Impacts on Safety of Left-turn Treatment at High Speed Signalized Intersections

Impacts on Safety of Left-turn Treatment at High Speed Signalized Intersections
Author: T. H. Maze
Publisher:
Total Pages: 94
Release: 1994
Genre: Left-turn lanes
ISBN:

Left-turning traffic is a major source of conflicts at intersections. Though an average of only 10% to 15% of all approach traffic turns left, these vehicles are involved in approximately 45% of all accidents. This report presents the results of research conducted to develop models which estimate approach accident rates at high speed signalized intersections. The objective of the research was to quantify the relationship between traffic and intersection characteristics, and accident potential of different left turn treatments. Geometric, turning movement counts, and traffic signal phasing data were collected at 100 intersections in Iowa using a questionnaire sent to municipalities. Not all questionnaires resulted in complete data and ultimately complete data were derived for 63 intersections providing a database of 248 approaches. Accident data for the same approaches were obtained from the Iowa Department of Transportation Accident Location and Analysis System (ALAS). Regression models were developed for two different dependent variables: 1) the ratio of the number of left turn accidents per approach to million left turning vehicles per approach, and 2) the ratio of accidents per approach to million traffic movements per approach. A number of regression models were developed for both dependent variables. One model using each dependent variable was developed for intersections with low, medium, and high left turning traffic volumes. As expected, the research indicates that protected left turn phasing has a lower accident potential than protected/permitted or permitted phasing. Left turn lanes and multiple lane approaches are beneficial for reducing accident rates, while raised medians increase the likelihood of accidents. Signals that are part of a signal system tend to have lower accident rates than isolated signals. The resulting regression models may be used to determine the likely impact of various left turn treatments on intersection accident rates. When designing an intersection approach, a traffic engineer may use the models to estimate the accident rate reduction as a result of improved lane configurations and left turn treatments. The safety benefits may then be compared to any costs associated with operational effects to the intersection (i.e., increased delay) to determine the benefits and costs of making intersection safety improvements.

Evaluation of Safety Strategies at Signalized Intersections

Evaluation of Safety Strategies at Signalized Intersections
Author: Raghavan Srinivasan
Publisher: Transportation Research Board
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2011
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309213452

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 705: Evaluation of Safety Strategies at Signalized Intersections explores crash modification factors (CMFs) for safety strategies at signalized intersections. CMFs are a tool for quickly estimating the impact of safety improvements.

Accident Modification Factors for Traffic Engineering and ITS Improvements

Accident Modification Factors for Traffic Engineering and ITS Improvements
Author: David L. Harkey
Publisher: Transportation Research Board
Total Pages: 85
Release: 2008
Genre: Transportation
ISBN: 0309117380

TRB¿s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 617: Accident Modification Factors for Traffic Engineering and ITS Improvements explores the development of accident modification factors (AMFs) for traffic engineering and intelligent transportation system improvements. AMFs, also known as crash reduction factors, are designed to provide a simple and quick way of estimating the safety impacts of various types of engineering improvements, encompassing the areas of signing, alignment, channelization, and other traffic engineering solutions.

Handbook of Driving Simulation for Engineering, Medicine, and Psychology

Handbook of Driving Simulation for Engineering, Medicine, and Psychology
Author: Donald L. Fisher
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 728
Release: 2011-04-25
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1420061011

Effective use of driving simulators requires considerable technical and methodological skill along with considerable background knowledge. Acquiring the requisite knowledge and skills can be extraordinarily time consuming, yet there has been no single convenient and comprehensive source of information on the driving simulation research being conduc

Report

Report
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 452
Release: 2008
Genre: Highway research
ISBN:

Motor Vehicle Safety

Motor Vehicle Safety
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 212
Release: 1983
Genre: Motor vehicles
ISBN:

Reports for 1975- include activities under the National traffic and motor vehicle safety act of 1966 and the Motor vehicle information and cost savings act of 1972.