Comparison of Identification and Ranking Methodologies for Speed-Related Crash Locations

Over 60,000 crashes were reported on the Oregon state highway system from 2000-2002. Of these, speed was a primary causal factor in 27% of total crashes and 36% of all fatal crashes. Excessive speed is a driver behavior that can be influenced by a wide variety of countermeasures. However, different methods for analyzing crash data often result in setting different priorities for safety improvements. The state of Oregon currently does not have a developed methodology for prioritizing locations for review of countermeasure deployment. When making decisions about countermeasure deployment with limited resources, it is important they be allocated to locations that will result in the greatest impact. The objective of this study was to improve the procedures used to select locations for speed-related safety countermeasures. The report includes a literature review focused on the relationship between speed and crashes as well as past research on speed reduction techniques. An analysis of speed-related crash data indicated that a number of variables such as ice, curves, and others are overrepresented in speed crashes. Based on these findings, the study then developed and compared alternate ranking methods for speed/ice crash locations, including a unique refinement of the rate quality control (RQC) method, using climate data that helps identify road segments that exhibit statistically significant high speed/ice crash patterns. The results of the method were highlighted with a case study of identified highway sections using a new zonal RQC. To demonstrate the feasibility of this analysis technique, the top 20 sites identified by the refined screening technique were reviewed for possible countermeasures.

• Record URL:
  http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Programs/ResearchDocuments/RankingMethodsSpeedRelated.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/21868
• Corporate Authors:

  Portland State University

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, P.O. Box 751
  Portland, OR  United States  97207-0751

  Oregon Department of Transportation

  Research Section, 200 Hawthorne Avenue, SE, Suite B-240
  Salem, OR  United States  97301-5192

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Monsere, Christopher M
  • Bertini, Robert Lawrence
  • Bosa, Peter G
  • Chi, Delia
  • Nolan, Casey
  • El-Seoud, Tarek Abou
• Publication Date: 2006-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Bibliography; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 108p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Climate; Countermeasures; Crash data; Crash locations; Decision making; Ice; Literature reviews; Resource allocation; Speeding; Strategic planning
• Geographic Terms: Oregon
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01030118
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-OR-RD-06-14
• Contract Numbers: SPR 352
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 4 2006 4:15PM