` Methodological approach in identifying critical models in road traffic safety and reorganizing potentially dangerous elements of the road infrastructure based on statistical data and scalable simulations Kulev, Mladen Ruse University (BG) Drashkov, Rostislav Ruse University (BG) Otat, Oana University of Craiova (RO) Table of Contents 1. I NTRODUCTION 3 2. P ROJECT S COPE AND G OALS 2 2.1 P ROJECT S COPE 2 2.2 P ROJECT G OALS 3 3. M ETHODOLOGY 3 3.1 R EAL D ATA AND A NALYSES 2 3.2 I DENTIFICATION AND P RIORITIZATION OF THE R ISK F ACTORS 3.3 O PTIMIZATION P ROPOSALS 3 3.4 S IMULATION OF THE P OSSIBILITIES 3 4. A SSESSING THE EFFECT OF THE PROPOSED VARIANTS 4 5. I NTERESTED AND CONCERNED PARTIES 6 6. C ONCLUSIONS 6 7. R ECOMMENDED LITERATURE 7 8. R EFERENCES 7 1 APPENDIX 1: Road accident simulation APPENDIX 2: Temporary infrastructure solutions for increasing road safety and accident prevention APPENDIX 3: Proposals for the regulation of roads outside populated areas (state and district roads) 2 Methodological approach in identifying and reorganizing possibly dangerous nodes of the road infrastructure based on statistical data and scalable simulations Abstract: The paper Keywords: Traffic Safety, Road Accidents, Injuries, Prevention, 1. INTRODUCTION With the invention and the following broad implementation of automobiles inevitably came traffic accidents. Reasonably their relation is directly proportional and unfortunately with increasing tendency until the beginning of the 21 st century. This matter concerns the well-being of citizens all over the world. Still, in this paper, we are focusing on the European Union as a base of research on the data from the National Institute of Statistics of Romania. In 2003, the European Commission adopted its third European action program for road safety, aiming to halve road deaths by 2010. The target wasn’t entirely met and the program decided to continue with a target to halve the overall number of road deaths in the EU by 2020, starting from 2010. Between 2008 and 2018 the fatalities in road accidents in the EU Member States fell by 37%. The number of persons killed in road accidents in the EU for 2018 has been estimated at 52 per million inhabitants on average. Though there are considerable differences between the Member States, two with significantly higher rates – Romania (96) and Bulgaria (87). These differences in mortality rates may reflect a combination of reasons, such as differences in the safety level and age of the vehicle stock, road design, and the enforcement of traffic rules in different countries [1]. To adopt and put into action the most appropriate steps to lower the risk of collisions, concerted efforts have been made to assess and identify those factors contributing to the incidence of accidents. Since the dynamics of a traffic collision vary from case to case, safety measures may only be put in place after thorough investigations into the frequency of traffic accidents. The major goal of our research project is to create and develop an analysis model to help lower the number of fatalities and incidents to absolute zero. Our focus falls on Accident Risk Control – the technical measures and behavioral modifications directed to eliminate, reduce or detect risks of road accidents that can lead to severe injuries and fatalities. 3 2. PROJECT SCOPE AND GOALS 2.1 Project Scope For the purpose of the study analytical methods are applied to define the critical model based on real data for a predefined period and a certain area, the territory of Romania. The data used are delivered by the National Institute of Statistics of Romania. The data is free to access. On a macroscopic level, it is possible to use data from local Traffic Police (Traffic Enforcement Authorities) and include traffic accidents that occurred on the territory of municipalities or any user-defined research area - on the communal, county, and national roads, streets, and other types of roads. Such an approach is based on significantly more detailed information and is to deliver focused results, leading to proposals of precisely tailored and accurately addressed safety measures. 2.1.1. When selecting the input data to be taken into account in the study, the following criteria are selected: a) Place of occurrence; b) Involved parties; c) Consequences; d) Visibility; e) Driver’s condition; f) Type of collision; g) Road condition. 2.1.2. Determination of criteria for systematization and evaluation of road accidents: a) The place of occurrence is a highway or other type of road (communal, national, and county roads) in populated areas or in unpopulated areas; b) At least one moving vehicle was involved in the accident (vehicle-pedestrian, vehicle-obstacle, vehicle-to-vehicle); c) Consequences are injuries or fatalities; d) Visibility - daylight, night time or reduced light/visibility; e) Driver’s condition - if is under the influence of alcohol or other substances; f) Type of collision - rear, frontal, lateral and other; g) Road condition - dry or wet/frozen and other roads; With the aim to reduce subjectivity when assessing road accidents, the following factors will not be taken into account in the study: the drivers' gender, age, and driving experience, as well as general meteorological conditions, except for the road condition. It is assumed that the predominant task of assuring road safety in Romania in general, is an obligation of the National Company for Road Infrastructure Administration (C.N.A.I.R-S.A.) regardless of the drivers' characteristics and weather conditions. Depending on the different examined areas there are different authorities. 