EFFECT OF LANE WIDTH, SHOULDER WIDTH, AND SHOULDER TYPE ON HIGHWAY SAFETY

Accident experience on rural highways is a complex function of many factors, including not only those associated with physical aspects of the roadway and the roadside but also a multitude of others related to driver, vehicle, traffic, and environmental conditions. Among the many roadway-related features of importance--estimated by one 1978 study to total at least 50--three that are often underscored as being among those having the greatest impact include lane width, shoulder width, and shoulder type. The purpose of this investigation was to critically review relevant literature and develop a model for estimating the effect of lane width, shoulder width, and shoulder type on motor vehicle accidents on two-lane, rural highways. Preliminary issues considered important to this task include (a) criteria for selecting and evaluating useful studies, and (b) definitional issues.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/state-of-the-art/6/6-001.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309045029
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Board State-of-the-Art Report No. 6, Relationship Between Safety and Key Highway Features: A Synthesis of Prior Research. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Zegeer, C V
  • Deacon, J A
• Publication Date: 1987

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 1-21
• Serial:
  • State-of-the-Art Report
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0892-6891

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Highway safety; Road shoulders; Rural highways; State of the art studies; Traffic crashes; Traffic lanes; Width
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Old TRIS Terms: Traffic lane width; Types
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00490515
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-04502-9
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 31 1990 12:00AM