Microlevel Traffic Simulation Method for Assessing Crash Potential at Intersections

In many jurisdictions, crashes at intersections account for over 50% of all urban road crashes. The need to reduce these crashes has fostered considerable research on the development and evaluation of cost-effective countermeasures. This paper introduces a micro-level behavioral method for estimating crash potential at intersections for different traffic and geometric attributes. Safety in real time is represented by a “Crash Potential Index” that is estimated as a function of three types of individual vehicle and time-specific deceleration rates: 1) Actual Deceleration Rate, 2) Deceleration Rate needed to avoid a crash, and 3) Maximum Available Deceleration Rate. This paper presents some results of a micro-level simulation for evaluating the safety merits of fixed traffic signal control applied to a four-legged stop-controlled intersection with minor and major approaches. Rear-end conflicts were found to increase after the introduction of fixed signal controls. On the other hand, angle conflicts were found to decrease with the introduction of signals. The total CPI decreased in a non-linear fashion after signalization, especially at higher volumes for the major intersection approach. The approach presented in this paper provides a promising way of assessing safety at intersections for different types of traffic control.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Cunto, Flavio Jose Craveiro
  • Saccomanno, Frank F
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
• Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 24p
• Monograph Title: TRB 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Deceleration; Four leg intersections; Microsimulation; Multiway stop signs; Signalization; Speed; Traffic conflicts; Traffic simulation; Vehicle spacing
• Identifier Terms: VISSIM (Computer model)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01044827
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 07-2180
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 30 2007 6:59AM