4 2.2 Project Goals The major goal of our research project is to create and develop an analysis model to help lower the number of fatalities and serious incidents to absolute zero. The focus falls on Accident Risk Control – the technical measures and behavioral modifications directed to eliminate, reduce or detect risks of road accidents that can lead to severe injuries and fatalities. Based on the analysis model to define proposals for possible infrastructure improvements and integration of contemporary traffic management systems (including ATES - Automated Traffic Enforcement Systems). To outline the necessity of collaboration between institutions, regulators, and authorities to put in coherent efforts, and respectively achieve the set results. To underline the importance of regular informational campaigns for increasing public awareness and road safety culture. 3. METHODOLOGY In our research, we’ve combined different approaches and thus created a proposal of methodology for the identification of critical models in road traffic safety and to propose the most appropriate safety measures evolving from an assessment of the presented risk factors. It is dependent on collaboration with the authorities and it involves developing a data-based model to classify road accidents in a certain area to suggest targeted interventions to improve safety based on the identification of patterns and possible causes of crashes. To ensure a full understanding of the causes and circumstances of road traffic fatalities we need the good data management and analytical arrangements. Aggregate police data on road traffic collisions can be invaluable to urban and road planners in identifying engineering solutions needed to reduce accidents. The possible causes for road accidents are many but can be generally related into 4 groups: 1. Human factors 2. Vehicles malfunction 3. Road Infrastructure 4. Weather conditions At the present time we are unable to directly influence the weather or the vehicles’ operational condition constantly, but it is a fundamental requirement for road safety to ensure relevant infrastructure. Human behavior on the other side is also affected by the surrounding environment, which the infrastructure is part of. The reasoning of this thesis is based on road accident statistics. At the same time, the methodology of evaluating long-term trends in the dynamics of traffic safety still requires improvement. For the systematization of the approach we have defined 4 stages to focus on: 1. Detailed and in-depth information analysis and data classification by pre-defined criteria 2. Identification and prioritization of the risk factors 3. Develop recommendations for addressing the identified risk factors 5 4. Simulations and assessment of the recommendation’s effects For the first stage, we systemize the information based on the predefined criteria and identify the patterns of occurrence regarding different factors. Aggregate police data on road traffic collisions can be invaluable to urban and road planners in identifying engineering solutions needed to reduce accidents. In the second one, following the analysis results we aim to identify the risk factors which are prerequisites for the occurrence of the accidents. The third stage consists of indicating the types of measures to increase traffic safety and analyzing the applicability of the different solutions based on a qualitative assessment of the risk factors present at a studied location or area. The last stage is to simulate the results of the proposed solutions and to assess the effects of their implementation. 3.1 Real Data and Analyses The foundation for attaining "zero road deaths" and incorporating its concept into the traffic safety management system in any place and area is knowledge of the whole range of road accident causes and techniques of their prevention. Identifying and assessing the factors that contribute to traffic accident occurrence is of particular importance in drafting and implementing effective measures to increase road safety [3]. By analyzing the information for a defined period and on a regulated time interval we can determine the areas prone to increased accident risks [3]. Improvement of transport security is possible only if there is a response to the changes on a real-time scale [9]. Factors creating conditions for serious road accidents taken into account in our study: 1. Violation of traffic rules, speeding, takeover, etc.; 2. Improper road design and maintenance - Infrastructure condition; 3. Condition of the participants - alcohol