MOTOR VEHICLE RELATED INJURY ON THE BRIDGES BETWEEN MONTREAL AND THE SOUTH SHORE OF THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER, 1978-1982

The injury experience related to motor vehicle crashes on four bridges and one tunnel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from 1978 to 1982, are described. Particular attention is given to the Jacques Cartier Bridge, publicly perceived as being excessively dangerous. Data from the Quebec Automobile Insurance Board and police reports confirm an excess of deaths (19/34; rate ratio = 4.5) and severe injuries (69/109; rate ratio = 6.2) on the Jacques Cartier Bridge, and the association of 74 percent of the fatalities and 64 percent of the severe-injury cases on this bridge with a single curve. Crashes follow a consistent pattern; vehicles fail to negotiate the curve and strike vehicles moving in the opposite direction. The demonstrated association between crashes and design factors provides a basis for identifying effective remedial and preventive measures.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00900036
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Health Association

  800 I Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001-3710
• Authors:
  • BROWN, B P
  • Salmi, R
  • Lecours, S
  • Battista, R N
• Publication Date: 1985-8

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 871-874
• Serial:
  • American Journal of Public Health
  • Volume: 75
  • Issue Number: 8
  • Publisher: American Public Health Association
  • ISSN: 0090-0036
  • EISSN: 1541-0048
  • Serial URL: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/loi/ajph

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge design; Bridges; Crash severity; Fatalities; High risk locations; Injuries; Structural design; Traffic crashes; Tunnels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I81: Accident Statistics; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00451889
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-039 169
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 31 1985 12:00AM