-specific trend were mapped geographically, to better reflect national conditions for achieving lower fatality rates in the high-income countries, and greater progress in reducing fatalities in the low-income countries. In the end, this study provides evidence to policy-makers that can help to achieve a safer and more sustainable transport system, namely, how to tackle an ongoing major problem—traffic-related deaths—when attending and allocating the economic resources that road infrastructure needs.

No abstract