THE EFFECT OF RURAL ROAD GEOMETRY ON SAFETY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

In this paper the data collection, analyses and results of three studies in Southern Africa on the effect of road geometry on accident rates are described. These studies used data from different periods for roads in the provinces of the Cape and Natal in South Africa and for roads in Malawi. The studies covered a combined total of 27,000 km of roads and included about 43,000 accidents. All the studies considered cross-sectional elements such as number of lanes, lane width, shoulder width and shoulder surface. In the first study the alignment was defined by indices such as hilliness and bendiness which are determined from the sum of vertical rise plus fall in m/km and the sum of horizontal deflections in degrees/km respectively. In the other two studies the alignment was described in terms of the terrain types of flat, rolling and mountainous. The results of the studies are compared to those of similar studies in the USA. The major difference was found to be in the effect of paved shoulders on the accident rate. In South Africa roads with such shoulders did not yield the safety benefit that was found overseas. This can be ascribed to the fact that these shoulders are used by both drivers and pedestrians - the former to allow other vehicles to overtake them.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/circulars/ec003/toc.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Supplemental Notes:
  • The proceedings have been edited by the Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System, College Station, Texas. 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

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Bester, C J
  • Makunje, J A
• Conference:
  • International Symposium on Highway Geometric Design Practices
  • Location: Boston, Massachusetts
  • Date: 1995-8-30 to 1995-9-1
• Publication Date: 1998-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 15:1-10
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: E-C003
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alignment; Crash rates; Cross sections; Geometric design; Highway safety; Paved shoulders; Road shoulders; Rural highways; Traffic lanes; Width
• Geographic Terms: Malawi; South Africa
• 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: 00794672
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: E-C003
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 9 2000 12:00AM