On June 30, the RADAR project completed a webinar on Intelligent Transportation Systems and Speed Management.

Participants, representatives of local, regional, and national stakeholders, road safety experts, engineers, and distinguished professionals from the spectrum obtained information on tools that identify the effectiveness of speed management and found out how traffic speeds are managed as well as learned the ways they are measured. The webinar was exceptionally received, and the attendance was beyond every expectation.

The webinar was shaped by an interactive discussion on relevant road safety issues that focus on speed management and questioning the significance of safe speed as opposed to the statistically acceptable speed. According to prof. dr. habil Péter Holló: "Safe speed does not exist as speed changes constantly. There is no measure where we can speak that speed is safe." Marko Ševrović, Ph.D., Road Safety Engineer, European Institute of Road Assessment (EIRA-EuroRAP) agreed and completed that "we should change the terminology to statistically acceptable speed". He also concluded that "just posting a sign saying that your speed is being controlled, makes a difference."

The webinar was held by prof. dr. habil Péter Holló that has obtained the highest scientific degree (D.Sc) in transport sciences and is a regular member of several national and international scientific and professional organisations (IRTAD, FERSI, PIARC, etc.). Holló takes part regularly in road safety conferences, also publishing his research results. He has more than 550 publications. He also participates in the development of the unified system of national road accident types.

Assisting Holló and presenting a case study in Austria was Klaus Machata – an electrical engineer that has been with KFV (Austrian Road Safety Board) since 1993. He worked for the European Commission (DG-TREN, now DG-MOVE) during parts of the years 1996 and 1997. His current activities at KFV include international relations, the management of integrated safety programmes for all transport modes, and the participation in road safety working groups at the EU and OECD levels. He is an Austrian representative to the IRTAD and the ETSC PIN-Panel; between 2015 and 2018 he was vice-president of FERSI.

Another case study was presented by Gábor Pauer – a road safety expert and graduate research fellow at KTI Institute for Transport Sciences Nonprofit. He is currently doing his Ph.D. studies at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Pauer contributes to improving road safety by publishing several articles in the field of road safety as in general and focusing on autonomous transportation.

Webinars are proving to be a great formula for raising awareness on the latest trends in road safety, which RADAR aims to promote on all levels of the Danube region. The last webinar on Star Rating for Schools will be held on July 02 at 2:00 p.m. CET - more information HERE. 

More about the webinar on Safer Roads Investmentment Plans and Provisions for Vulnerable Road Users (Pedestrians and Cyclists).