The relation between crash rate, speed and road features on 80 km/h roads: a cross-sectional study

Samenhang tussen ongevallenrisico, snelheid en wegkenmerken op 80km/uur-wegen: een steekproefstudie

This exploratory study investigates the relation between crash rate, speed, and several features of 80 km/h roads. The study was carried out using driving speed and crash data from an earlier SWOV study (See ITRD E206780) and road features. The crash and speed data were derived from 32 roads in the province of Friesland, for the 1997-2003 period. The study also used data on the road width and the number of exits per kilometre. The speed data consisted of the average speed, the speed distribution, the percentage of offenders (more than 87 km/h), and the percentage greatly exceeding the limit (more than 117 km/h). Practically all analyses were carried out using linear regression analysis. The analyses showed that the total crash rate on these limited access 80 km/h roads is higher on roads with a greater junction density, on narrower roads, and on roads with a lower average speed. Combined with these factors, the crash rate is also higher on roads with a higher percentage of speeding offenders. The injury crash rate is especially higher on narrow roads and on roads with a lower average speed. Combined with these factors, the injury crash rate is also higher on roads with greater speed distribution. Contrary to results of other studies, this study showed no direct relation between road features, such as road width, and speed. The mutual relation of speed variables, however, is strong: higher average speed goes together with greater speed distribution and higher percentages of offenders greatly exceeding the limit. Road features as well as speed go together in their own way with variations in crash rates. It is concluded that there may be more aspects of the road design and environment, and possibly also different road user types that play a role, than those that were analysed in this exploratory study. This report may be accessed by Internet users at: http://www.swov.nl/rapport/R-2006-11.pdf

• Record URL:
  • http://www.swov.nl/rapport/R-2006-11.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute for Road Safety Research, SWOV

  Bezuidenhoutseweg 62
  The Hague,   Netherlands  2594 AW
• Authors:
  • AARTS, L T
  • VAN SCHAGEN, I N
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• Dutch

Media Info

• Pagination: 30p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: R-2006-11

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Crash rates; Layout; Offenders; Regions; Regression analysis; Speed; Width
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• ITRD Terms: 1612: Accident rate; 2885: Layout; 2748: Main road; 8078: Netherlands; 1508: Offender; 378: Region; 6588: Regression analysis; 5408: Speed; 6479: Width
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01084203
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Institute for Road Safety Research, SWOV
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jan 7 2008 4:57PM