A STUDY OF ACCIDENTS INVOLVING HIGHWAY BRIDGES

ACCIDENT REPORTS, FIELD EVALUATIONS, STATE POLICE AND HIGHWAY ENGINEER QUESTIONNAIRE REPLIES, AND OTHER DATA SOURCES WERE USED TO CONDUCT A GENERAL STUDY OF ACCIDENTS INVOLVING HIGHWAY BRIDGES IN VIRGINIA. THE BRIDGES INCLUDED IN THE STUDY WERE DIVIDED INTO THREE GROUPS: ARTERIAL AND PRIMARY SYSTEM, INTERSTATE, AND DRAW AND SWING-SPAN. SEVERAL GEOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS WERE FOUND TO PREDOMINATE AT MANY ARTERIAL AND PRIMARY SYSTEM BRIDGES. A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH NUMBER OF INTERSTATE ACCIDENTS WAS CHARACTERIZED BY POOR SURFACE CONDITIONS. REAR END COLLISIONS PROVED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM ON SEVERAL DRAW OR SWING-SPAN STRUCTURES. THE UPGRADING OF EXISTING BRIDGE-RAIL--APPROACH-GUARDRAIL SYSTEMS, WIDENING OF CERTAIN NARROW-ROADWAY BRIDGES, AND CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS IN PLANNING AND DESIGN ARE AMONG THE RECOMMENDATIONS. /AUTHOR/

  • Record URL:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Report No VHRC 70-R34, 54 PP, FIGS, TABS, REFS
  • Corporate Authors:

    Virginia Highway Research Council

    Charlottesville, VA  United States 
  • Authors:
    • Hilton, M H
    • Redick, J R
  • Publication Date: 1971-3

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00221589
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
  • Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI
  • Created Date: Apr 17 1972 12:00AM