Very soon, the traditional cones that indicate the presence of works on the road will be replaced
replaced by smart devices. The new signs will be able to avoid traffic accidents thanks to the fact that they can be warned in real time and in advance of the proximity of works in progress.
These cones, geolocated and emitting flashes of light, will allow companies to install and turn them on when work begins, so that a traffic incident is automatically triggered at the DGT’s Traffic Management Center and this information is shared in real time through the DGT 3.0 Platform. and the
National access pointin such a way that the driver can obtain information in advance about the execution of the works during his journey.
In this way, the safety of the operators working on the road at the dangerous moment of placing these signs is increased, as well as that of the drivers who will pass that point and who can receive the information via the variable message boards on the road. and in their own connected cars.
The Director-General for Transport,
Peter Navarroand the person in charge of the demarcation of the state roads in Madrid,
Gloria Ramos, were responsible for the presentation of the new connected works cones, which will be put into operation shortly. It is not the first time that these elements are used in the test phase. Last July, its use was already tested during the Galician cycling event «Gran Fondo Ézaro-Fin do Camiño».
According to the DGT, they are performed every year on the road
more than 10,000 works that cause more than 100,000 traffic management incidents, i.e. traffic closures, lane narrowing or diversions that need to be signaled.
The implantation and placement of these signs is:
one of the most dangerous jobs for road authorities, as it is an element of surprise for drivers who have not been informed in advance. In this sense, the Directorate-General for Traffic has proposed “real-time warning of the proximity of works in progress” as a line of action in the field of increasing road safety via the informative luminescent panels.
According to data from the National Road Traffic Accident Register, there were 158 road accidents related to road and maintenance work in 2021, of which
17 engaged workers who worked or they walked like pedestrians on the road or in its vicinity. Of these 17 victims, 2 were killed when hit by a vehicle that either drove over the road works section at too high a speed compared to the limit set for that section or from which the driver was distracted. The other 141 road accidents involving parts of works involved conservation and maintenance workers in their vehicles.
Signage is one of the relevant actions reflected in Spain’s 2030 Road Safety Strategy, which identifies safe roads as a strategic area, in accordance with the Integrated Safe Systems Approach, and as one of the lines of action in that area it is assumed that promoting safe, sustainable and intelligent infrastructure and road safety management procedures and design solutions.
signage
in the sections of works It fulfills a double mission as on the one hand it organizes traffic and adapts it to the new road conditions, and on the other it adapts traffic to the presence of operators working on the road for better protection. Correct signaling is especially important in these cases because they must provide drivers with as much information as possible in order to adapt their driving behavior to the circumstances of the case.
The presentation of
the new cones It coincided with the start of the new surveillance and control campaign by the Directorate-General for Traffic, which was launched last Monday and which this time will focus for the first time on works on interurban traffic routes.
This campaign, which will last
until next Sunday October 30thwants to emphasize driver compliance with roadwork signs, both to help reduce risks inherent in the human factor, such as overspeeding on those sections, inappropriate lane changes or distraction.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
