The South Australian Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) will trial a Rural Junction Active Warning System (RJAWS), which aims to improve safety on the South Australian rural road network.
The system involves installing variable speed-limit signs at junction approaches, including where there are blind bends, which are radar triggered by the presence of side-road traffic.
Motorists crossing a major road or turning right onto a major rural road can often underestimate the required gap to do so. The activation of a reduced speed limit for a short section of road approaching the junction will slow down approaching traffic and increase the gap time.
Lower vehicle speeds also translate to lower impact speeds in the event of a collision, which reduces the severity of sustained injuries.
This system, which was originally developed in Sweden, has been trialled in New Zealand as part of a wider program to address safety at high-risk rural junctions.
The $500,000 project is funded by DPTI’s Annual Program.