Vehicle Speed Analysis Toward Traffic Safety at School Zones Considering Roadside Activities—Case Study in Vietnam

In Vietnam, school traffic accident is an urgent problem that needs mitigation solutions. Schools such as primary and secondary schools are located in the roadside of streets/roads, national highways, and provincial roads. School children who usually walk, ride a bicycle, or taken by their parents by motorbikes going to school are considered as vulnerable road users. Meanwhile, solutions for traffic organization and traffic safety in these areas have not really ensured traffic safety. Motor vehicles often use high speed through schools, causing traffic safety problems. On that basis, this paper conducts observations and evaluates the speed of motor vehicles when passing through the school areas. Three sites (schools) with different levels of roadside activities in Pleiku city, Vietnam, were selected for observation and analysis. An image processing method is used for collecting speed data. It is found that there is a relationship between the free-flow speed of vehicles and roadside activities. The results of the paper help to provide solutions for improving traffic safety for school children.