News
10 February 2023

Russian Highways Equips Its Roads with Smart Driver Warning System

In 2023 Russian Highways State Company will keep enhancing safety on its roads. Thus, it is planned to install a smart driver warning system on the M-4 Don Highway. This system includes lighting poles, a server hub, autonomous solar power plants, smart cameras to capture pedestrians entering the roadway, and info boards to show caution messages for the drivers.

A similar system is already run on M-1 Belarus Highway section in Smolensk Region. They plan to install such systems in areas where people are likely to cross the road, i.e. near the road service stations as well as in places of previously recorded pedestrian accidents.

Besides, more projects are in the pipeline to improve the road network. Thus, they plan to install a metal barrier fence (total length 5,417 linear meters) to separate the opposing streams of traffic and avoid forward collisions and a New Jersey-style parapet (total length of 5,036 linear meters). There will also be installed edge metal fencing with a total length of more than 19,000 linear meters.

They also plan to replace the outdated lighting facilities and to install the new ones on road sections with a total length of 48,209 linear meters. With the view to prevent pedestrians from emerging suddenly on the roads, there will be installed pedestrian railings and mesh fencing with a total length of about 16,500 linear meters. Besides, they plan to replace about 54 bus shelters and to equip ground level pedestrian crossings and bus stops with more lighting.

It is also planned to create 10 safety islands and more than 5,000 sq.m of raised-rib road marking (both along and across the road) to alert the drivers who leave their driving lane or who approach areas that require extra concentration.

Along the roads there will be installed mesh fencing (total length of more than 45,000 linear meters) to keep the animals away. It is also planned to install 16 pedestrian and transport traffic lights as well as more than 600 road signs and information boards.
Systematic approach to road maintenance and traffic safety makes the whole road network operated by the Russian Highways much safer which is supported by a steady decrease in accident rate. By the end of 2022, the mortality rate per 100 km showed a 17.3% decrease. Number of people injured in traffic accidents decreased by 10.3%. Measures taken by the Russian Highways caused a total decrease in number of traffic accidents by 12%. It should also be mentioned that last year the Russian Highways has extended its road network by more than 300 km. Considering this, the decrease in traffic accidents and in number of people killed and injured looks even more impressive.