Traffic Engineering

Third Year

College of Engineering

Kufa University
Civil department

Mooring & evening study

Chapter Seventeen
Traffic Safety

17-1 Introduction
Analysis of traffic accidents is of the utmost importance to traffic
engineers. Accident analysis is largely dependent on thorough knowledge
of the characteristics of drivers , vehicles and roadways , and reporting of
accidents.
The traffic engineer has the responsibility to incorporate as many safety
features as possible in his design to minimize the number of accidents due
to poor geometry.

17-2 Causes of Traffic Accidents

Most accidents result from several factors:

1. Human factors
Including violations or unsafe acts by drivers or pedestrians.
Improper driving (excessive speed, failure to yield right of-way and
driving left of centerline) causes fatal accidents. Nonfatal injury
accidents may be caused by failure to yield rightofway, excessive
speed and following too closely.
More than 83 percent of the deaths in the pedestrians associated
with crossing at the intersection.

2. Vehicular Factors
The mechanical condition of a vehicle can be the cause of
transportation crashes. The proportion of accidents attributed to
vehicle defects is well under 2 percent and the majority of accidents
is due to defective brakes and improper lights.
3. Roadway Factors

The condition and quality of the roadway, which includes the

pavement, shoulders, intersections and the traffic control system, can
be a factor in a crash.
4. Environmental Factors
Though unfavorable weather do have an influence on traffic
accidents .Weather on roads can contribute to highway crashes; for
example, wet pavement reduces stopping friction and can cause
vehicles to hydroplane.

17-3 Accident Reports and Reporting Systems

10-3-1 Accident Records
Accident data are usually obtained from police agencies. Typical
completed form will include information on the location, time of
occurrence, roadway, types and number of vehicles involved and
environmental conditions. A sketch (17.1) showing the original paths of
the man and vehicle.

Figure (17.1, a): Virgin accident report

Figure (17.1, b): Virgin accident report, crash diagram

17-4 Accident Rates

These rates are determined on the basis of exposure data , such as
traffic volume and the length of road section being considered. Commonly
used rates are rate per million of entering vehicles (RMEVs) and rate per
100 million vehicle-miles(RMVM).
The rate per million of entering vehicles (RMEVs) is the number of
crashes per million vehicles entering the study location during the study
period. It is expressed as:
RMEV=(A*1,000,000)/V
Where:
A=Number of crashes , total or by type occurring in a single year
at the location,
V=Average daily traffic (ADT) *365
Example (17.1): The number of all crashes recorded at an intersection in a year
was 23 , and the average 24-hr volume entering from all approaches was
6500.Determine the crash rate per million entering vehicles (RMEV)?
Solution
RMEV=(23*1,000,000)/6500*365=9.69
crashes/million
entering vehicles
The rate per 100 million vehicle miles (RMVM) is the number of
crashes per 100 million vehicle miles of travel. It is obtained from the
expression:
RMVM=(A*1,00,000,000)/VMT
Where:
A=Number of crashes , total or by type at the study location , during a
given period
VMT=Vehicle miles of travel during given period =ADT*(number of
days in study period)*(length of road)