Transport and Covid-19: responses and resources

Sharing Road Safety: Developing an International Framework for Crash Modification Functions

Summary document

This is a summary of the report Sharing Road Safety. The report was developed by a group of international experts representing 18 countries, under the aegis of the Research Centre of the International Transport Forum at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Road safety policy is increasingly dependent on sound indicators of the effectiveness of interventions. Crash modification factors and crash modification functions (CMFs) are indicators that quantify the crash reductions that result from interventions. The purpose of this report is to emphasize the importance of sharing knowledge on the effectiveness of interventions and transferring of results internationally.

This summary document comprises the key messages and recommendations, as well as the table of contents of the full report, together with details of the experts who contributed to the work.

Policy Insights

  • Road safety policies should undergo performance and efficiency evaluation. Such evaluations cannot be undertaken without Crash Modification Functions (CMFs). Evaluation processes should be documented to ensure they are transparent.
  • Research conducted to develop CMFs should follow the guidance provided in this report and, in particular, provide specific information that describes the countermeasure under consideration, the safety issue being addressed and the roadway environment in which it was tested.
  • It is recommended that an international group be composed under an existing organization (e.g. Transportation Research Board, World Road Association, etc.) to foster dialog among researchers and practitioners on CMF research and reporting standards with the aim of increasing transferability of results. Coordination of research across countries on top priority countermeasures should be considered.
  • International co-operation should aim to capture documentation and reporting of CMF research in a widely available transnational database.
  • A concerted effort should be made to publicise the benefits of decision-making based on CMFs. This should take the form of presentations and workshops at transport, injury prevention and health conferences; press releases; letters to political leaders and senior bureaucrats.

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