Investigating Crash Frequency and Injury Severity at Freeway Weigh Stations in Michigan

The movement of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) from and back to the mainline traffic near fixed weigh stations could create conflicts in the traffic stream. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of presence of weigh stations on injury severity and frequency of crashes on Michigan freeways. The study investigated crash patterns in the vicinity of 12 fixed weigh stations as compared to crash patterns in the vicinity of 65 rest areas and 77 selected comparison segments. The study used eight years (2004 to 2011) crash data recorded in Michigan freeways. Three major influential segments (ISs) were identified: before facility, at facility, and after facility. Comparisons segments (CSs) with similar traffic and geometric characteristics as the ISs were also identified. Among 13 variables found to significantly affect the level of injury outcome, presence of fixed weigh station was shown to have positive impact. This indicates that crashes occurring near fixed weigh stations tend to be more severe than those occurring at rest areas and comparison segments. Other factors influencing injury severity include traffic and driver characteristics as well as crash types. The crash frequency model indicated that the incremental segment between 5280-ft and 3000-ft from the exit gore of fixed weigh stations is more likely to experience high crash frequency compared to similar segments at rest areas and at comparison segments.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANB70 Truck and Bus Safety.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Alkhatni, Fathi
  • Kwigizile, Valerian
  • Oh, Jun-Seok
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
• Date: 2014

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 22p
• Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Before and after studies; Crash rates; Injury severity; Weigh stations
• Geographic Terms: Michigan
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01519598
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-5053
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 26 2014 10:07AM