ROADSIDE OBSTACLES: THEIR EFFECTS ON THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF ACCIDENTS; DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF COUNTERMEASURES

The Road Research Group on the Effects of Roadside Obstacles on the Frequency and Severity of Accidents was established to review the importance of roadside obstacle accidents, to assess present national practice in this field and to propose the most adequate counter-measures. In fact, the Group's study demonstrated that the presence of roadside obstacles considerably increases the frequency of accidents in general as well as the severity of accidents involving vehicles running off the roadway. Moreover, the acuity of this problem increases with growing traffic volumes and the proliferation of man-made obstacles, such as fences, luminaires and electricity poles. Hence it is important to devote major efforts to this problems, to assess the effectiveness of all possible counter-measures, and to propose optimised solutions. The Group started its work with a survey of available national statistics on accidents involving roadside obstacles and of current national practice in regard to roadside layout (Chapter II). The report then presents a review of specific accident studies (Chapter III) and experimental tests involving collisions with obstacles, protected or not, and of obstacle protection systems (Chapter IV). This review includes in particular information on the design of lighting and sign structures and impact attenuating devices. Chapter V includes an analysis of the economic aspects of accidents against obstacles and the related safety measures that can be taken. Finally, Chapter IV presents a set of recommendations for improved engineering practice, and suggestions on how future practice and research programs should evolve in the field of roadside obstacles. The appendices include detailed information on the protection of obstacles by guardrails, the treatment of trees and research on lighting columns, signposts and impact attenuator systems. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

  2, rue André Pascal
  Paris,   France  75775 Paris Cedex 16
• Publication Date: 1975-8

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 127 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attenuation (Physics); Countermeasures; Crash cushions; Crash rates; Crash severity; Hazards; Highway safety; Lighting; Obstructions (Navigation); Roadside structures; Traffic crashes; Traffic volume
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00141699
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 30 1977 12:00AM