Media statement | 22 May 2007

'SWATT' team takes out road safety engineering award

An innovative road engineering project which has helped to dramatically reduce the severity of crashes State Highway 1 in the South Waikato and Taupo districts has earned Transit New Zealand top prize in the road engineering category of the New Zealand Road Safety Innovation and Achievement Awards.

The 200 kilometre stretch of road from Piarere to the Desert Road Summit had a poor safety record, with 803 reported crashes between 1998 and 2002, 118 of which were fatal or serious.

A multi-agency team lead by Transit and also including Police, Land Transport NZ, ACC, Environment Waikato, Opus International Consultants, the University of Waikato, and the South Waikato and Taupo District Councils was set up to investigate potential means of reducing crashes.

Collectively known as South Waikato and Taupo Target 2010, or SWATT, the team evaluated the crash history on this stretch of SH1, and found a major factor was drivers crossing the centre line or leaving the road. In response, a multi-faceted engineering project was set up to keep drivers on the road and in their lane. The measures included:

• Installing 114km of ‘audio tactile’ (AT) edgelines and centrelines (also know as ‘rumble strips’) to warn drivers when they stray from their lane
• Widening road-marking edgelines
• Improving advisory signage for curves
• Improving skid resistance on the road surface, particularly on curves.

Since completion of the physical works at the end of March 2006, the number of fatal and serious crashes has reduced significantly, with social costs reducing from $34 million a year (2002-2006) to $12 million for the 2006/07 year.

“The use of a range of road engineering measures to assist drivers has produced results. Installing significant lengths of audio tactile markings means less danger of head-on crashes,” said awards judge Michael Gross.

The project also optimised the information available to drivers. It made extensive use of advisory chevrons so that safety warnings are in front of drivers as they approach curves rather than behind them, requiring them drivers to remember information for the upcoming curve.

“The judges thought that this was an innovative and successful project that brought together a collective approach of skills including backing up the engineering focus with enforcement and education programmes,” says Mr Gross.

For more information
Andy Knackstedt
Media Manager
Land Transport New Zealand
Ph: 04 931 8829 or 0212 763 222

Background information on the awards

The Road Safety Innovation and Achievement Awards programme is funded by the Road Safety Trust and administered by Land Transport New Zealand. The awards organising committee includes representatives from the New Zealand Automobile Association, the AA Driver Education Foundation, New Zealand Police, ACC and Land Transport New Zealand.

The aim of the awards is to recognise excellence and encourage innovation in road safety.

There are six categories, plus the Premier award:

• Road Safety Education Award
• Road Safety Community Award
• Road Safety in Organisations Award
• Road Safety Vehicle-based Award
• Road Safety Road Engineering Award
• Road Safety General Award

All entries in the were evaluated by a three member expert judging panel comprised of Michael Gross, Dr Carolyn Cogan, Director of the Safe Communities Foundation of New Zealand, and Suzanne Sinclair, chair of the Road Safety Trust.