Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads

Erik S. Vidal Lara; Yesi Natalia López Sánchez; Carlos Aníbal Calero Valenzuela; Aldemar José González Fernández; Victor M. Uribe Flórez

doi:10.14483/23448393.23625

Autores/as

Erik S. Vidal Lara Universidad del Cauca https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5035-1044
Yesi Natalia López Sánchez Universidad del Cauca https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8732-2195
Carlos Aníbal Calero Valenzuela Universidad del Cauca https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2920-4130
Aldemar José González Fernández Universidad del Cauca
Victor M. Uribe Flórez Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4831-5688

Palabras clave:

Road safety, Local rural roads, Safety (en).

Palabras clave:

Seguridad vial, Vías rurales, Vías rurares locales (es).

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Resumen (en)

Contexto: Las tasas de siniestralidad en la red vial terciaria de Colombia superan los promedios nacionales, en gran parte debido a la falta de instrumentos para la recolección sistemática de datos y a la limitada participación de las comunidades locales en la identificación de riesgos. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo diseñar una herramienta de diagnóstico de seguridad vial que pueda ser aplicada por la comunidad, adaptada a contextos rurales y validada con actores locales en el departamento del Cauca, Colombia.

Método: Se realizó una revisión de literatura para identificar los principales factores de riesgo que afectan la seguridad vial en las vías terciarias de Colombia. Se incorporó la escala KABCO por su simplicidad y su idoneidad para el trabajo colaborativo. A partir de estos insumos, se desarrolló una herramienta de diagnóstico y una guía de usuario. Finalmente, se implementó un estudio piloto mediante talleres participativos, durante los cuales se recolectaron puntos georreferenciados y evaluaciones de riesgo.

Resultados: La aplicación piloto de la herramienta permitió identificar y georreferenciar siete puntos críticos a lo largo de un tramo vial en el municipio de Popayán. En estos lugares, la velocidad fue identificada como uno de los factores más influyentes en los siniestros viales reportados por la comunidad. La herramienta demostró claridad y viabilidad de uso por parte de participantes sin formación técnica previa.

Conclusiones: La herramienta desarrollada ofrece un método replicable que permite a las comunidades rurales identificar y gestionar los riesgos de seguridad vial, generando datos valiosos para la formulación de planes de mantenimiento y políticas de prevención. Su implementación puede optimizar la asignación de recursos y fortalecer la colaboración entre las comunidades y las autoridades responsables.

Resumen (es)

Context: Crash rates on Colombia’s tertiary road network exceed the national averages, largely due to the lack of instruments for systematic data collection and the limited involvement of local communities in risk identification. This study aimed to design a road safety diagnostic tool that can be applied by the community, tailored to rural contexts and validated with local stakeholders in the department of Cauca, Colombia.

Method: A literature review was conducted to identify the key risk factors affecting road safety on Colombia’s tertiary roads. The KABCO scale was incorporated due to its simplicity and suitability for collaborative work. Based on these inputs, a diagnostic tool and a user guide were developed. Finally, a pilot study was implemented through participatory workshops, during which georeferenced points and risk assessments were collected.

Results: The pilot’s application of the tool enabled the identification and georeferencing of seven critical points along a road segment in the municipality of Popayán. In these locations, speed was identified as one of the most influential factors in the road crashes reported by the community. The tool demonstrated clarity and feasibility of use by participants without prior technical training.

Conclusions: The developed tool provides a replicable method that allows rural communities to identify and manage road safety risks, generating valuable data for the formulation of maintenance plans and prevention policies. Its implementation can optimize resource allocation and strengthen collaboration between communities and the responsible authorities.

Referencias

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Cómo citar

APA

Vidal Lara , E. S., López Sánchez , Y. N., Calero Valenzuela , C. A., González Fernández , A. J., y Uribe Flórez , V. M. (2026). Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads. Ingeniería, 31(1), e23625. https://doi.org/10.14483/23448393.23625

ACM

[1]

Vidal Lara , E.S. et al. 2026. Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads. Ingeniería. 31, 1 (sep. 2026), e23625. DOI:https://doi.org/10.14483/23448393.23625.

ACS

(1)

Vidal Lara , E. S.; López Sánchez , Y. N.; Calero Valenzuela , C. A.; González Fernández , A. J.; Uribe Flórez , V. M. Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads. Ing. 2026, 31, e23625.

ABNT

VIDAL LARA , Erik S.; LÓPEZ SÁNCHEZ , Yesi Natalia; CALERO VALENZUELA , Carlos Aníbal; GONZÁLEZ FERNÁNDEZ , Aldemar José; URIBE FLÓREZ , Victor M. Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads. Ingeniería, [S. l.], v. 31, n. 1, p. e23625, 2026. DOI: 10.14483/23448393.23625. Disponível em: https://revistas.udistrital.edu.co/index.php/reving/article/view/23625. Acesso em: 4 sep. 2026.

Chicago

Vidal Lara , Erik S., Yesi Natalia López Sánchez, Carlos Aníbal Calero Valenzuela, Aldemar José González Fernández, y Victor M. Uribe Flórez. 2026. «Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads». Ingeniería 31 (1):e23625. https://doi.org/10.14483/23448393.23625.

Harvard

Vidal Lara , E. S. (2026) «Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads», Ingeniería, 31(1), p. e23625. doi: 10.14483/23448393.23625.

IEEE

[1]

E. S. Vidal Lara, Y. N. López Sánchez, C. A. Calero Valenzuela, A. J. González Fernández, y V. M. Uribe Flórez, «Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads», Ing., vol. 31, n.º 1, p. e23625, sep. 2026.

MLA

Vidal Lara , Erik S., et al. «Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads». Ingeniería, vol. 31, n.º 1, septiembre de 2026, p. e23625, doi:10.14483/23448393.23625.

Turabian

Vidal Lara , Erik S., Yesi Natalia López Sánchez, Carlos Aníbal Calero Valenzuela, Aldemar José González Fernández, y Victor M. Uribe Flórez. «Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads». Ingeniería 31, no. 1 (septiembre 3, 2026): e23625. Accedido septiembre 4, 2026. https://revistas.udistrital.edu.co/index.php/reving/article/view/23625.

Vancouver

1.

Vidal Lara ES, López Sánchez YN, Calero Valenzuela CA, González Fernández AJ, Uribe Flórez VM. Empowering the Community: Development and Validation of a Participatory Tool for Road Safety Assessment on Colombian Tertiary Roads. Ing. [Internet]. 3 de septiembre de 2026 [citado 4 de septiembre de 2026];31(1):e23625. Disponible en: https://revistas.udistrital.edu.co/index.php/reving/article/view/23625