Speed Management and Safe Crossing on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway (N2) in Bangladesh
Speed-Management-and-Safe-Crossing-An-Experience-in-Dhaka-Sylhet-Highway-N2-in-Bangladesh
Speed-Management-and-Safe-Crossing-An-Experience-in-Dhaka-Sylhet-Highway-N2-in-Bangladesh
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Executive Summary<br />
Around 90% of the world’s road traffic deaths occur <strong>in</strong> low <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> middle <strong>in</strong>come countries<br />
(LMIC). <strong>Bangladesh</strong> has over 100 road traffic deaths per 10,000 motor vehicles, <strong>on</strong>e of the<br />
highest rates <strong>in</strong> the world. Most of the crashes occurr<strong>in</strong>g at ‘black spots’ <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> about 70% of<br />
crash fatalities occur <strong>in</strong> rural areas. This pilot dem<strong>on</strong>strati<strong>on</strong> project has been implemented<br />
<strong>on</strong> the <strong>Dhaka</strong>-<strong>Sylhet</strong> (<strong>N2</strong>) highway of <strong>Bangladesh</strong>. This road has many black spots <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> a high<br />
number of pedestrian fatalities. The pilot is <strong>in</strong>novative <strong>in</strong> both the selecti<strong>on</strong> of implemented<br />
<strong>in</strong>terventi<strong>on</strong>s (a comb<strong>in</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> of effective <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> relatively low-cost measures) <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>in</strong> the approach<br />
to m<strong>on</strong>itor pre- <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> post-<strong>in</strong>terventi<strong>on</strong> data.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>terventi<strong>on</strong> program comb<strong>in</strong>es small-scale <strong>in</strong>frastructural measures for traffic calm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
(e.g., us<strong>in</strong>g speed humps, signs, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> mark<strong>in</strong>g) with practical tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g (e.g., to school children)<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> active community <strong>in</strong>volvement. Three methods are used for m<strong>on</strong>itor<strong>in</strong>g: development of<br />
own crash database with local record keepers, speed analysis, <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>flict observati<strong>on</strong> study<br />
us<strong>in</strong>g video (DOCTOR).<br />
The dem<strong>on</strong>strati<strong>on</strong> project reveals some new knowledge <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> the precise causes of crashes <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
c<strong>on</strong>flicts. Buses are <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> 71% of dangerous road situati<strong>on</strong>s. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Speed</str<strong>on</strong>g><strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> overtak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
are the ma<strong>in</strong> risk-enhanc<strong>in</strong>g factors. The project has been fruitful <strong>in</strong> reduc<strong>in</strong>g excessive speed<br />
of the vehicles to moderate <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> hence improv<strong>in</strong>g overall crash situati<strong>on</strong><br />
After implementati<strong>on</strong> of the pilot, the crash database showed a 63% reducti<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> the number<br />
of crashes <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> a reducti<strong>on</strong> of over 70% <strong>in</strong> the number of people killed <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>in</strong>jured.<br />
An additi<strong>on</strong>al advantage of the <strong>in</strong>tegrated speed management program is that it can be<br />
implemented relatively quickly (<strong>in</strong> 6 to 12 m<strong>on</strong>ths) <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> that the cost-effectiveness is very high.<br />
Moreover, estimated social ec<strong>on</strong>omic return at 6000 % for this project which is tremendous.<br />
It’s clear from the study f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs that speed management <strong>in</strong>terventi<strong>on</strong>s can be effectively<br />
implemented <strong>on</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g dangerous roads <strong>in</strong> <strong>Bangladesh</strong> to improve road safety. Furthermore,<br />
the c<strong>on</strong>cept should also be an <strong>in</strong>tegral part of the design of new <strong>in</strong>frastructure. This speed<br />
management project can be implemented <strong>in</strong> many more risky locati<strong>on</strong>s al<strong>on</strong>g the highway,<br />
both <strong>in</strong> rural sett<strong>in</strong>gs as well <strong>in</strong> urban areas. Invest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> effective, low cost speed management<br />
programs will significantly reduce the number of crashes <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> makes the roads much safer<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> therefore we recommend the Government to <strong>in</strong>vest more <strong>in</strong> these programs. We str<strong>on</strong>gly<br />
recommend that the respective government agencies act now with decisive acti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> order to<br />
reduce the death <strong>in</strong> road by 50% with<strong>in</strong> 2020.<br />
Report <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Speed</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Management</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>and</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Safe</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Cross<strong>in</strong>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Dhaka</strong>-<strong>Sylhet</strong> <strong>Highway</strong> (<strong>N2</strong>) <strong>in</strong> <strong>Bangladesh</strong><br />
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