Road work is a vulnerable place to work, and it is therefore important that passing road users slow down properly.
According to the insurance companies, between 30 and 40 TMA cars, which are used as protection in road works, are scrapped, each year according to Svevia. One of Svevia’s own TMA cars is hit every 12.6 days on average.
– This is a major work environment problem in the industry. In addition to the obvious risk of being hit, it also creates a mental stress for our machine operators and road workers, says Svevia’s project manager Tim Ljung.
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Tested radar at roadworks
Svevia has done a test with radar at its road works, as a way to get motorists to slow down.
Specifically, radar signs were used, which show the motorists approaching the road work how quickly they drive, in some of their road works.
The point of the project, which started in 2023, has been to investigate whether drivers lower the speed if they are noticed about their speed.
So became the difference with radar
The results clearly show that the passing drivers lowered their speed by an average of 13 km/h.
The number of reported incidents, as well as the perceived stress for machine operators and road workers, also dropped with the radar signs.
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Lower risk of fatal accidents
An average reduction of speed by 13 km/h corresponds to a decrease in the risk of a fatal accident or an accident where someone is seriously injured by 70 and 60 percent, respectively.
The risk of an accident in which someone is injured mildly drops by 31 percent, while the risk of damage to property drops by 23 percent.
Tim Ljung is very positive about the results of the study, and states that Svevia will continue to use radar signs.
– The biggest difference is visible on the major traffic routes at higher speeds. Another very important result is the machine driver’s own experience that feels greater security, says Tim Ljung.
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