Embedding the Safe System approach at schools in Qatar

Abstract

Providing safe roads around schools is a challenge faced by all communities. Children’s behaviour is unpredictable and their safety is of particular concern in an area where there is often a mix of vulnerable road users and motor vehicles. In 2011, Ashghal commissioned a major road safety contract to conduct road safety assessments at 200 schools throughout Qatar. The results have since been collated into a comprehensive school safety improvements program and Ashghal is now constructing safe and convenient school zones for all road users throughout Qatar, based on the principles of a Safe System. The Qatar National Road Safety Strategy (2013-2022) has a vision of “a safe road transport system that protects all road users from death and serious injury” and adopts the Safe System as the guiding principle for building safe roads. The Safe System acknowledges that people make mistakes and that there is a limit to human injury tolerance. For example, a pedestrian hit at 30km/h is likely to survive (OECD, 2008). Whereas, a pedestrian hit at 60km/h is likely to be killed. Schools in Qatar are being treated with standard traffic engineering measures in a way that aims to achieve a Safe System 30km/h environment. Schools that have been completed show tremendous success and the benefits are being directly felt by parents, teachers, children and key stakeholders. Survey results show that vehicle speeds within school zones are successfully lowered to Safe System limits and that these speed reductions are being achieved over a 24 hour period without the need for Police enforcement. The improvements carried out to date have been well received and are seen as a positive step towards Qatar’s ambitious road safety vision. Site observations and speed surveys undertaken to date support the proposition of developing Safe System schools in Qatar.