• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Logo

Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

Library of Resources to Improve Roadway Work Zone Safety for All Roadway Users

  • About
  • Join Listserv
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Work Zone Data
    • At a Glance
    • National & State Traffic Data
    • Work Zone Traffic Crash Trends and Statistics
    • Worker Fatalities and Injuries at Road Construction Sites
  • Topics of Interest
    • Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety
    • Smart Work Zones
    • Transportation Management Plans
    • Accommodating Pedestrians
    • Worker Safety and Welfare
    • Project Coordination in Work Zones
  • Training
    • Flagger
    • Online Courses
    • Toolboxes
    • FHWA Safety Grant Products
    • Certification and
      Accreditation
  • Work Zone Devices
  • Laws, Standards & Policies
    • COVID-19 Guidance
  • Public Awareness
  • Events
  • About
  • Listserv
  • Contact
  • Search
Publication

Accident Characteristics Before, During, and After Safety Upgrading Projects on Ohio’s Rural Interstate System

Author/Presenter: Nemeth, Zoltan A.; Migletz, Donald J.
Abstract:

In 1973, minor safety upgrading projects were conducted at 21 locations on the rural Interstate system of Ohio, involving 618 km (384 miles) of freeways. In 1972, the accident rate per million vehicle kilometers ( MVKM) on these 618 km was 112.9 accidents/161 MVKM (112.9/100 million vehicle miles). In 1974, the accident rate dropped to 77.9 accidents/ 161 MVKM. To account for the possible effect of the introduction of the reduced speed limit in 1974, accident rates were also compared on 246 km (153 miles) of the rural Interstate system not subjected to safety improvement. The difference inproportional reduction in accident rates is statistically significant and favors the 21 study sites. The accident rates increased to 120.8 accidents/161 MVKM during the 1973 safety upgrading construction program. However, only 151 accidents were positively identified from traffic crash reports and construction diaries as construction related. These 151 accidents were studied in detail. Observed patterns included: (a) rear-end (61) and single vehicle, fixed-object (56) accidents were the most frequent; (b) 34 accidents occurred in the relatively short taper area; (c) the proportion of the lane taper accidents at night and at dawn or dusk was high; (d) the proportion of construction object accidents at night was high; (e) the proportion of tractor-trailer and bus accidents at night was high; (f) excess speed was listed in 88 cases as a contributing factor, while road defects or construction or traffic control were listed only in 15 cases. Some suggestions are being made regarding traffic control at work zones.

Source: Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
Volume: 672
Publisher: Transportation Research Board
Publication Date: 1978
Full Text URL: Link to URL
Publication Types: Books, Reports, Papers, and Research Articles
Topics: Crash Characteristics; Crash Data; Rear End Crashes; Rural Highways; Temporary Traffic Control

Copyright © 2023 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is a project of the ARTBA Transportation Development Foundation. It is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Texas A&M Transportation Institute. | Copyright Statement · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer
American Road and Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation, American Road and Transportation Builders Association U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Texas A&M Transportation Institute