• 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
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
  • X
  • 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
    • Work Zone Safety and MobilityTransportation Management Plans
    • Accommodating Pedestrians
    • Worker Safety and Welfare
    • Project Coordination in Work Zones
  • Training
    • Online Courses
    • FHWA Safety Grant Products
    • Toolboxes
    • Flagger
    • Certification and
      Accreditation
  • Work Zone Devices
  • Laws, Standards & Policies
  • Public Awareness
  • About
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Search
Publication

Examining the Influence of Work Zones on the Propensity of Secondary Crashes

Author/Presenter: Kitali, Angela E.; Haule, Henrick J.; Alluri, Priyanka; Sando, Thobias
Abstract:

Work zones are essential to maintaining and upgrading highways. The constrained driving environment in work zones tends to disturb the normal traffic flow, leading to reductions in speed and road capacity. These conditions have proven to increase crash risk. However, the impact of work zones on secondary crashes is yet to be investigated. This study extends the previous research on secondary crash likelihood models by evaluating the impact of work zones on the occurrence of secondary crashes. This study used data collected between January 2014 and June 2019 on a 77.2-km Homestead Extension of Florida Turnpike (HEFT) corridor and a 45.1-km section on Florida’s Turnpike System Mainline—also known as the mainline south section (MSS) in Miami, Florida. Lane widening activities occurred within HEFT during the study period. The results indicated that HEFT experienced approximately twice as many secondary crashes than MSS, that is, seven secondary crashes/km/year in HEFT and four secondary crashes/km/year in MSS. The higher proportion of secondary crashes on HEFT could be attributed to the presence of construction activities. The model results indicate that the presence of work zones significantly influenced the likelihood of secondary crashes. The study results may assist transportation agencies in identifying strategies to improve the safety of both workers and motorists in work zones.

Source: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume: 148
Issue: 9
Publication Date: July 2022
Source URL: Link to URL
Publication Types: Books, Reports, Papers, and Research Articles
Topics: Crashes; Impacts; Work Zones

Copyright © 2025 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