M-WAY SAFETY CHEVRONS POSE TRUNK ROAD RISKS
This article reports on the current controversy over the possible introduction of chevron markings on British motorways, to keep drivers further apart. Chevron trials are currently being conducted on the M1 by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL); successive drivers are expected to keep two chevron intervals between each other, and the interval between chevrons ranges from 40m to 80m. Ken Huddart, a leading independent traffic consultant, has criticised the use of chevrons; if it succeeds in increasing headways between drivers, it will reduce carriageway capacity and force motorists onto other roads which are less safe. Therefore, the result could be an increased, not decreased, accident rate. Huddart states that flows on the lanes of British motorways are naturally over 2,500 vehicles per hour; motorway capacity would often be halved by the use of chevrons and by the use of the Highway Code recommendations for safe intervals between vehicles. He has requested the opening of a debate on the overall effect of chevrons and for more study of driver behaviour. Robin Helliar-Symons of the Transport and Road Research Laboratory considers that chevrons could usefully reduce nose-to-tail driving in medium flows, but doubts their value in low and high flows. (TRRL)
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03077683
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Corporate Authors:
Thomas Telford Limited
London, United Kingdom -
Authors:
- MONTAGUE, S
- Publication Date: 1990-9-20
Language
- English
Media Info
- Pagination: p. 7
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Serial:
- NEW CIVIL ENGINEER
- Issue Number: 914
- Publisher: EMAP CONSTRUCT LIMITED
- ISSN: 0307-7683
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Behavior; Crash rates; Drivers; Hazards; Prototypes; Risk assessment; Road markings
- Uncontrolled Terms: Chevrons
- Old TRIS Terms: Traffic marking
- ITRD Terms: 562: Carriageway marking; 9032: Increase; 2752: Motorway; 1665: Safety; 694: Vehicle spacing
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00617577
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
- Files: ITRD, TRIS
- Created Date: Nov 30 1991 12:00AM