road safety and value for money

the current state of knowledge on factors which may aid decisions to achieve value for money in road safety is outlined. the discussion includes consideration of the monetary value placed on road accidents, and the options for remedial action in the fields of road engineering, vehicle design and usage, and human behaviour. assessments are made of the relative costs of implementation of, and likely returns from, different remedial options. it is concluded that in seeking priorities for action to reduce the road accident toll, a balance between short and long term returns needs to be made. where local authorities are concerned, the short term benefits will undoubtedly come from application of low cost road engineering measures. education, training and publicity have their place in support of engineering measures, and will assume even greater importance in the long term.(a)