Skip to main content

TRL to evaluate road safety performance in the Sultanate of Oman

The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has been commissioned by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) to undertake a study covering all aspects of road safety within the Sultanate of Oman. TRL’s team of experts will conduct a high level multi-sector assessment of existing road safety activity in the Sultanate. The review will evaluate the Sultanate’s road safety performance, comparing existing activities against best practice across twelve different disciplines including road safety management, safety engineeri
December 4, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (491 TRL) has been commissioned by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) to undertake a study covering all aspects of road safety within the Sultanate of Oman. TRL’s team of experts will conduct a high level multi-sector assessment of existing road safety activity in the Sultanate. The review will evaluate the Sultanate’s road safety performance, comparing existing activities against best practice across twelve different disciplines including road safety management, safety engineering, legislation and enforcement, education and awareness and post-crash response.

Following the multi-disciplinary review, TRL will develop an action plan that provides practical, realistic solutions aimed at building the Sultanate’s capacity to improve the road safety situation. The action plan will be designed in accordance with the principles of the Safe System, using short to medium-term recommendations that bring about appropriate incremental enhancements in performance.

This study complements an existing project in Oman, where TRL is designing a comprehensive crash database and installing its unique iMAAP network based crash analysis system, working on behalf of the Research Council and in collaboration with ROP.

TRL’s safety director, Tracy Savill says: “We are delighted to be cementing our relationship with the Royal Oman Police and other stakeholders across the Sultanate, assisting in bringing about an enhanced shared responsibility to tackling the road safety problems of Oman.

“We hope that the project will result in the implementation of a series of evidence based recommendations that will stabilise and reduce the high number of road deaths in the country.”

Lieutenant Colonel Amour Sultan Al Touqi of the Royal Oman Police public relations department says: “ROP has been honoured to collaborate with TRL in order to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the current status of traffic safety in the Sultanate in the hope to come up with suitable recommendations and implement them on the ground”.

Safe System is a road transport system that is designed to compensate for human error by helping to ensure that road users are not subject to crash forces that result in fatal or serious injuries.

The Safe System refers to the roles and responsibilities that all system users (e.g. drivers) and designers (e.g. policy makers) play and has been developed around three cornerstones:  ‘Safe Roads’, ‘Safe Speeds’ and ‘Safe Vehicles’. A fourth cornerstone, Road Users has recently been added to this to recognise the importance of designing competent and compliant road users.

The Safe System is supported by effective management of road safety at the highest level to improve performance and to ensure that initiatives are focussed on achieving results. Finally, the Safe System must be supported by an effective mechanism for post-crash response that minimises the severity of the outcome from injuries received and facilitates fast and comprehensive rehabilitation for road crash victims.

The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 recommends that every country works towards the implementation of a Safe System.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • USDoT embraces Vision Zero
    January 31, 2022
    'We cannot tolerate the continuing crisis of roadway deaths,' says transport sec Pete Buttigieg
  • IAM calls on government to increase targeted enforcement
    June 4, 2015
    The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is urging the new government to increase its efforts in promoting road safety by giving targeted enforcement a higher priority. With the yet-to-be-revealed figures for 2014 shaping up to show an increase in deaths and injuries on UK roads, the IAM believes the new government must make road traffic policing a core priority function for police forces and commissioners in England and Wales. The call comes following a survey conducted by the IAM throughout April 2
  • European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement
    February 2, 2012
    David Crawford surveys European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement
  • Trans-Pennine road tunnel routes shortlisted, may include special lighting, caverns
    August 19, 2016
    Five routes have been shortlisted for the Trans-Pennine tunnel – the most ambitious road scheme undertaken in the UK in more than five decades. The Trans-Pennine tunnel study was launched by the government in autumn 2015, one of a number of studies aimed at addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the road network in the UK. The latest interim study shows the continued strong case for the tunnel which could provide safer, faster and more reliable journeys for motorists. All five routes join th