Dynamic Simulation Models for Road Safety and Its Sustainability Implications

In this study, the climate change–road safety–economy nexus was investigated, and several related policies were analyzed to explore ways to reduce the accident rate in the U.S. Policies aiming to increase fuel efficiency reduced transportation-related emissions. However, reducing transportation-related emissions had a negligible impact on slowing the atmospheric temperature rise, which meant it could not eliminate or reduce the negative effects of climate change on road safety. Hence, as a second policy area, extreme worldwide emission-reduction policies were explored to show how climate change affects road safety. According to this policy area, reducing GHG emissions worldwide could significantly reduce roadway accident fatalities due to fewer extreme weather events, less infrastructure damage, and less distraction to drivers. A third policy area, reducing travel demand, was investigated. This resulted in a significant decrease in the rate of fatalities. This policy area was found to be a more effective way of reducing accidents than policies aiming to increase fuel efficiency. Lastly, the effects of improving the vehicle safety index on recurring fatalities were investigated. Improving the vehicle safety index could significantly reduce the number of fatalities and should be prioritized.

• Record URL:
  http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/final_reports/UCF-2-Y1_Report.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Central Florida, Orlando

  Electric Vehicle Transportation Center, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, P.O. Box 162450
  Orlando, FL  United States  32816-2450

  Safety Research Using Simulation University Transportation Center (SaferSim)

  University of Iowa
  Iowa City, IA  United States  52242
• Authors:
  • Tatari, Omer
  • Onat, Nuri
  • Abdel-Aty, Mohamed
  • Alirezaei, Mehdi
• Publication Date: 2015-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 68p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Climate change; Economic impacts; Fatalities; Highway safety; Policy analysis; Pollutants; Simulation; Sustainable transportation; Travel demand management; Vehicle safety
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01610872
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: UTC, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 21 2016 2:40PM