Improving Traffic Safety Towards Sustainable Built Environment in Dammam City, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Traffic safety is vital to the socioeconomic wellbeing and sustainable development of any society. This study assesses factors undermining traffic safety in Dammam city of Saudi Arabia. The study utilized expert-based questionnaire survey, and employed Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in developing an experts'-based traffic safety model. Six factors believed to be triggering road traffic accident were analyzed, and weights (W) were assigned to each factor using Saaty's 9-point scale of reference. The weights were further normalized through the AHP. The study found traffic lights violations (W=0.37), over speeding (W=0.18), and wrong turns (W=0.17) to be the most critical factors responsible for road traffic accident in the study area. Speed cameras, speed bumps, and speed limits signage were evaluated by experts as means of minimizing road traffic accidents. Speed cameras (W=0.54) and speed bumps (W=0.30) are perceived to enhance road traffic safety over speed limits signage. The study stresses that benefits attached to speed cameras and speed bumps are yet to be fully implemented within the city and outskirts. The study concludes by highlighting how the model can minimize road traffic accidents in the city.