HIGHWAY SAFETY EFFECTS OF THE ENERGY CRISIS ON U.S. TOLL ROADS

The study examines highway safety effects as related to the energy crisis on selected toll roads in the United States. Data concerning accidents, traffic volumes, and speeds of travel--broken down by vehicle class into passenger cars and large trucks--are analyzed. Passenger car traffic was reduced about 15% and average speeds by about 8 miles per hour as a result of the energy crisis. The speeds of large trucks were reduced about 4 miles per hour, but truck traffic did not change appreciably. Accident rates overall were reduced much more than could be accounted for by travel alone. Accident severity was apparently reduced leading to 47% reduction in fatalities. Large trucks were over-represented in the two-vehicle accident population.

• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Safety Research Institute

  Huron Parkway and Baxter Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Campbell, K
  • SCOTT, R
  • Tolkin, S
• Publication Date: 1976-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 152 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Crash injury research; Crash rates; Crash severity; Crashes; Energy resources; Highway safety; Highway traffic; Highways; Passenger vehicles; Research; Speed; Speed control; Toll roads; Traffic crashes; Traffic safety; Traffic volume; Trucks
• Uncontrolled Terms: Energy crisis; Motor vehicle accidents
• Old TRIS Terms: Energy shortage; Vehicular traffic
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Motor Carriers; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00137316
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: UM-HSRI-76-5 Final Rpt., DOT-HS-801-933
• Contract Numbers: DOT-HS-4-00980
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 16 1977 12:00AM