or substances influenced; 4. Visibility conditions. We included additional data yearly for the studied period, 2018-2021, regarding the type of collision, the severity of the accidents, location, time, and conditions as well as participants under the influence of alcohol involved in the incidents to give more credibility to our comparative analysis. In our statistical analysis, we classify traffic accidents by severity: ● Deadly ● Injuries When reliable data is available then they can be further identified by place and frequency of occurrence i.e. identification of the so-called black spot. 6 Year 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total Number of Road Accidents 30202 31146 22836 26805 Number of injured and dead Injured 38709 39669 29571 33233 Dead 1867 1864 1646 1779 Total 40576 41533 29571 35012 Table 1. Total number of road accidents and injured in years, distinguished by the severity of the accident Year 2018 2019 2020 2021 Severity F I T F I T F I T F I T January 143 2698 2078 115 2382 1845 120 2604 1995 127 2001 1576 February 104 2157 1701 117 2065 1671 113 2357 1841 126 1962 1564 March 105 2488 1916 118 2715 2152 114 1778 1487 96 2015 1634 April 147 3137 2489 109 2853 2227 59 903 808 120 2089 1742 May 148 3388 2713 104 2997 2401 100 1725 1449 131 3085 2542 June 134 3210 2527 164 3642 2825 138 2638 2166 162 3172 2568 July 167 3771 2847 167 4070 3122 168 3032 2460 179 3718 2934 August 175 4227 3236 208 4537 3454 194 3251 2634 183 3902 3072 September 194 3658 2915 168 3926 3092 193 3026 2523 180 3332 2696 October 208 3712 2924 188 3617 2892 139 2511 2062 176 2575 2132 7 November 161 3074 2460 189 3233 2673 138 1873 1575 158 2528 2080 December 181 3189 2396 217 3596 2792 170 2227 1836 141 2854 2265 Table 2. Total number of accidents per month and the number of injured, and dead Year 2018 2019 2020 2021 Number and severity of the accidents F I T F I T F I T F I T Vehicle - Pedestrian 647 8228 8434 693 7884 8176 550 5278 5532 576 6065 6344 1 Vehicle Involved 429 8788 6779 378 9183 7158 373 7078 5884 391 8099 6652 Vehicle to Vehicle Rear 84 3933 2778 91 4177 3000 93 2487 1886 80 3218 2428 Lateral 193 8559 5984 192 8820 6186 192 6134 4533 191 7519 5475 Frontal 331 4170 2217 319 4083 2252 277 2945 1665 334 3552 2007 Other 183 5031 4010 191 5522 4374 161 4003 3336 207 4780 3899 F=Fatalities, I=Injured, T=Total number of accidents Table 4. Yearly number of accidents according to the type of collision for the period researched Year 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total Number of accidents 3621 4834 2666 2341 Dead 146 157 102 27 8 Injured 1082 1066 580 2314 Participants in accidents under the influence of alcohol Total 3654 3844 2999 3173 Pedestrians 504 580 395 410 Cyclists 828 991 785 806 Bikers 73 73 63 60 Car drivers 1600 1509 1164 1279 Drivers of other mechanically propelled vehicles 649 691 592 618 Table 5. Traffic accidents involving persons under the influence of alcohol that caused injuries or dead 9 Year 2018 2019 2020 2021 Number and severity F I T F I T F I T F I T By location On highways 24 418 213 44 469 265 33 243 165 40 364 227 Communal, national and county roads in populated areas 1183 30158 24943 1212 31134 25778 1076 21978 18756 1110 26150 22110 Communal, national and county roads outside of populated areas 660 8133 5046 608 8066 5103 537 5704 3915 629 6719 4468 By visibility Daylight time 1069 27912 21880 972 28657 22431 933 19964 16410 1084 24510 19819 Reduced light/visibility 440 7940 6276 508 8043 6504 418 5895 4830 390 6579 5392 Night time/darkness 358 2857 2046 384 2969 2211 295 2066 1596 305 2144 1594 By road condition Dry road 1441 30517 24246 1463 32641 25958 1315 22991 19123 1396 27016 22063 Wet, frozen or other roads 426 8192 5956 401 7028 5188 331 4934 3713 383 6217 4742 Table 6. Traffic accidents caused injuries or dead according to the time, place, and conditions of their occurrence. Based on the statistical analysis we conclude that ~20% of the accidents included in our research are vehicle-to-vehicle lateral collisions. The percentage of accidents involving parties under the influence of alcohol varies from ~15.5% for 2019 to ~12% for the 2018 and 2020 years, followed by a significant 25% reduction to 9% for 2021. Approximately 82.5% of the total road accidents occurred on communal, national, and country roads in populated areas. More than 70% during daylight time and more than 80% on a dry road. These observations imply that the majority of accidents are due to various, intentional or not violations of the traffic rules [non-compliance with the road markings, limitations & road signs] and are probably caused by the human factor. To further prevent these occurrences a dedicated approach is necessary. We propose the prerequisites to be identified and to limit or eliminate them if possible. 