DEVELOPMENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT AND ACCIDENTS ON MARYLAND ROADS

This study was a research effort conducted to study the effect that posted speed limits have on the number of accidents and type of collisions on the roadways in Maryland. The purpose of this study was to uncover a relationship between the posted speed limit and the geometric characteristics of Interstate, U.S., and Maryalnd roads which would enable the State Highway Administration to project consequences of lower and higher speed limits. The resulting relationship was to serve as a basis upon which requests for posted speed limit changes could be made. The resulting analysis did not indicate any first order linear relationship between accidents, speed and geometric characteristics for Interstate and U.S. roadways. Relative and Absolute risk indices were developed for different road characteristics which indicate the effect on the accident frequency of changing the posted speed limit.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Maryland State Highway Administration
• Corporate Authors:

  Centers for Study

  354 Hungerford Drive
  Rockville, MD  United States  20850
• Authors:
  • Jakobsberg, W
  • Danchik, N
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Pagination: 70 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash rates; Crashes; Geometric design; Hazards; Highway design; Indexes (Information management); Risk assessment; Speed limits; Traffic crashes
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00141898
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-MD-R-76-6
• Contract Numbers: State No: AW-154-046, Federal: HPR-PR-1(9)
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 22 1977 12:00AM