Call for Abstracts
Ready to shape the future of road safety? Join us in the city of Naples for the 10th International RSS Conference, hosted by the University of Naples Federico II. The Conference will bring together global experts, researchers, and innovators to explore the latest advancements in road safety and sustainable mobility. Let’s come together to rethink mobility and save lives.
Submit your abstract, share your vision, and be part of the global movement towards a safer road future!
Conference Theme
The conference theme is “Advancing Towards the Safe System Approach”. The Conference aims to explore how the Safe System Approach has been embraced by the transportation community as an effective way to prevent fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways. The program will cover all the Safe System Approach elements to capture the latest trends in emerging road safety technologies, surrogate measures of safety, augmented and virtual reality, big data, modeling, and simulation that have contributed to build and reinforce multiple layers of protection to both prevent crashes and minimize the harm caused to those involved when crashes do occur.
Submission Guidelines
Abstracts
We welcome all submissions presenting original research that has neither been published nor previously presented at other conferences before RSS 2026. Abstracts should not exceed 500 words and must be submitted by October 31, 2025, through the RSS website (rss2026.org). All abstracts will be reviewed by at least two experts from the Scientific Committee, and the evaluation criteria will include: (1) consistency with Safe System way of thinking; and (2) clarity, originality, and contribution to the field. The abstracts may present preliminary results.
Full Paper Submission
Authors will receive a notification of acceptance for their abstract by November 30, 2025, and will be invited to submit a full paper by February 28, 2026. The use of the RSS 2026 template is mandatory. To be considered for review, full papers must present final research results.
Each full paper will undergo a peer review process conducted by the Scientific Committee, with at least two reviewers per submission. Accepted papers will be included in the Conference program as oral or poster presentations. Authors will be required to incorporate reviewer feedback and submit a final version for inclusion in the conference proceedings.
Best papers will be considered for special issues of the journals:
- Accident Analysis and Prevention
- Advances in Transportation Studies
- Journal of Safety Research
- Traffic Safety Research
Important Dates
Submissions will follow a two-phase process, initial abstract submission followed by full paper submission, according to the following schedule:
- October 31, 2025: Abstract submission deadline
- November 30, 2025: Notification of abstract acceptance
- February 28, 2026: Full paper submission deadline
- March 31, 2026: Notification of paper acceptance
- April 30, 2026: Final paper submission deadline
Conference Awards & Recognitions
At RSS 2026, we will celebrate excellence and innovation in road safety research. To recognize outstanding contributions five awards will be assigned, aimed at encouraging high-quality submissions from early-career researchers to seasoned experts.
Best Paper Award: Open to all submissions. This award honors the most outstanding overall paper presented at RSS 2026 Conference.
Best Methodological Paper Award: For papers that offer strong methodological advancements – whether in modeling, data analysis, experimental design, or evaluation strategies.
Best Application Paper Award: Given to papers with high practical impact—real-world solutions, case studies, or applied research that contribute directly to improving road safety.
Best Paper Award for Young Researchers: Open to first authors under 35 years old at the time of submission. Designed to support and spotlight the next generation of road safety leaders.
Best Paper Award for Students: Dedicated to students enrolled in postgraduate or PhD programs at the time of submission. Please note that:
- The first author must be a student, though faculty members and other researchers may be co-authors,
- The student should be the main contributor to the work.
Conference Topics
RSS 2026 will unite researchers, experts, and stakeholders from diverse fields related to road safety. Key topics include, but are not limited to:
Pillars of the Safe System Approach
- Safe road users,
- Safe vehicles,
- Safe speeds,
- Safe roads,
- Post-crash care,
- Road safety plans, policies, management, and strategies,
- City-wide 30 km/h speed limit implementation,
- Case studies of Safe System Approach implementation.
Technologies and Tools for Road Safety
- Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV),
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS),
- Driving simulators,
- Vulnerable road users simulators,
- Augmented and virtual reality,
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning,
- Safety modelling and evaluation techniques,
- Surrogate measures of safety,
- Emerging safety technologies and software.
Data Analysis and Safety Assessment
- Big data and road safety analytics,
- Crash data and crash analysis,
- Performance indicators and safety metrics,
- Safe systems theory in practice,
- Road safety inspections,
- Operational safety,
- Network-wide road safety assessment.
Human Factors and Driving Behaviour
- Behavioural models,
- Driver distraction and inattention,
- Hazard perception and fitness to drive,
- Human factors analysis,
- Driving simulation and training.
Vulnerable Road Users and Inclusive Mobility
- Safety of pedestrians, cyclists, e-bikes, e-scooters, powered two-wheelers, children, and elderly users,
- Vulnerable road user safety in low- and middle-income countries,
- Interaction of vulnerable road users with new technologies,
- Safe integration of micromobility in transport systems,
- Inclusive infrastructures,
- Safe mobility for people with disabilities or impairments.
Safety Effects of Geometric Design and Innovative Safety Countermeasures
- Highway geometric design,
- Safety performance of intersections, interchanges, and roundabouts,
- Safety effects of geometric design standards,
- Sustainable design,
- Roadside design,
- Road restraint systems,
- Road safety impact assessment,
- Road safety audits,
- Traffic calming,
- Speed management,
- Safety countermeasures,
- Case studies.