FHWA Examines Low-Cost Concepts to Reduce Intersection Crashes
March 24, 2009, 8:02 am
The Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety has identified intersections as one of its safety focus areas. In 2005, more than 50 percent of all crashes in urban areas and over 30 percent in rural areas were intersection related.
Source: Highway & Vehicle Safety Report Vol 36 No 6, March 15, 2009
The Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety has identified intersections as one of its safety focus areas. In 2005, more than 50 percent of all crashes in urban areas and over 30 percent in rural areas were intersection related.
Driver compliance with stop signs is a major contributing factor to intersection crashes. A recent publication by the NHTSA indicates that drivers failed to obey a stop sign in 21 percent of fatal crashes at stop-controlled intersections. An additional 23 percent failed to yield to crossing main traffic.
As part of FHWA's efforts to reduce intersection crashes and teh related injuries and fatalities, two potential safety improvements were identified and subsequently tested in seven states (1) rumble strips painted on outside road shoulders and in a painted yellow median island on major road approaches, and (2) channelizing separator islands on side road approaches with supplemental stop signs.
Specifically, the strategies are low-cost countermeasures for intersection on two-lane, two-way roadways with two-way stop control.
Based on the low cost and initial effectiveness of the rumble strips and separator islands with respect to safety measures, it is expected that these strategies will prove to be cost-effective methods for improving intersection safety. However, more analysis is needed before wide-scale implementation can be recommended.
For more information, go to www.tfhrc.gov.
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