RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, ROAD SURFACE CONDITIONS AND WINTER MAINTENANCE MEASURES: ACCIDENT RISK FOR DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF SNOW PRECIPITATION

SAMBAND MELLAN TRAFIKOLYCKOR, VAEGLAG OCH VINTERVAEGHALLNINGSATGAERDER: OLYCKSRISKER VID OLIKA MAENGD SNONEDERBORD

The knowledge of the impact of traffic safety of different winter maintenance measures is incomplete. A necessary precondition for estimates of such impacts is knowledge of how the accident risk varies with the amount of snowfall. The study was carried out to provide a better basis for such estimations. More specifically the aim was to quantify differences in traffic accident risk for days with different amounts of precipitation. Data on all accidents on paved national roads during 1977-80 as well as road data and corresponding weather statistics was analyzed. The results show a rapid increase in accident risk for small and moderate amounts of snowfall. For snowfalls with more than 5-10 mm precipitation the accident risk stabilize at a level 3-5 times higher than the normal risk. This level is somewhat lower--2.5-3 times--when precipitation consists of a mixture of rain and snow.

• Corporate Authors:

  Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

  Linköping,   Sweden  SE-581 95
• Authors:
  • Schandersson, R
• Publication Date: 1988

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Pagination: 64 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash rates; Hazards; Highway maintenance; Level of service; Risk assessment; Snow and ice control; Winter maintenance
• Old TRIS Terms: Winter service
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00478378
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: VTI/MEDDELLANE-514
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 31 1989 12:00AM