RAIN IS A GREATER HAZARD THAN ICE, SNOW OH HIGHWAYS

KANSAS TURNPIKE EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN RAIN IS A GREATER HAZARD TO SAFE DRIVING THAN ICE OR SNOW, ACCORDING TO L. W. NEWCOMER, CHIEF ENGINEER-MANAGER. "WHEN THE TURNPIKE OR ANY HIGHWAY IS COVERED WITH ICE OR SNOW", SAID NEWCOMER, "A VAST MAJORITY OF DRIVERS WILL EXERCISE DUE CAUTION. WHEN DRIVING ON WET HIGHWAYS AND ESPECIALLY WHILE RAIN IS FALLING, MANY ORDINARILY SAFETY-CONSCIOUS DRIVERS SEEM TO THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS." NEWCOMER REFERRED TO A STUDY MADE OF AN 11-DAY PERIOD IN MID-MAY WHICH SHOWED 20 ACCIDENTS OF ALL TYPES WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS GENERALLY WERE GOOD. THE REPORT SHOWED 15 ACCIDENTS ON NORMAL ROADWAYS, INCLUDING TWO DAYS WITH NO ACCIDENTS AND THREE WITH ONLY A SINGLE ACCIDENT. ON THE FOLLOWING SIX DAYS, ALL WITH RAIN, THERE WERE 45 ACCIDENTS REPORTED, ALL ON WET PAVEMENT AREAS, MOSTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO SPEEDS TOO FAST FOR ROADWAY CONDITIONS. "WHEN WATER STANDS ON THE ROADWAY," NEWCOMER CONCLUDED, "EVEN VEHICLES WITH GOOD TIRE TREADS ARE NOT FREE OF STEERING THREATS." /ARTICLE/

• Corporate Authors:

  Tollways

  ,    
• Publication Date: 1970-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 3 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash rates; Highways; Moisture content; Rainfall; Speed
• Uncontrolled Terms: Wet conditions
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221023
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 19 1970 12:00AM