Main Roads roadside hazard rating

Dealing with hazardous roadsides is an important step in achieving a Safe System. In WA on roads under Main Roads’ control 16.8 per cent of all serious crashes (fatal and hospitalisation) are hit object crashes. The Main Roads Roadside Hazard Rating (RHR) was determined from video footage captured as part of regular network surveys. Using the assessed severity of objects within the roadside and their measured offset a rating is assigned. The severity is determined by raters identifying the highest severity hazard (e.g. a tree with a specific diameter, a bridge pier or a drain etc.) at the location and assigning a rating speed (posted speed limit + 10 km/h to a maximum of 110 km/h) and based on these inputs a severity index is assigned. The offset from the edge of seal or edge line to the hazard is measured. To date 97.5 per cent of the network that it is be rated has been and comparisons have been made between the different levels of the RHR and serious crashes hit object crash rates. It has been found that higher levels of the rating 3 and 4 (i.e. those that with high severity hazards located close to the edge of the road) have higher fatal and hospitalisation crash rates (based on number of crashes) than those will a lower rating 1 and 2 (less severe hazards close to the road or high severity hazards further away from the road). Given that hit object crashes can occur anywhere on the network the RHR is seen to be an input into the prioritisation of roadside improvements. This paper discusses the RHR including the capture of the data and how it is has been analysed.

• Record URL:
  http://arrbknowledge.com
• Authors:
  • Karpinski, J
• Conference:
  • ARRB Conference, 25th, 2012, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• Publication Date: 2012-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: The Australian Low Carbon Transport Forum: identifying the greenhouse gas abatement potential of the Australian transport sector

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash analysis; Data collection; Highway safety; Risk assessment; Roadside hazards; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Risks; Safe systems (roads)
• Geographic Terms: Australia; Western Australia
• ATRI Terms: Crash analysis; Crash countermeasure; Risk assessment; Road safety; Roadside hazard
• ITRD Terms: 1661: Accident prevention; 2821: Roadside; 1653: Run off the road (accid)
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01455610
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Nov 30 2012 2:42PM