An assessment of the skid resistance effect on traffic safety under wet-pavement conditions

Pavement-tire friction provides the grip that is required for maintaining vehicle control and for stopping in emergency situations. Statistically significant negative correlations of skid resistance values and wet-pavement accident rates have been found in previous research. Skid resistance measured with Sideways Co-Efficient Routine Investigation Machine (SCRIM) and crash data from over 1750 km of two-lane rural roads in the Spanish National Road System were analyzed to determine the influence of pavement conditions on safety and to assess the effects of improving pavement friction on safety. Both wet- and dry-pavement crash rates presented a decreasing trend as skid resistance values increased. Thresholds in SCRIM coefficient values associated with significant decreases in wet-pavement crash rates were determined. Pavement friction improvement schemes were found to yield significant reductions in wet-pavement crash rates averaging 68%. The results confirm the importance of maintaining adequate levels of pavement friction to safeguard traffic safety as well as the potential of pavement friction improvement schemes to achieve significant crash reductions.

• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V5S-4WCSXH8-3/2/afc5638b437bf02caadf860ddb81597d
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00014575
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from Elsevier
• Authors:
  • Mayora, Jose M Pardillo
  • Pina, Rafael Jurado
• Publication Date: 2009-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 881-886
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 41
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash rates; Friction; Rolling contact; Skid resistance; Traffic safety; Wet weather
• Uncontrolled Terms: Wet pavements
• Geographic Terms: Spain
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01138177
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 12 2009 12:46PM