THE ROLE OF ITS IN URBAN SAFETY : AN EVALUATION IN WASHINGTON STATE

In this article, the authors examine the relationship between Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and safety using accident report data from the state of Washington. The article identifies three different approaches to ITS applications. The first type of ITS safety benefit involves system-level applications such as freeway management systems and emergency service response systems. The second approach is site level applications are those which are installed to directly address safety concerns at hazardous locations. These include technologies such as automated speed enforcement, intersection warnings, and red light running enforcement. Future ITS approaches discussed include technologies such as collision avoidance systems forward looking obstacle detection, drowsy driver warning systems, and vision enhancement systems