10 3.2 Identification and prioritization of the risk factors Several criteria can be used to evaluate traffic safety factors, including Crash data: This includes information on the number and severity of crashes that occur on a particular road or at a specific location or area. Roadway design: Factors such as the presence of sidewalks, bike lanes, and median barriers can affect the safety of a roadway. Traffic volume: High traffic volume can increase the likelihood of crashes and make it more difficult for emergency vehicles to respond. Speed: Higher speeds can increase the severity of crashes. Roadway lighting and signage: Adequate lighting and clear signage can improve visibility and help prevent crashes. Weather conditions: Poor weather can make it more difficult for drivers to see and maneuver, increasing the risk of crashes. Human factors: Factors such as driver behavior, fatigue, impairment, and distraction can contribute to the likelihood of crashes. The few of them that can be influenced are subjects of the next chapters. 11 3.3 Optimization Proposals Nowadays, the operation of the road network is much more intensive than in any previous year, and this requires the introduction of innovative technologies for development and sustainability. For the purposeful integration of optimizations in a system to be possible, it is necessary to have an objective assessment of the current state of the system. To be objective, structural analysis and synthesis of the system should be done first. Thus identify the constituent elements and determine the interrelationships between them. Driver - Vehicle - Road – Environment System Road traffic safety is influenced by three major categories of factors: the technical condition of the vehicle, the behavior and the characteristics of the driver, and road and visibility conditions. For our study, we define two types of road traffic organization - temporary and permanent. This is mainly due to the need for maintenance and repair of the road network, but also from occurrences such as natural disasters, road accidents, obstruction/blockage of the road, and others. The main types of traffic safety policies implementation are law enforcement, engineering countermeasures, and increasing user awareness, which could be also fulfilled with engineering solutions under certain circumstances. Fig. 1 A logic model; Interventions at organizational and individual levels aimed at reducing road traffic crashes around the world [17]. 12 Based on the effect on the elements of the system they could be classified as active or passive, [to affect them directly or indirectly]. For example, passive is the road markings and signs, and active is the gate arm before the railway crossing. Active law enforcement is the direct road traffic control by the respective authorities and passive-speed cameras. [Should we give an example of an active and a passive engineering solution?] Law enforcement - the use of automated traffic enforcement facilities offers real opportunities for implementing the principle of certainty of punishment, reduction of the number of latent violations, absence of subjectivity when detecting violations, reduction of the number of conflict situations between the traffic police and drivers, as well as respecting the rights and lawful interests of road users [14]. Deterrence is particularly effective when drivers perceive they are likely to be caught and punished and any punishment administered should be severe and administered in a timely fashion. According to the Global Road Safety Partnership, the fear of being caught and penalized for traffic offenses is a more powerful motive for reducing speed than the fear of being involved in an accident [16]. Engineering countermeasures - effective engineering plans take into consideration both infrastructure and technology. A well-designed infrastructure reduces road hazards and promotes the safety of road users. The countermeasures can respectively be infrastructural and technological. The second can be separately vehicle-related and infrastructure-related, each increasing road and vehicle safety while reducing fatal accidents. Examples of infrastructural engineering countermeasures are the improvement of road designs and including the strategic allocation of roadside barriers, the creation or improvement of pedestrian walkways and crossings, the creation or improvement of bicycle lanes and crossings, well-planned allocation of traffic signals, road, and speed limit signs, appropriate implementation of speed management infrastructure, e.g. speed bumps, etc. Vehicle-related technologies (vehicle design and installed technology) are seatbelts, airbags, Advanced Braking Systems (ABS), Alcohol interlocks, and black box devices. Infrastructure-related (technology used on the roads) are advanced radars and speed cameras, point-to-point systems, tailgating cameras, changeable Message Signs (CMS), Variable Speed Limit (VSL) signs, etc. Regarding increasing user awareness, for our work, we assume that the time of problem display must be greater than the identification and neutralization time for effective management. This is defined by the reaction time being formed by the time of problem identification together with The problem neutralization time. In forensic examinations, the driver’s reaction value is 0.8 seconds and the average response to a visual