Road Safety Engineering: Role for Insurance Companies?

Over the last 10 years there has been a growing trend among automobile insurance companies to become involved in road safety engineering programs. While the involvement of insurance companies in driver education and vehicle design initiatives is common, insurance company initiatives aimed at the engineering element of road safety is a relatively new trend. This research summarizes the major road safety engineering programs undertaken by six insurance companies in Australia, Canada, and the United States, and presents some of the results achieved. The research finds that the immediacy of the benefit derived from road safety engineering improvements, coupled with an expanding knowledge base in this field, are contributing to the growth in interest in road safety among insurance companies. The financial interest of insurance companies in reducing crash frequencies and severities, as well as any related positive public image that road safety advocacy can generate, will likely mean that more insurance companies will be exploring avenues for participation in road safety programs. Opportunities exist for cooperation between the insurance industry and transportation engineers, and they should be pursued for mutual benefit. Although the ultimate responsibility and authority for roads should remain with public agencies, the incentive and emphasis that insurance companies place on road safety provide a unique opportunity to help reduce the daily risks that we face in a mobile world.