EuroRAP

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European Road Assessment Programme

EuroRAP AISBL is a not-for profit association registered in Belgium.

EuroRAP is a sister programme to EuroNCAP, the European New Car Assessment Programme.

In partnership with national motoring organisations and local authorities, EuroRAP assesses roads in Europe to show how well the road would protect life in the event of an accident.

The aim of EuroRAP is to promote safe “self-explaining and forgiving” roads.
Self-explaining roads show road users with a clear road layout where they should be and what they should do to keep safe. Pedestrian refuges for example show where to cross and make crossing easier, furthermore they calm down drivers' speed and restrict overtaking.
Forgiving roads are designed to protect road users in the event of a crash. For example safety fences are used to separate fast moving traffic from people and to cushion crashes when they happen.

EuroRAP subscribes to a safe system approach to road safety – 5 star drivers in 5 star cars on 5 star roads. Drivers who obey the law (wear seatbelts, obey speed limits and have not consumed alcohol), who drive 5 star EuroNCAP cars should live if they crash on a 5 star road.

With their approach, the association wants to advance road-traffic safety by improving road design.

EuroRAP aims to reduce the number of road deaths in Europe in accordance with the European Commission goal to half the number of road deaths in Europe between 2000 and 2010.

1 Protocols
2 EuroRAP history
3 National Partners by country
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Protocols

EuroRAP uses three different protocols for showing the safety level of a road.

[edit] Risk Mapping

Risk maps show the risk a driver faces on a certain road derived from the accident history of the road.
There are different kinds of ratings:
- number of fatal and serious accidents per km
- number of fatal and serious accidnets per billion vehicle km travelled

[edit] Performance Tracking

The changes in numbers of accidents on a certain stretch and the changes made to that road are observed over time. Together with the measures taken on the stretch of road, the most effectiv countermeasures to reduce road deaths can be identified.

[edit] Star Rating

The Star Rating map shows the extent to which a road protects the driver in case of an accident. As errors are human, a small mistake in driver behaviour shouldn't lead to a fatal outcome.
Therefore, an inspection vehicle drives along the road and notes the road safety features. Special attention is given to
- the design of the road side as unprotected posts, trees and other hard obstacles are hazards in case of a car running off the road
- the median as head-on collisions can be prevented by a separation of the lanes with for example median barriers
- the junction design as at-grade junction bare a higher potential for side-impact crashes than roundabouts or grade-separated junctions

[edit] EuroRAP history

2000-2001:

First pilot projects (identification of available data) in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden

2002:

foundation of EuroRAP by the motoring clubs of Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands
first risk mapping in Great Britain
risk mapping in Sweden
risk mapping in the Netherlands
risk mapping in Spain

2003:

EuroRAP AISBL registered in Belgium as an international not-for profit organisation
Finland, Austria, France, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Slovenia joined the association
first road inspections in Sweden
performance tracking in Great Britain
performance tracking in France
risk mapping in Italy
performance tracking in Italy