Principles of road design under a Safe System

The Safe System requires a paradigm shift in the way road designers and project managers think about road safety. Road designers, builders, operators and those that manage roads all have a key role in providing a road that is safe for all users. This paper outlines various deficiencies in the traditional road design philosophy and proposes a new road design approach based on the Safe System. Key milestones in the evolution of international policy on the Safe System are outlined including its adoption as a guiding principle for the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020). The traditional "blame the victim" approach is contested. The science behind the Safe System and "what works" is well established. This paper provides a brief summary of the key principles to designing a safe road. The next step is to ensure the systematic application of these principles in road design.