Road user behaviour changes following a self-explaining roads intervention.

The self-explaining roads (SER) approach uses road designs that evoke correct expectations and driving behaviours from road users to create a safe and user-friendly road network. Following the implementation of an SER process and retrofitting of local and collector roads in a suburb within Auckland City, lower speeds on local roads and less variation in speed on both local and collector roads were achieved, along with a closer match between actual and perceived safe speeds. Preliminary analyses of crash data shows that the project has resulted in a 30% reduction crash numbers and an 86% reduction in crash costs per annum, since the road changes were completed.

Using endemic road features to create self-explaining roads and reduce vehicle speeds.

This paper describes a project undertaken to establish a self-explaining roads (SER) design programme on existing streets in an urban area. The methodology focussed on developing a process to identify functional road categories and designs based on endemic road characteristics taken from functional exemplars in the study area. The study area was divided into two sections, one to receive SER treatments designed to maximise visual differences between road categories, and a matched control area to remain untreated for purposes of comparison.

The effect of simulated school load carriage configurations on shoulder strap tension forces and shoulder interface pressure.

Recently, several studies have addressed the physical demands of school student's load carriage, in particular the load weight carried, using physical demands indicators such as oxygen consumption, gait, and posture. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different load carriage configurations on shoulder strap tension forces and shoulder interface pressure during simulated school student's load carriage. A load carriage simulator was used to compare shoulder strap forces and shoulder pressure for 32 combinations of gait speed, backpack weight, load distribution, shoulder strap length and use of a hip-belt.

Development of activity monitoring for determining load carriage patterns in school students.

The loads that school students are carrying to, around and from school is an issue of increasing concern particularly as the long term effects of excessive load carriage on school students' musculoskeletal health is unknown. A greater understanding of the temporal patterns of students' load carriage, which usually involves backpacking, would assist in determining the magnitude of the problem that is faced by school students. The aim of this study was to determine the duration of school students' walking, running and stair climbing while backpacking and identify when students take off and put on their backpacks using activity monitoring and video, and therefore validate activity monitoring as a tool for measuring the temporal patterns of backpacking in school students.