After the tragic accident in Castellbisbal (Barcelona), in which a driver invaded the opposite lane and ran over a group of cyclists, killing two of them and seriously injuring a third, the Servei Catalá de Trànsit announces that it will test the use of radars that warn of the presence of cyclists on the road.
Those responsible for Traffic (also those of the DGT) have been looking for solutions to protect the most vulnerable users of the road for some time. At the top of this list are cyclists since, in the event of an accident (especially due to being run over), they suffer more serious injuries than users of other types of vehicles.
That is why the new Traffic and Road Safety Law, in force since March 21, establishes new regulations to overtake cyclists and toughens the sanctions for those who do not respect them.
Smart signs that warn of the presence of cyclists on the road
To try to prevent accidents like the one in Castellbisbal from happening again, the Servei Catatà de Trànsit (alter ego of the DGT in Catalonia) will test the use of smart signs that warn of the presence of cyclists on the road.
This has been announced by Ramón Lamiel, director of the Catalan Traffic Service. As he explained, they are signals that detect the passage of one or more cyclists and launch an alert for drivers of motor vehicles to reduce speed and take extreme precautions.
And radars that verify compliance with the standard
Lamiel anticipates that the smart signals will be complemented by radars that ensure that drivers slow down when approaching and/or passing cyclists.
Regarding the location of these new control systems to increase the safety of cyclists, the person in charge of the Servei Català de Trànsit has not revealed specific locations. He has advanced that they will be placed in the most dangerous points for these vulnerable users, that is, in those sections where cars and bikes coexist on a regular basis.
As a starting point, smart signs and radars to protect bikes will go live on a trial basis in September. The Catalan Traffic Service anticipates that the first equipment will be installed in tunnels to later test its effectiveness in other road sections.