Crash Characteristics and Injury Severity at Work Zones Considering Adverse Weather Conditions in Washington Using SHRP 2 Roadway Information Database

Nowadays, there are many maintenance projects to mitigate the aging of the US roads and the increase in traffic demand. Despite recent efforts to improve work zone safety, the number and severity of crashes at work zones is still considerably high. The effect of construction zones on traffic safety can be exacerbated by adverse weather conditions, a sudden reduction in visibility may intensify the severity of work zone crashes. There is a lack of studies that strive to gain a good understanding of the effect of work zone weather-related crashes frequency and severity. In this study, the second Strategic Highway Research Program Roadway Information Database were used to identify the characteristics of work zone weather-related crashes and work zone crashes in clear weather conditions. The results showed that although there is a reduction in work zone crashes in Washington from 2006 to 2013, Work zone weather-related crashes increased from 14.5% of work zone crashes in 2006 to 17.73% in 2013. In this paper, ordered probit model was utilized to gain better understanding about the effect of various factors on different injury severity at work zones in different weather conditions. Lighting conditions, vehicles involved, alcohol involvement, maximum posted speed and two types of crashes (Angle crashes and rear-end crashes) have the most effect on work zone weather-related crashes. On the other hand, gender, age, land-use, vehicles involved, type of crashes, driving under the influence and road characteristics have the most effect on work zone crashes severity in clear weather conditions.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AH010 Standing Committee on Surface Transportation Weather.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Ghasemzadeh, Ali
  • Ahmed, Mohamed M
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2016-1-10 to 2016-1-14
• Date: 2016

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 15p
• Monograph Title: TRB 95th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash characteristics; Crash injuries; Crash severity; Highway safety; Injury severity; Weather conditions; Work zone safety
• Geographic Terms: Washington (State)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01588971
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 16-0602
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 29 2016 4:30PM