00378515

Component

https://onlinepubs.trb.or...trcircular/264/264-008.pdf

Based on a tentative review, it appears that no major changes in geometric design standards will be required as a result of the microvehicle. Some highway appurtenances will likely need to be modified if current performance standards are to be maintained. Many sign and luminaire supports will likely have serious deficiencies. W-beam barriers will be adequate for microvehicle impacts but a rub rail may be necessary for the strong post guardrail systems to ensure safe impacts. The thrie-beam will likely be used more in lieu of the W-beam due to its increased height and reduced ground clearance. High decelerations and an increased rollover potential will be a major concern for microvehicle impacts with the concrete safety shape barrier. Adjustments may be necessary in the relative heights of the cables used in the cable roadside barrier. Crash cushions will need to be redesigned to accommodate the microvehicle. In the case of the inertia barriers at least, this change is more of length than the provision for additional elements. Driver visibility requirements for the microvehicles are not expected to be greater than with the minivehicles that are presently in the traffic stream. The limited changes needed on the highway system to adapt to the microvehicle, combined with the social and enforcement problems of restricting their use to a particular area or a particular part of the road system, make restriction a highly questionable practice. Overall, the impacts of the microvehicle on design standards should be fairly minor and might actually allow the use of lanes as narrow as 8 ft. (2.4 m) to increase the capacity of low-speed urban streets in the absence of trucks and buses. (Author)

This paper appeared in Transportation Research Circular No. 264, Mini and Microautomobile Forum: Overview and Potential Problems. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

p. 18-23

1983-9

Transportation Research Circular

Digital/other

Figures (3) ; References (7) ; Tables (5)

Crash cushions; Drivers; Geometric design; Guardrails; Highway design; Structural supports; Subcompact automobiles; Thrie beams; Vision

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety

TRIS, TRB

Dec 30 1983 12:00AM

• DESIGN NOTES FOR A SAFER HALF MEGAGRAM AUTOMOBILE (DISCUSSION)
• ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS (DISCUSSION)
• LAWS, STANDARDS AND LIABILITY (DISCUSSION)
• MINI AND MICROAUTOMOBILE FORUM: OVERVIEW AND POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: FOREWARD
• MINI AND MICROAUTOMOBILE FORUM: OVERVIEW AND POTENTIAL PROBLEMS; PART 1: MARKET AND USE CONSIDERATIONS--INTRODUCTION
• MINI AND MICROAUTOMOBILE FORUM: OVERVIEW AND POTENTIAL PROBLEMS; PART 2: MINI-MICRO PROBLEMS--INTRODUCTION
• OPERATOR AND SAFETY PROBLEMS (DISCUSSION)
• POTENTIAL USAGE (DISCUSSION)
• THE MARKET POTENTIAL FOR MICRO-MINI CARS IN THE UNITED STATES (DISCUSSION)