Road Traffic Safety
Road traffic safety is the process of reducing
the risk of a person getting injured while
using roads
Engineers design roads to protect people
and get people to their destination in a timely
manner
Facts on Road Safety
2.35 million people are injured or disabled
due to traffic crashes every year
Correct use of seat belts reduces risk of
injury or death by 61%
Nearly 8,000 people are killed in crashes
involving drivers ages 16-20 every year
What are some ways that engineers
keep roads safe?
Barriers
Road design
Speed limits
Traffic lights
and signs
What do barriers do?
Separate oncoming
traffic
Prevents cars from
veering off the road,
and serious injuries
Protects
construction workers
and pedestrians
Types of Barriers
Concrete Barriers
Traffic Cones/Guards
Guard Rail Barriers
Steel Cable Barrier
Road Designs
Road and civil engineers design roads for
specific areas
Determine the vehicles that will pass through and
how many lanes will be needed
Design shoulders on side of roads – used to pull
over during emergency
Speed Limits
Sets maximum
speed which
vehicles can
legally go
Created to control
flow of traffic
Vehicle weight
and stopping time
put into
consideration, as
well as location
Traffic Lights and Signs
Another device to
help control traffic
Traffic lights also
help flow of traffic by
stopping traffic from
one direction to the
next
Signs advise drivers
what to expect
ahead in the roads
and how to act while
driving
What should you do in an emergency?
Pull over to the side of the road, preferably
off the road or on the shoulder
Put on hazard lights and make other vehicles
know you’re parked
Get help by calling
police or local
services
Exercise caution!
Careers
• Salary: $55,000 - $65,000
• Education: Bachelor’s
• Experience: 0-2 years
Civil Engineer
• Salary: $47,000 - $55,000
• Education: Bachelor’s
• Experience: 0-2 years
Transportation
Engineer
• Salary: $51,000 - $59,000
• Education: Bachelor’s
• Experience: 4 years
Geotechnical
Engineer
• Salary: $38,000 - $57,000
• Education: High School Diploma/G.E.D/Some College
• Experience: 0-2 years
State Patrol
• Salary: $33,000 -$42,000
• Education: High School Diploma/G.E.D.
• Experience: 0-2 years
Construction
Worker
Civil Engineer
Civil engineers are able to develop plans to
create and design roads
Planning involves estimating the costs of
projects and the dates that projects may be
finished
Transportation Engineer
Determines speed limits and placements of
signs along roads by forecasting traffic flow
Ensures that the roads are safe, well-
organized and cost-effective
Geotechnical Engineer
Helps planning in creating safe roadways by
testing if the area’s ground is suitable
Surveys and maps geographic information
and relays the information to civil engineers
State Patrol
Enforces road safety laws such as speed
limits and distracted driving
Gives people tickets and warnings for not
following laws
Construction Worker
Builds and maintains roads to specific
standards
Uses heavy machinery to complete tasks
Activity
Design your own 3D Model of Transportation
Effectiveness and Roadway Safety
First, use the grid paper to plan out your roadways
Must include:
○ Barriers
○ Speed limits
○ Shoulders
○ Traffic signs
○ Multiple lanes
Take your roadway plan and create a 3D Model
with different roadway materials

Road Design and Safety

  • 2.
    Road Traffic Safety Roadtraffic safety is the process of reducing the risk of a person getting injured while using roads Engineers design roads to protect people and get people to their destination in a timely manner
  • 3.
    Facts on RoadSafety 2.35 million people are injured or disabled due to traffic crashes every year Correct use of seat belts reduces risk of injury or death by 61% Nearly 8,000 people are killed in crashes involving drivers ages 16-20 every year
  • 4.
    What are someways that engineers keep roads safe? Barriers Road design Speed limits Traffic lights and signs
  • 5.
    What do barriersdo? Separate oncoming traffic Prevents cars from veering off the road, and serious injuries Protects construction workers and pedestrians
  • 6.
    Types of Barriers ConcreteBarriers Traffic Cones/Guards Guard Rail Barriers Steel Cable Barrier
  • 7.
    Road Designs Road andcivil engineers design roads for specific areas Determine the vehicles that will pass through and how many lanes will be needed Design shoulders on side of roads – used to pull over during emergency
  • 8.
    Speed Limits Sets maximum speedwhich vehicles can legally go Created to control flow of traffic Vehicle weight and stopping time put into consideration, as well as location
  • 9.
    Traffic Lights andSigns Another device to help control traffic Traffic lights also help flow of traffic by stopping traffic from one direction to the next Signs advise drivers what to expect ahead in the roads and how to act while driving
  • 10.
    What should youdo in an emergency? Pull over to the side of the road, preferably off the road or on the shoulder Put on hazard lights and make other vehicles know you’re parked Get help by calling police or local services Exercise caution!
  • 11.
    Careers • Salary: $55,000- $65,000 • Education: Bachelor’s • Experience: 0-2 years Civil Engineer • Salary: $47,000 - $55,000 • Education: Bachelor’s • Experience: 0-2 years Transportation Engineer • Salary: $51,000 - $59,000 • Education: Bachelor’s • Experience: 4 years Geotechnical Engineer • Salary: $38,000 - $57,000 • Education: High School Diploma/G.E.D/Some College • Experience: 0-2 years State Patrol • Salary: $33,000 -$42,000 • Education: High School Diploma/G.E.D. • Experience: 0-2 years Construction Worker
  • 12.
    Civil Engineer Civil engineersare able to develop plans to create and design roads Planning involves estimating the costs of projects and the dates that projects may be finished
  • 13.
    Transportation Engineer Determines speedlimits and placements of signs along roads by forecasting traffic flow Ensures that the roads are safe, well- organized and cost-effective
  • 14.
    Geotechnical Engineer Helps planningin creating safe roadways by testing if the area’s ground is suitable Surveys and maps geographic information and relays the information to civil engineers
  • 15.
    State Patrol Enforces roadsafety laws such as speed limits and distracted driving Gives people tickets and warnings for not following laws
  • 16.
    Construction Worker Builds andmaintains roads to specific standards Uses heavy machinery to complete tasks
  • 17.
    Activity Design your own3D Model of Transportation Effectiveness and Roadway Safety First, use the grid paper to plan out your roadways Must include: ○ Barriers ○ Speed limits ○ Shoulders ○ Traffic signs ○ Multiple lanes Take your roadway plan and create a 3D Model with different roadway materials