TRB Pubsindex
Text Size:
x

« Prev Next »

Return to Results | New Search

Bookmark and Share

Title:

Factors Contributing to Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes on Rural Highways

Accession Number:

01044073

Record Type:

Component

Availability:

Transportation Research Board Business Office

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Abstract:

Approximately 25% of pedestrian and bicycle fatal and injury accidents occur on rural highways. In contrast to urban highways, rural highways have certain characteristics that can be more hazardous to pedestrians and bicyclists, such as higher average vehicle speeds and a lack of sidewalk provisions. The objectives of this study were first, to compare and contrast rural and urban pedestrian and bicyclist crashes in North Carolina; and second, to identify problem areas (specific crash types and crash locations) on rural highways that are of high priority for safety treatment and treatment development. Rural pedestrian and bicyclist crashes were found to be characterized by higher percentages of fatalities, higher percentages of alcohol consumption, higher vehicles speeds, unpaved shoulders, and midblock-related crash types. Eleven pedestrian problem areas were identified, of which the most prevalent were "walking along roadway" on rural two-lane roads, "pedestrian failed to yield, midblock" on rural two-lane roads, and "midblock dart/dash" on rural two-lane roads. Five bicycle problem areas were identified, of which the most common were "bicyclist turn/merge into path of motorist, midblock" on rural two-lane roads and "motorist overtaking, midblock" on rural two-lane roads. Potential countermeasures for these problem areas were discussed in view of their potential safety effectiveness and feasibility for rural areas. Countermeasures that rated highly for both criteria included improvements in roadway lighting, addition of paved shoulders, education of pedestrians and motorists, and increase in marked space for bicyclists on the existing roadway.

Monograph Accession #:

01042056

Report/Paper Numbers:

07-2457

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Carter, Daniel L
Council, Forrest M

Pagination:

20p

Publication Date:

2007

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

CD-ROM

Features:

References (9) ; Tables (8)

Uncontrolled Terms:

Bicycle safety; Midblock collisions

Geographic Terms:

North Carolina

Subject Areas:

Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2007 Paper #07-2457

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Feb 8 2007 7:09PM