TRAFFIC SAFETY AND THE HIGHWAY ENGINEER

VIEWS ARE GIVEN ON TRAFFIC SAFETY AND DESIGN STANDARDS TO BE USED IN THE NEXT GENERATIONS HIGHWAY PROGRAM. HIGHWAY ENGINEERS CAN EXERCISE CONTROL OF THE HIGHWAY IN A MANNER THAT IT WILL BE LESS OF A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS. IDENTIFICATION OF THE ACCIDENT-PRONE LOCATION MUST BE MADE. ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF ALL HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS ARE NOW OF THE IN-LINE, REAR-END COLLISION TYPE. REASONS FOR THE SUDDEN IN-LINE STOP CAN BE REDUCED, EG. A SPEED CHANGE LANE, AND MORE CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF DESIGN OF DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE DEVICES. OTHER SAFETY SUGGESTIONS WERE' MOVING BACK FIXED OBJECTS FROM TRAVELED WAY, WIDE PAVED SHOULDERS AND FLAT SLOPES, LOW MOUNTED LIGHTS, ELIMINATION OF CENTER PIERS ON OVERHEAD STRUCTURES, WHITE OR LIGHT-REFLECTING AGGREGATE ON PAVED SHOULDERS, COARSER TEXTURE ON SHOULDERS, GREATER USE OF FLUORESCENT PAINT AND REFLECTORIZED MATERIALS, CATTLE PASSES, ELIMINATION OF RAILROAD CROSSING AT GRADE, AND DEVOTING LOWER OR GROUND FLOOR OF BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS TO OFF-STREET LOADING AND UNLOADING AND PARKING.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrnews/hr-news-26-01.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 26, Pp46-49, 1FIG. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Sweet, R W
• Publication Date: 1967

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: Pp46-49
• Serial:
  • Highway Research News
  • Issue Number: 26

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Detectable warning surfaces; Fluorescence; Highway engineers; Highway safety; Improvements; Loading and unloading; Loads; Off street parking; Paint; Pavement widening; Pavements; Prevention; Railroad grade crossings; Recommendations; Reflectorized materials; Road shoulders; Roadside structures; Safety; Single vehicle crashes; Speed change lanes; Street lighting; Traffic safety; Traffic signs
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fixed object; Guidance; Loading; Unloading; Widening
• Old TRIS Terms: Rough textured warning pavement; Traffic sign design
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements; Railroads; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219894
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 6 1994 12:00AM