Auditoría de seguridad vial en la vía Panzaleo-Mulalillo-Cusubamba, de la provincia de Cotopaxi, período 2022-2023

Abstract

This research aimed to conduct a road safety audit on the Panzaleo-Mulalillo-Cusubamba road in the Cotopaxi province from 2022 to 2023. The objective was to reduce the accident rate and improve traffic safety on the road based on the analysis of the road safety audit results. Several methods, techniques, and instruments were essential to gather information and assess the current state and situation of the Panzaleo-Mulalillo-Cusubamba road, explicitly focusing on road safety and traffic incidents. According to the Decentralized Autonomous Municipal Government (GAD) of Salcedo, the findings revealed the absence of traffic signs, leading to poor perception of the road route by drivers, speeding violations, and disregard for pedestrian crossings. Additionally, the road segment exhibited inadequate visibility distances in curves and braking distances. To address the lack of road signage and deteriorating road infrastructure, a road safety audit was conducted following the NEVI Standards "NEVI 12 Volume 5A Procedure for Operation and Road Safety." These standars allowed to analyze parameters such as regulations for road studies and designs, operation procedures, and road safety. It was dtermined, according to the INEN 004-1 standard for "Vertical Signage," that certain sections of the road lacked or had worn-out vertical signs. Similarly, based on the INEN 004-2 standard for "Horizontal Signage," certain road sections lacked or had worn-out horizontal signs. It is recommended that the Public Mobility Enterprise of the Cotopaxi Intermunicipal Association consider the suggestions and proposals outlined in this research to reduce the accident and traffic incident rates on the road and improve the population's quality of life.