Assessing the safety impacts of overtaking on rural two-lane highways for differential cars and trucks speed limits using microscopic simulation

Recently a number of jurisdictions in North America have implemented legislation to limit truck speeds on two-lane highways, through differential speed limits. This safety strategy may affect the overtaking behaviour on these highways and the implications of this strategy for accidents during overtaking are not well understood. Arguably the overtaking behaviour is the most complex and important component of driving on two-lane highways, and plays an important role in traffic safety. The most important factor in overtaking modelling is the gap acceptance which is correlated with safety. The presence of a large truck in the traffic stream can have a significant effect on the gap acceptance behaviour. This paper presents a micro-simulation platform for modelling overtaking gap acceptance behaviour and applies the model to rural two-lane highways subject to reduced truck speed limits. The safety implications of differential truck speed limits for two-lane highways for different traffic volumes were evaluated based on changes in number of overtaking manoeuvres and risk of gap acceptance behaviour. It was found that the imposition of reduced speed limits for trucks increases the number of car-truck overtaking manoeuvres and hence compromises safety while it does not significantly decrease or increase gap acceptance risk. The two-lane highway microscopic framework was shown as a viable road safety assessment alternative.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.piarc.org/en/order-library/13949-en-Proceedings%20of%20the%20XXIVth%20World%20Road%20Congress,%20Mexico%20-%202011.htm
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of the World Road Association – PIARC.
• Corporate Authors:

  World Road Association (PIARC)

  La Grande Arche, Paroi Nord, Niveau 5
  F-92055 La Defense Cedex,   France 
• Authors:
  • Ghods, A
  • Duong, D
  • Saccomanno, F
  • Hellinga, B
• Conference:
  • 24th World Road Congress
  • Location: Mexico City , Mexico
  • Date: 2011-9-26 to 2011-9-30
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 12p
• Monograph Title: 24th World Road Congress Proceedings: Roads for a Better Life: Mobility, Sustainability and Development

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Gap acceptance; Highway safety; Microsimulation; Passing; Risk assessment; Rural highways; Speed limits; Trucks; Two lane highways
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01500194
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 2840602679
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 27 2013 10:17AM