ANALYSIS OF THE RELATION OF ACCIDENTS AND THE 88-KM/H (55-MPH) SPEED LIMIT ON ARIZONA HIGHWAYS (ABRIDGEMENT)

An investigation to establish if there is a causal relationship between the reduced number of traffic accidents and traffic fatalities in Arizona in 1974 and the 88-km/h (55 mph) speed limit is reported. Characteristics of drivers involved in fatal accidents were age, sex, physical condition and familiarity with fatal accident location. The factors considered in the accident environment category, and data showing the relationships between the study area and total statewide fatal accidents are discussed. The study found that neither driver characteristics nor vehicle characteristics affected in 1974 reduction in fatal accidents, and that traffic-related environmental factors that influence driving conditions and travel patterns changed between 1973 and 1974. All categories of accidents decreased in 1974. The number of fatal accidents and the total number of accidents had the highest relative decrease on Interstate Highways. Interstate highways that had speed limits of 120 km/h (75 mph) in 1973 had the largest decrease in total accident rates.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1976/609/609-007.pdf
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=ANALYSIS+OF+THE+RELATION+OF+ACCIDENTS+AND+THE+88-KM%2fH+(55-MPH)+SPEED+LIMIT+ON+ARIZONA+HIGHWAYS+(ABRIDGEMENT)&author=B.+Burritt&author=A.+Moghrabi&author=J.+Matthias&publication_year=1976
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Traffic Law Enforcement. 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.
• Authors:
  • Burritt, Benjamin E
  • Moghrabi, A
  • Matthias, Judson S
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 34-35
• Monograph Title: Highway safety, traffic records, and law enforcement
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 609
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Fatalities; Human characteristics; Impact studies; Speed limits; Traffic crashes; Vehicle characteristics
• Identifier Terms: Interstate Highway System
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver characteristics
• Geographic Terms: Arizona
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00157804
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309025842
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 28 1977 12:00AM