Analysis of Injury Severity in Crashes on Ramps and at Crossroad Ramp Terminals
Travel along a ramp can present drivers with complex alignment changes and decision points. These changes and complexities can increase the potential for conflict or crash, especially for larger vehicles. A few studies have examined the effect of variables on ramp crash frequency. However, none of these studies considered the effect of variables on crash severity distributions. Relatively little or no information is available about the safety effects of design elements on the severity of ramp crashes. In some cases, countermeasures (such as longitudinal barriers) are implemented to reduce fatal crashes, but the effect of these treatments on less severe crashes is not well understood. New research has been conducted to develop severity distribution functions (SDFs) for ramp segments and signalized and unsignalized crossroad ramp terminals for predicting the proportion of crashes in each severity category as a function of roadway geometric design elements and traffic control features. The SDFs were calibrated with data from California, Maine, and Washington State. The findings from this research show that barrier presence, the number of through lanes, area type, and ramp type influence the proportion of high-severity crashes on ramp segments. At the same time, access point frequency, left-turn operation, the presence of nonramp public street leg, and area type influence the proportion of high-severity crashes at crossroad ramp terminals. These SDFs can be applied along with safety performance functions and crash modification factors to obtain more precise estimates of the safety effects of design decisions.
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- Summary URL:
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780309295246
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Authors:
- Geedipally, Srinivas Reddy
- Bonneson, James A
- Pratt, Michael P
- Lord, Dominique
- Publication Date: 2014
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 37–44
- Monograph Title: Highway Safety Performance 2014
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Serial:
- Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
- Issue Number: 2435
- Publisher: Transportation Research Board
- ISSN: 0361-1981
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Crash severity; Geometric design; Highway design; Highway safety; Injury severity; Interchange ramps; Multinomial logits
- Geographic Terms: California; Maine; Washington (State)
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01519012
- Record Type: Publication
- ISBN: 9780309295246
- Report/Paper Numbers: 14-2831
- Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
- Created Date: Mar 21 2014 11:27AM