signal is 0.1-0.3 seconds. It’s obvious that we could not affect these times, but a provoked visual impact could trigger an 13 increase in the awareness of the driver and thus he would limit the speed avoiding the risk of severe accidents. That’s in theory, but the actual application in the practice is dependent on multiple dynamic and quite different factors, ranging from social and public, administrative and financial(GDP) to geographical location and climate. The possible crossing point between the active and the passive optimization solutions could be set by the 3D road markings. They’re 2D designs that use multi-colored paint to create an optical illusion of a three-dimensional raised/uneven surface when viewed from the perspective of a driver. The degree of realism of virtual shapes is correlated with speed selection-reduction [2]. They’re not physically affecting the vehicle or the road, but actively the driver’s behavior so that he reduces the speed at approaching the visual objects, which increases the time before the problem is displayed. The state of art artificial intelligence and extended/virtual reality technologies are expanding the range of testing drivers’ reactions in diverse simulated environments and under various conditions. The results are helping speed up the evaluation and analyzing the efficiency of production and implementation of new measures/solutions. Some of the components to increase road safety include, but are not limited to road markings and signs, traffic lights, roundabouts, and neckdowns, median barriers, speed humps, and cameras, intersection lighting, Intelligent transport systems, right-of-way enforcement, separated bike lanes, and improved pedestrian infrastructure, and various other road signaling and safety equipment. 3.4 Simulation of the Possibilities Based on the conclusions from the statistical analysis we choose to propose a reorganization of intersection [и там което е кръстовището - “ За тази цел, след анализ на данните за трафика в град Крайова, беше избрано кръстовището между ул. „Калеа Букурещ“, ул. „Александру Йоан Куза“ и булевард „Карол I.“ Изборът на участъка се основаваше на факта, че това кръстовище е едно от най-натоварените точки на град Крайова, особено през делничните дни, по време на пътуването до и от работа.” ]... We simulate the proposed variants by using simulation software, for example, PTV Vissum. 14 4. ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF THE PROPOSED VARIANTS Mobility and road transport in particular are stochastic systems. It is impossible to give a completely accurate assessment of the effect of any simple or composite traffic safety measures, and interventions even with the most detailed/in-depth analysis. In our approach, we seek to identify the potential dangers originating from the insufficiency of regulations and/or the lack of direct/sufficient law enforcement. The occurrence of any traffic accident can be attributed to speed, which can be expressed as a function of various factors. The predominant factor contributing to the severity of any traffic accident is again speed. It is also the key parameter for transport. Despite that, the “allowed” vehicle speed on the roadway element often reflects the balance between mobility/accessibility and safety unfortunately it is even more often neglected by drivers. Especially where there is not enough road enforcement or a lack of automated traffic observance and control systems. If we can control traffic speed, we could partially control traffic safety, but for sustainable results, this must be complemented by measures such as intelligent traffic management systems or other state-of-art solutions to optimize the traffic flow and thus attain continuous traffic speeds, increased mobility efficiency, and road safety. It is necessary to analyze traffic patterns and to simulate/model the impact of interventions on the same. A real evaluation of the impact on safety comes with the practical exploitation of the possible interventions/measures/reorganizations. It is important to continue monitoring the impact on safety, traffic flow, and community as well as to gather and compare the old and the new data, regarding the number and severity of traffic accidents. Based on the dynamics of the monitored and gathered data there might be a need for adjustments to the reorganizations/measures over time to ensure that it is effective and sustainable. In our approach, we are defining as a base criterion for the efficiency of the proposed interventions the conflict points on the road. Based on the software simulations we assess the estimated effect of the proposed variants by comparing the resulting conflict points count. For Optimization proposal #1: For Optimization proposal #2: For Optimization proposal #3: 15 5. INTERESTED AND CONCERNED PARTIES Road safety should not be viewed unilaterally as written down in legal language road traffic rules and requirements for road vehicles and their drivers, but rather as a complex of social, legal, scientific, and economic conditions for the normal and effective existence of