Search Results

According to the “Report 2010” of the Association des Constructeurs Européens de Motocycles (European motorcycle manufacturers' association), the number of motorcycles throughout the European Union rose from 16 million to more than 22 million between 2001 and 2008. Taking all two-wheeled motor vehicles into account, in 2008 approximately 33 million vehicles were registered. At the same time, motorcycles are by far the most dangerous means of transport. Two groups (children and elderly people) are especially vulnerable due to their weakness against impact, reflexes and reaction to risk, resistance to the generated forces, etc. According to the latest accidents data from the European Community database on road accidents (CARE), more than 110 children under 14 years old who were passengers on PTW's were killed on the roads of the Community between 1991 and 2000.

SMART RRS is an FP7 SST 2007 RTD1 European collaborative project funded by the EC with the participation of 10 institutions from 5 countries. The project aims to develop a new smart road restraint system that will reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused in road traffic accidents by integrating primary and tertiary sensor systems in it, providing greater protection to all road users, warning motorists and emergency services of danger for prevention purposes and alerting emergency teams of accidents as they happen to minimize response time to the exact location of the incident. This new smart restraint system will: Reduce the number of accidents through better information on the actual state of the road and traffic flow (climatic conditions, traffic flow, obstructions, hazards, accidents). Eliminate dangerous profiles from road restraint systems (crash barriers) that currently endanger vulnerable road users.

Worldwide, 1.2 million people die in road crashes yearly; 43,000 just in Europe. This implies a cost to the European society of approximately 160 billion euro, making use of 10% of all health care resources. Sharp objects like crash barriers may lead vulnerable road users into serious injuries. Different road restraint system designs have been developed in recent years to improve vulnerable road users' safety. SMART RRS is an FP7 SST 2007 RTD1 European collaborative project funded by the EC with the participation of 10 institutions from 5 countries.