EXAMINATION OF TRUCK ACCIDENTS ON URBAN FREEWAYS. FINAL REPORT

The objective of this study was to determine the nature and extent of urban freeway accidents involving trucks, over 10,000 lb gross vehicle weight, and their consequences as a function of vehicle type and traffic and roadway characteristics. The study was limited to urban freeways and expressways with large total volumes (minimum 100,000 average daily traffic) and a significant percentage of large truck traffic (minimum 5%). The primary tasks involved a review of the literature, and the analysis of accident and operational data from selected urban freeway sites. A total of 2,221 verified truck accidents were included in the study occurring during 3.75 years on 46.5 miles of freeway. The study determined the characteristics of truck accidents, developed comparisons between truck and passenger vehicle accidents, and estimated the operational and economic consequences of truck accidents. An estimate of the total annual cost of urban freeway accidents was determined to be $634,000 per freeway mile. Applying this estimate to the total 2,497 Interstate and freeway miles, with volumes greater than 100,000 vehicles per day, that exist nationwide results in a nationwide annual cost of 1.6 billion dollars due to truck accidents on urban freeways.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • A "Literature Review - Summary Examination of Truck Accidents on Urban Freeways" (Report No. FHWA-RD-88-167), developed as part of this project, is available from NTIS.
• Corporate Authors:

  Goodell-Grivas Incorporated

  17320 West Eight Mile Road
  Southfield, MI  United States  48075

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Authors:
  • Bowman, B L
  • Hummer, J E
• Publication Date: 1989-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 101 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Crash analysis; Crashes; Freeways; Heavy duty trucks; Reviews; Traffic crashes; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Accident costs
• Old TRIS Terms: Urban freeways
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I81: Accident Statistics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00490575
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-89-201, 3A4A1042
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-87-C-00087
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 31 1990 12:00AM