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Overview

New unsafe roads are being designed and built because national standards are out of date and or road authorities and design engineering cons lasting firms are unaware of today’s safety best practices and new state of the art technologies. In response, the IRF has created a complete and comprehensive world class safety training program — Safer Roads by Design™  — built to leave a lasting impression on attendees. Its intent is to introduce concepts that can be used to prevent accidents, as well as concepts that will help reduce the severity of accidents.

Safer Roads By Design™ is one of the most comprehensive road safety training programs in the world.

Target Audience

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• Road Authorities
• Concessionaires
• Road Design Consultants
• Contractors
• Distributors
• Representatives
• Maintenance Personnel
• Law Enforcement
• Academia

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Roadside & Median Safety Applications (Forgiving Highways)

Authorities need to understand how the interaction among the driver, vehicle and the road can prevent or reduce the severity of traffic accidents. When drivers make mistakes with a steering wheel in their hands, the result can be a very serious traffic accident. While these accidents will never go away, it is possible to design highways using today’s technology to make these impacts less severe. In effect, this technology is forgiving motorists when they make mistakes, and not making the motorists pay for their mistakes with their lives. This is the definition of the Safe System Approach. This module exposes attendees to state-of-the-art concepts being used around the world to reduce the severity of single vehicle/non-pedestrian accidents. Attendees will learn best practices from around the world being used to make existing roads safer by eliminating hazards, moving hazards, making hazards less rigid, and shielding or delineating hazards. Attendees will also learn about European (EN 1317), United States (NCHRP350/MASH) and other performance specifications being used around the world to determine appropriate specifications for local conditions. Attendees will also learn about the types of barriers, terminals, forgiving poles, crash cushions, and transitions and will be taught the appropriate way to use these products.

Outcomes

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• Apply the Clear Zone Concept
• Compare alternate safety treatments and select a cost effective design
• Recognize unsafe roadside design features and make appropriate changes
• Identify the need for a traffic barrier Learn about the state of the art practices

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Work Zone Safety

This module introduces attendees to current best practices being used to make work zones safer. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is presented and reviewed, as are European and other work zone best practices. Discussion is encouraged to determine which criteria are most appropriate for the host country. A variety of products being used in work zones around the world are presented and explained — from truck mounted attenuators (TMAs) to steel barrier to variable message signs and signals, from channelizing devices to “intelligent work zones”. Attendees are introduced to the performance testing criteria utilized in the United States (NCHRP350/MASH), Europe (EN-1317) and other countries for work zone devices, allowing them to better understand which criteria is most appropriate for the local roads.

Outcomes

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• Learn the key elements of designing a safe work zone
• Understand the basics of work zone traffic control
• Recognize when to use positive protection devices and appropriate applications
• Apply the latest technologies best practices

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Vulnerable Road User Safety

In many countries, pedestrians and cyclists are required to travel along roads in close proximity to motorized vehicles. This puts them in high risk situations and inevitably leads to large numbers of vulnerable user casualties. Too often, these road user groups are not even considered in traffic surveys, which form the basis of road improvement schemes; hence, planners and engineers do not incorporate measures for vulnerable users. Upon completion of the training program, attendees are able to define vulnerable road users, describe vulnerable road users’ needs, diagnose crash causes and select proper countermeasures, and identify safety-related geometric design elements, as well as discuss vulnerable road user’s safety issues and how to address them.

Outcomes

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• Define vulnerable road users
• Describe vulnerable road user needs
• Diagnose crash causes and select proper countermeasures
• Identify safety-related geometric design elements

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Mike Dreznes

Executive Vice President

International Road Federation

Since 2012, Michael Dreznes has been Executive Vice President of the International Road Federation, a global organization whose mission is to improve roads and promote safer roads through technology transfer. Dreznes was hired by Energy Absorption Systems, Inc. in 1986 to create their International Department in Chicago, Illinois. He ultimately became the Vice President of Corporate Communications for Quixote Corporation, the parent company of Energy Absorption Systems, Inc., as well as eight other road safety companies. Dreznes also spent four years as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Barrier Systems Inc., a global leader in roadside safety products and solutions. Dreznes is Co-Chairman of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) AFB20 (2) Roadside Safety Sub-Committee on International Research Activities, a member of the PIARC Road Safety Technical Committee 3.2 Design and Operation of Safer Road Infrastructure, Co-Chairman of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC) Pillar 2: Safer Roads and Mobility Project Group and a Member of TASK FORCE 13 Committee on Work Zone Safety. During his career he has developed and conducted road safety training courses in more than 60 countries and is considered one of the most sought after road safety experts in the world. Dreznes grew up on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Loyola University in Chicago and received his MBA in Marketing from DePaul University. He and his wife of 42 years, Margaret, live in downtown Chicago. They have three grown and married children and nine grandchildren.

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