SMALL AND LARGE VEHICLES, CHAPTER 8

An increased sensitivity of the small automobile to road surface discontinuities is indicated from accident data and increased probability of injury to the occupants of such vehicles. A recent study by Griffin indicates that lighter-weight cars may be more likely to be involved in curb accidents than are heavier cars. In a study on tire defects, Campbell presents data that suggest that small cars may be disadvantaged by roadway discontinuities and disturbances. In his article, Campbell demonstrates that accident-involved subcompact cars are far more apt to be cited for tire defects than are accident-involved large cars. Furthermore, this phenomenon is upheld when controlling simultaneously for vehicle age and driver age. Whether this phenomenon results from higher rates of rotation for smaller tires or from greater abuse suffered by smaller tires when striking ruts, potholes, edge drops, foreign objects, and so forth remains to be seen. Simply concluding that small vehicles are more sensitive to all surface problems does not appear to be warranted. It was demonstrated by tests that a small vehicle could handle pothole traverses less effectively than a large car, but that it was no more sensitive to pavement edges than some larger vehicles. Regarding large vehicles, it must be concluded that the knowledge is deficient to state with confidence which road features constitute pecuiliar safety problems for them. Relying on the general knowledge of such vehicles, however, points to the need to better understand certain long wavelength roughness qualities in roads as potentially unique problems for such vehicles. (Author)

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/state-of-the-art/1/1-008.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08926891
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appeared in the Transportation Research Board, A State-of-the-Art Report: The Influence of Roadway Surface Discontinuities on Safety. 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.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Griffin III, L I
  • Gillespie, T D
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 35-40
• Monograph Title: THE INFLUENCE OF ROADWAY SURFACE DISCONTINUITIES ON SAFETY
• Serial:
  • State-of-the-Art Report
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0892-6891

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compact automobiles; Curbs; Heavy vehicles; Potholes; Sensitivity; Surface course (Pavements); Trucks
• Uncontrolled Terms: Discontinuity; Pavement edge
• Old TRIS Terms: Small car
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Motor Carriers; Pavements; Safety and Human Factors; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391057
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309037026
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-038 006
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 30 1985 12:00AM