The overall aim of the research, development and innovation project is to increase knowledge on black spots in general and, particularly, of those found on roads of the Valencian Provincial Council, with the involvement of infrastructures, in order to establish the measures and counter-measures to contribute primarily to eliminate them and to finally eradicate them, to the extent permitted by science development.

The project aims to support the Área de Carreteras (Roads Area) of the Valencian Provincial Council in the design and development of the “Plan integral de eliminación y erradicación de puntos negros en las carreteras de la Diputación de Valencia” (“Comprehensive plan of black spots elimination and eradication in the Valencian Provincial Council’s roads”), which will assigned to the Provincial Council to mainly improve, if possible, the safety of its roads.

To do this, the Project’s action is divided into four sub-projects consisting of the following studies:

• General study.
• Population study.
• Epidemiological study.
• Observational study.

The project has had a research aspect, which had implied tasks such as a deep study of black spots accidents, design and development of a series of surveys (aimed at the general population and users that drive through them), the observation and record of users’ behaviours in black spots. The project has had a development aspect, which has involved tasks such as determining action proposals of different kinds to reduce the accident rate in black spots, including signalling in black spots with the subsequent evaluation of them. Within the dissemination section, in addition to the public presentations of the project itself (which also had an effect on people’s awareness), a specific manual has been published.

The project has had an innovative aspect, which has involved tasks such as the implementation of a new process as it is the protocol of action in black spots that ranges from data collection, data treatment and the type of measures to take.

Research

DIVAL (Council of Valencia in Road areas)