EuroRAP

European Road Assessment Programme

The European Road Assessment Programme "Associations internationales sans but lucratif", more commonly known as EuroRAP AISBL is an internationalnot-for profit association registered in Belgium.

EuroRAP is a sister programme to EuroNCAP, the European New Car Assessment Programme.

In partnership with national motoring organisations and local authorities, EuroRAP assesses roads in Europe to show how well the road would protect life in the event of an accident.

The aim of EuroRAP is to promote safe “self-explaining and forgiving” roads. Self-explaining roads show road users with a clear road layout where they should be and what they should do to keep safe. Pedestrian refuges for example show where to cross and make crossing easier, furthermore they calm down drivers' speed and restrict overtaking.

Forgiving roads are designed to protect road users in the event of a crash. For example safety fences are used to separate fast moving traffic from people and to cushion crashes when they happen.

EuroRAP subscribes to a safe system approach to road safety – 5 star drivers in 5 star cars on 5 star roads. Drivers who obey the law (wear seatbelts, obey speed limits and have not consumed alcohol), who drive 5 star EuroNCAP cars should live if they crash on a 5 star road.

With their approach, the association wants to advance road-traffic safety by improving road design.

EuroRAP aims to reduce the number of road deaths in Europe in accordance with the European Commission goal to half the number of road deaths in Europe between 2000 and 2010.

Protocols

EuroRAP uses three different protocols for showing the safety level of a road.

Risk Mapping

Risk maps show the risk a driver faces on a certain road derived from the accident history of the road. There are different kinds of ratings:
* Number of fatal and serious accidents per km
* Number of fatal and serious accidents per billion vehicle km traveled

Performance Tracking

The changes in numbers of accidents on a certain stretch and the changes made to that road are observed over time. Together with the measures taken on the stretch of road, the most effective countermeasures to reduce road deaths can be identified.

Star Rating

The Star Rating map shows the extent to which a road protects the driver in case of an accident. As errors are human, a small mistake in driver behaviour shouldn't lead to a fatal outcome. Therefore, an inspection vehicle drives along the road and notes the road safety features. Special attention is given to:
* The design of the road side as street furniture such as unprotected posts, trees and other hard obstacles are hazards in case of a car running off the road
* The median as head-on collisions can be prevented by a separation of the lanes with for example median barriers
* The junction design as at-grade junction bare a higher potential for side-impact crashes than roundabouts or grade-separated junctions.

EuroRAP history

2000-2001

* First pilot projects (identification of available data) in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden

2002

* foundation of EuroRAP by the motoring clubs of Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands
* first risk mapping in Great Britain
* risk mapping in Sweden
* risk mapping in the Netherlands
* risk mapping in Spain

2003

* EuroRAP AISBL registered in Belgium as an international not-for profit organisation
* Finland, Austria, France, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Slovenia joined the association
* first road inspections in Sweden
* performance tracking in Great Britain
* performance tracking in France
* risk mapping in Italy
* performance tracking in Italy

2004

* Iceland, Northern Ireland, Italy joined the association
* road inspections and star rating in Germany
* pilot road inspections in Switzerland
* pilot road inspections in Finland
* risk mapping in France

2005

* Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia joined the association
* road inspections and star rating in Spain
* risk mapping in Switzerland
* risk mapping in Austria
* risk mapping in Ireland (Republic of Ireland + Northern Ireland)
* performance tracking in Spain

2006

* Portugal, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria joined the association
* road inspections and star rating in Iceland
* road inspections and star rating in the Republic of Ireland
* road inspections and star rating in the Netherlands
* road inspections and star rating in Switzerland
* risk mapping in Belgium

2007

* performance tracking in Belgium
* risk mapping in Slovakia

2008

In July 2008 EuroRAP became a partner in the Campaign for Safe Road Design which is calling on the UK government to make safe road design a national transport priority cite web|url=http://www.saferoaddesign.com/media/2024/safe%20roads%20final.doc|title=SAFE ROAD DESIGN TO SAVE UK £6BN EVERY YEAR|accessdate=2008-10-01 |format=Word DOC |publisher=Campaign for Safe Road Design ] .

National Partners by country

Austria

* OEAMTC [http://www.oeamtc.at]

* ASFINAG [http://www.asfinag.at]
* Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit [http://www.kfv.at]
* Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie [http://www.bmvit.gv.at]

Belgium

* TCB [http://www.touring.be]
* BRRC [http://www.brrc.be]

Bulgaria

* UAB [http://www.uab.org]

Croatia

* HAK [http://www.hak.hr]

Czech Republic

* UAMK [http://www.uamk.cz]
* Cityplan CZ [http://www.cityplan.cz]
* Policie Ceske Republiky [http://www.mvcr.cz]
* Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic [http://www.mdcr.cz]

Denmark

* FDM [http://www.fdm.dk]

Finland

* Autoliitto [http://www.autoliitto.fi]
* FINNRA [http://www.tiehallinto.fi]

France

* FFAC [http://www.automobileclub.org]

Germany

* ADAC [http://www.adac.de]
* Mercedes-Benz [http://www.mercedes-benz.com]
* Schniering [http://www.schniering.com]
* Oberste Baubehörde des Bayrischen Staatsministerium des Innern

Great Britain

* Road Safety Foundation [http://www.roadsafetyfoundation.com]
* Highways Agency [http://www.highways.gov.uk]
* County Surveyors Society [http://www.cssnet.org.uk]
* Transport Research Laboratory [http://www.trl.co.uk]

Hungary

* KTI [http://www.kti.hu]
* MAK [http://www.autoklub.hu]

Iceland

* FIB [http://www.fib.is]
* Ministry of Communications [http://www.samgonguraduneyti.is]
* Road Traffic Directorate

Ireland

* AA Ireland [http://www.aaireland.ie]
* National Roads Authority [http://www.nra.ie]
* Department for Regional Development [http://www.drdni.gov.uk]
* Road Safety Foundation [http://www.roadsafetyfoundation.com]

Italy

* ACI [http://www.aci.it]
* ISTAT [http://www.istat.it]

Netherlands

* ANWB [http://www.anwb.nl]
* AVV [http://www.rws-avv.nl]
* CROW [http://www.crow.nl]

Norway

* NAF [http://www.naf.no]

Poland

* FRIL [http://www.fril.org.pl]

Portugal

* ACP [http://www.acp.pt]

Slovakia

* SATC [http://www.satc.sk]

Slovenia

* AMZS [http://www.amzs.si]

Spain

* RACC [http://www.seguridadvial.org]
* RACE [http://www.race.es]
* Ministerio de Fomento [http://www.mfom.es]
* Servei Catala de Transit [http://www.gencat.net/transit]
* Direccion Gral de Trafico [http://www.dgt.es]

Sweden

* Motormannen Riksforbund [http://www.motormannen.se] [http://www.eurorap.se]
* Swedish Road Administration [http://www.vv.se]
* Sweco Position [http://www.sweco.se]

Switzerland

* TCS [http://www.tcs.ch]

See also

* A24 road (Northern Ireland)
* A165 road
* A1079 road
* Road-traffic safety

References

External links

* [http://www.EuroRAP.org EuroRAP official homepage]
* [http://www.iRAP.net iRAP international Road Assessment Programme]
* [http://www.AusRAP.org AusRAP Australian Road Assessment Programme]
* [http://www.usRAP.us usRAP United States Road Assessment Programme]