COMMERCIAL BUS ACCIDENT CHARACTERISTICS AND ROADWAY TREATMENTS

Traffic accidents involving buses result in about 35,000 injuries in the United States each year. This study describes bus and motor vehicle accident characteristics and recommends roadway-related countermeasures. Analyses were carried out on a primary study file of 8,897 commercial bus crashes in five states--Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, and Utah--for 1985 through 1989. A subset file with urban crashes in four states and the entire Illinois motor vehicle accident file with all vehicle types were also analyzed. The overall number of crashes was highest in winter, perhaps partly because of snow and ice. Older buses were overrepresented in injury and fatal crashes in comparison with newer buses. Neither bus driver age nor gender was related to accident involvement. Bus crashes at traffic lights were more likely to cause injuries and fatalities than those at stop signs. In Illinois, the most common bus accident types were rear end with one vehicle stopped, sideswipe same direction, and turning. Rear-end and angle accidents were most likely to cause injuries and fatalities. A number of measures may be used to improve bus safety. Roadway improvements on bus routes include wider travel lanes, paved shoulders or bus pull-off lanes, wider intersection turning radii, separate turn lanes, restriction of on-street parking, proper use and placement of signs and lane markings, and separate left-turn phasing. General roadway improvements in suburban and rural areas that can also reduce bus crashes include flatter roadside slopes and improved design of guardrail and roadway alignment. Future research needs related to bus transit safety are also discussed.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1994/1467/1467-003.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=COMMERCIAL+BUS+ACCIDENT+CHARACTERISTICS+AND+ROADWAY+TREATMENTS&author=C.+Zegeer&author=H.+Huang&author=J.+Stutts&author=E.+Rodgman&author=J.+Hummer&publication_year=1994
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309060737
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1467, Traffic and Roadway Accident Analysis and Traffic Records Research. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Zegeer, Charles V
  • Huang, Herman F
  • Stutts, Jane C
  • Rodgman, Eric
  • Hummer, Joseph E
• Publication Date: 1994

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 14-22
• Monograph Title: Traffic and roadway accident analysis and traffic records research
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1467
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Bus crashes; Countermeasures; Crash types; Drivers; Fatalities; Gender; Guardrails; Highway planning; Improvements; Injuries; Left turn phase; Parking regulations; Paved shoulders; Road markings; Rural areas; Stop signs; Structural design; Suburbs; Traffic lanes; Traffic signals; Traffic signs; Turning lanes; Turning radius; Urban areas; Width; Winter
• Uncontrolled Terms: Characteristics; Driver age; Road improvements
• Old TRIS Terms: Bus age; Left turn phasing; Parking restrictions; Traffic lane width
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I80: Accident Studies; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00677702
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309060737
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 18 1995 12:00AM