Star rating roads for safety - UK trials 2006-07

TRL was commissioned to develop a protocol for undertaking Road Protection Score (RPS) surveys in the UK that is compatible with protocols of EuroRAP and iRAP, and applicable to conditions on UK roads. EuroRAP RPS rates the safety of a road based on how well the design would protect a car occupant from severe injury in a collision, on a scale of 1 to 4 stars. Roadside, median and junction designs are the key factors in RPS. About 7000km of roads, including 2350km of Highways Agency network, were surveyed. Overall, motorways score significantly higher than A-roads, but 2% and 42% respectively scored less than 3-star. Nearly 1% of HA motorways scored below 3-star; around 51% scored 3-star, and 48% scored 4-star. Over 75% of HA A-roads scored 3 or 4 stars. Nearly two-thirds of English non-HA A-roads scored less than 3-star. Scottish motorways and A-roads scored well, gaining 4-star rating at a higher percentage. Welsh motorways scored well, but A-roads poorly, probably due to other road selection criteria that were employed. In Northern Ireland, 76% of motorways scored 3-star and 13% 4-star. 81% of A-roads scored less than 3-star. RPS performs the important function of providing information that accident histories do not, yet a good correlation is observed between both.

• Authors:
  • CASTLE, J
  • LYNAM, D
  • MARTIN, J
  • LAWSON, S D
  • KLASSEN, N
• Publication Date: 2007-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 68p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Districts and authorities; High risk locations; Highway design; Highways; Intersections; Medians; Networks; Roads; Rural highways; Safety; Test procedures; Tests; Transportation departments
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road networks
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 1663: Accident black spot; 2914: Central reserve; 2755: Highway; 2855: Highway design; 455: Junction; 2748: Main road; 1053: Road network; 2775: Rural road; 1665: Safety; 6255: Test; 6288: Test method; 253: Transport authority; 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I81: Accident Statistics; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure; I84: Personal Injuries; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01109592
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Aug 25 2008 8:44AM