Roadsides and run-off-road accidents
Reunaymparisto ja 2000-luvun suistumisonnettomuudet
The aims of the study were to gather information on collision objects in single vehicle run-off-road accidents, and to assess the safety effects of wider tree removal on old main roads and reduction of private-access road junctions. Data were collected from the Fatal Accident Investigations Team and the accident register of the Finnish Transport Agency for the period 2000-2009. Fatal run-off-road accidents in which the vehicle encountered a railing, pole, rock cutting, or traffic sign were examined in greater detail from the Investigation Team’s folders. During the period 2000-2009 an average of 1250 personal injury run-off-road accidents per year occurred on public roads. An average of 80 accidents per year had at least one fatality. Run-off-road accident density on single carriageway main roads averaged 2.9 personal injury accidents per road kilometre, and on other paved rural roads 1.7 personal injury accidents per road kilometre. Accident rates were respectively 2.5 and 5.6 personal injury accidents per hundred million driven kilometres. The most common primary collision object of fatal accidents was trees, accounting for 27% of the accidents. Ditch slope accounted for 15%; light, electricity and telephone poles accounted for 14%; private-access roads and ditch chambers accounted for 13%, and guardrails for 10% of primary collision objects. Collision objects in personal injury accidents were classified as for fatal accidents. Poles involved in fatal car and van run-off-road accidents were usually wooden, with the vehicle generally hitting the pole side-on. Only in two cases out of 62 did the pole break and crash through the roof of the vehicle. In fatal car and van accidents with a guardrail as the collision object, the vehicle usually hit the bevelled end of the railing and fell or flew outside the guardrail. Distances between roadside and trees were not available in accident data; thus the safety effect of distance was estimated based on road age. On older roads trees are closer to the edge of the road than on newer roads. On main roads built or having undergone major repairs before 1970, a vehicle running off the road hit trees about twice as often as on newer main roads. However, on newer main roads the run-off-road personal injury accident rate (accidents per driven kilometres) was the same as on the oldest roads, and cars collided with other objects than trees. Thus the safety effects of wider removal of trees are questionable. On main roads, the run-off-road personal injury accident rate and the share of private-access roads in collisions increased with increasing private-access road density. On this basis, it was estimated that removing two private-access roads per road kilometre would decrease personal injury run-off-road accidents by 5%. Accident cost savings on an average main road would be € 370 per year per removed private road intersection.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9789522552396
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Authors:
- RAJAMAKI, RIIKKA
- Publication Date: 2013
Language
- English
- Finnish
Media Info
- Media Type: Web
- Features: Appendices; References;
- Pagination: 64 p
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Serial:
- Liikenneviraston Tutkimuksia ja Selvityksiä, Research Reports of the Finnish Transport Agency
- Publisher: Finnish Transport Agency
- ISSN: 1798-6656
- EISSN: 1798-6664
Subject/Index Terms
- ITRD Terms: 8035: Finland; 1643: Road accident; 1665: Road safety; 2821: Roadside; 1643: Traffic accident; 1665: Traffic safety
- Subject Areas: I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01478694
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Finnish Transport Agency
- ISBN: 9789522552396
- Files: ITRD, TRIS
- Created Date: Apr 18 2013 8:49AM