Traffic Monitoring: Improving Road Safety Using a Laser Scanner Sensor

A new value is reaching new heights in the information Society, Road Safety. In this situation, strategic traffic management is a key factor in intelligent transport systems applications (ITS), even though it also involves different sectors such as economic (oil dependency), environmental (pollution, noise...), safety (both drivers and pedestrians) and health (breath problems, circulation...). In urban areas, the traffic control centre (TCC) gathers parameters and information about real time traffic which are used to implement traffic policies and legislation. This paper presents an intelligent system able to provide information in real-time about: detection (presence), flow rate, counting and vehicle classification. The classification has been made in five groups (5+1): powered two-wheeler, passenger car, van, truck and bus. The detection system used is a laser scanner sensor.