The development of a total quality indicator for the assessment of travel demand management measures: focus on road safety policy

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the conceptual idea of the development of an instrument that assists local authorities in enhancing their traffic safety policy. Taking the principles of Total Quality Management into account, we build up a tool which positions local road safety policy on a ladder of development. To define which rung the administration has reached so far, we consider both organizational and operational aspects of road safety policy making. Questionnaires have been set up to gain insight in each of these aspects and in order to get an overview of the way the local policy is set up and how it is implemented in practice. Based on its defined current position, we pinpoint critical domains of interest and shortcomings of the current course of action and we indicate which (Travel Demand Management) measures, modifications and techniques should be executed next in order to raise the level of performance of the administration’s road safety policy. The tool is intended to guide local authorities in bench learning, i.e. in learning from each other’s and own internal best practices. The ultimate goal of this research is to generate an instrument which shows local authorities the way towards the highest rung of the ladder of development: the level of Total Quality (Road Safety) Management. The instrument is currently under construction and will eventually be rigorously tested and applied in practice.