traffic on the roads and for the provision and preservation of the most significant good - human life. There are several interested and concerned parties when it comes to traffic safety, including: - Government agencies, whose responsibility is to ensure the safety of all road users by setting regulations and standards for road design, traffic control, vehicle technical condition, and drivers; - Automotive manufacturers, who must design and manufacture vehicles that meet safety standards while developing and implementing advanced safety technologies; - Road users, as they are an integral part of the problem, have a personal interest in ensuring not only their own safety but the safety of others. They are drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians; - Insurance companies, due to the nature of their business, are concerned with the costs associated with traffic accidents and are motivated to support initiatives that reduce the number and severity of accidents; - Emergency services, being the ones responding to traffic accidents, are concerned with the safety of all road users and minimizing the harm caused by traffic accidents; - Advocacy groups that represent the interests of various road user groups advocate for safer roads and vehicles; - The general public, that has a general interest in traffic safety, may support initiatives to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents. These are some of the main groups that are interested in and concerned with traffic safety, but there may be others depending on the specific context. The effective delivery of any strategy needs to have clear governance arrangements that include all contributing agencies with clear roles and responsibilities, as well as inputs that are quantifiable and monitored. Any governance body has the authority to access the resources necessary to deliver any strategy with the single objective of reducing the number of road fatalities [16]. Due to the complex nature of traffic safety, concerted actions and measures based on expertise and recommendations from the participating and affected parties are necessary. It is important to understand that the multilateralism of the matter defines the need for compromises for the decisions and actions to take place. This would lead to effective and inclusive partnerships with a shared objective - to reduce road traffic fatalities with a clear plan and accountability. 16 Fig. 1. Key stakeholders engaged in traffic safety Due to their characteristics, some of the methods and instruments can be utilized only based on partnerships and collaborations. They can be governed by a cross-sectional group that is responsible for safety promotion in their community, for programs that document the frequency and causes of injuries, evaluation measures for programs, processes, and the effects of change. For the process of reducing and preventing road accidents to be sustainable, reliable information alone is not sufficient. It should be included in a multi-step control system involving several units and be regularly summarized so that trends can be drawn and the focus can be directed to current problems promptly! 17 6. CONCLUSIONS The qualitative assessment of traffic safety is vital not only for comparing safety conditions across different regions but also for evaluating the effectiveness of regional programs aimed at improving traffic safety. By conducting a comparative assessment of traffic safety level indicators, policymakers can adjust their policies and objectives in the transport sector, taking into account the experiences of other regions. This approach can help refine and improve regional programs for traffic safety improvement, ensuring their effectiveness in reducing the frequency and severity of traffic accidents. The essential components required for a successful road safety strategy are data, engineering, education, enforcement, and partnership. By combining those 5 elements, it is fundamentally possible to have - safer roads, vehicles, speeds, and people. Any effective strategy needs to be built on reliable data. This ensures that activities are targeted at those factors most contributing to road traffic fatalities. All high-performing countries have good-quality data systems (with high accuracy and integrity) on which to base policies, regulations, and initiatives. The Safety Net project, a study undertaken by a consortium of key European Road Safety Research Institutes on behalf of the European Commission, found that data should be collected using a consistent, transparent, and independent framework with no interference from stakeholders. It is also crucial to train investigators on how to investigate traffic collisions and accurately collect reliable data [16]. Current trends and outcomes are a product of past behaviors and habits. To achieve future targets, it is necessary to narrow the target range by clearly defining and refining the responsibilities associated with it. This involves diversifying the responsibility across different applicable levels and fine-tuning the responsibilities as much as