After the tragic accidents in the summer, safety on the northern highway is being improved and brought up to current standards. Above all, the risk of microsleep should be minimized.
Two horror accidents within a few days in August on the northern highway in the Mistelbach district claimed five lives, including a baby and two small children. In both cases the cause is said to have been driver fatigue.
Investments in the guardrails
It is clear to those responsible that such tragedies must not happen again. As part of the repair work, rumble strips have already been installed at the accident sites, which emit acoustic and physical signals when driven over. In addition, so-called dike delays were built there. A guardrail leads directly from the dike to the road, which means that vehicles that stray from the road are “guided” back onto the road and it should no longer be possible to drive behind the guardrail. Operator Bonaventura has been working on the construction of dike extensions along the northern highway for two years.
The complete upgrade of the guardrails is under contract for 2024. “We are adapting it to the latest safety standards – far beyond the contractual requirements,” emphasizes Bonaventura director Peter Pelz.
Focus on accident clusters
In the event of an accident, emergency services reports are passed on to the responsible district authorities, who assess them and determine whether the location is a hotspot for accidents. “A similar accident happens three times in one place in a three-year period,” Pelz explains. In order to identify such places at an early stage, inspection trips take place regularly, which can result in action measures and recommendations.
Source: Krone
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