possible to ensure their effectiveness. In our work, basic trends in accident rate changes are assessed based on the analyzed statistical data for the selected region for 2018–2021. The initial data are represented by the total number of road accidents, and the number of people killed and injured in road accidents. With the suggested improvements we can achieve ... Law enforcement is critical in turning the education and engineering efforts into effect, in order to achieve a completely Safer System. Reduction of a middle speed by 5% can lead to a reduction of lethal traffic accidents by 30%. One of the methods to reduce the average speed is the construction or reconstruction of roads with the addition of elements restraining traffic. Information on the results of measures application makes it possible to decrease the confidence interval and improve the choice substantiation quality as a package of measures for road accident concentration points, as well as individual measures for the implementation of municipal formations on motor roads and street and road networks. 18 One of the tasks for the creation of regional target programs for the enhancement of traffic safety levels and road accident reduction is the selection of the corresponding activities on a limited budget. This requires a scientific approach that is to provide the substantiation of the decisions made. Some approaches propose to solve this task by evaluating the investment attractiveness of traffic safety measures implementation. Last but not least, integrating cognitive technologies into vehicles and transport infrastructures is a highly promising approach for reducing the number and severity of road accidents. By utilizing self-learning and self-development mechanisms, these technologies can significantly increase the intellectualization of the transportation system, resulting in improved safety and saved lives. 7. RECOMMENDED LITERATURE [1] System Engineering: an Introduction to the Design of Large-Scale Systems, Harry H. and Robert E. Machol Goode [2] ROSEMAN Kompendium, KFV (Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit), Slowakische Technische Universität Bratislava (STUBA), ISBN – Printversion: 978-3-7070-0109-9, ISBN – pdf Version: 978-3-7070-0110-5 [3] MODELE DINAMICE PENTRU ANALIZA IMPACTULUI LA VEHICULE, Oana Victoria Oțăt, ISBN: 978-606-14-1386-7 8. REFERENCES [1] Energy, transport and environment statistics 2020 edition, Eurostat, ISBN 978-92-76-20736-8 ISSN 2363-2372 doi:10.2785/522192 KS-DK-20-001-EN-N [2] Perception of 3D Virtual Road Markings - Based on Estimation of Vehicle Speed, Aleksandar V. Trifunović, Svetlana J. Čičević, Dragan M. Lazarević, Magdalena S. Dragović, Nataša D. Vidović, Marijana R. Mošić, Oana V. Otat [3] Analyses and statistics on the frequency and the incidence of traffic accidents within Dolj County, Oana OŢĂT, Gabriel MARINESCU, Victor OŢĂT [4] ANALIZA, MODELAREA ŞI OPTIMIZAREA CIRCULAŢIEI RUTIERE ÎN ZONA UNIVERSITĂŢII DIN CRAIOVA, Prof.univ.dr.ing. Victor OŢĂT, Asist.univ.dr.ing. Oana Victoria OŢĂT [5] Implementing road safety measures in conditions limited by budget, Viktor Korchaginа, Anatoly Pogodaeva, Vladimir Kliavina, Vladimir Zelikov [6] Improvement of road traffic safety in the zone of unsignalized pedestrian crossings, Sergey Dorohin, Vladimir Zelikov, Gennady Denisov [7] Finite element method for reconstruction of road traffic accidents, Sergei Evtiukova, Egor Golova, Grigory Ginzburg 19 [8] Strategies to reduce traffic accident rates in developing countries: Lessons learned for assessment and management, Article in International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering · January 2018, Ilse Schoeman [9] Cognitive technologies for providing road traffic safety in intelligent transport systems, Igor Malygin, Vladimir Komashinskiy, Oleg Korolev [10] Methods for numerical estimation of the traffic safety level at at-grade intersections, Anatoly Plotnikov [11] Method of mathematical justification for using 3D zebra crossing, Vyacheslav Burlov, Fedor Gomazov [12] Methods for traffic management efficiency improvement in cities, Valentin Silyanova, Valeriy Kapitanova, Olga Monina, Aleksandr Chubukova [13] System dynamics of process organization in the sphere of traffic safety assurance, Victor Kolesov, Artur Petrov [14] A model for justification of the number of traffic enforcement facilities in the region, Ravil Safiullina, Alexey Marusina, Alexander Afanasyevc, Mukhtar Kerimov [15] Model of the strategy for reducing the road accident rate in the city, Vitaliy S. Borovika, Dmitriy Skorobogatchenko, Vitaliy V. Borovik [16] A Guide for Policy Makers: on Reducing Road Fatalities, Andrew Morley, Professor Andrew Morris, Michael Abi Semaan, Dr. Graham Hancox, [17] Effects of interventions for preventing road traffic crashes: an overview of systematic reviews, Ronald Fisa, Mwiche Musukuma, Mutale Sampa, Patrick Musonda and Taryn Young [18] MIJLOACE DE TRANSPORT, VEHICULE ÎNMATRICULATE ŞI ACCIDENTE DE CIRCULAŢIE RUTIERĂ (2018-2021), INSTITUTUL NAŢIONAL DE STATISTICĂ ROMÂNIA [19] https://insse.ro/cms/ro [20] 20