Wrong-way driving (WWD) is dangerous and poses a significant legal and safety risk when it occurs on limited access facilities. Most previous studies focused on WWD crashes to develop countermeasures. The combined risk of WWD citations and 911 calls, however, has been overlooked. Furthermore, because WWD crashes are rare and represent less than 3% of all crashes, such crashes are difficult to analyze. WWD prediction is an important assessment because it can help mitigate and reduce future occurrences. This paper builds on previous work pioneered by the authors in which WWD crashes were predicted with the use of WWD noncrash events (e.g., citations and 911 calls). These WWD noncrash events occur more frequently, and their data are widely available. The paper demonstrates how WWD 911 calls and citations, along with route characteristics, can be linked to WWD crashes and so target corridors for countermeasures. Two models were developed and applied in South Florida to identify WWD hot spots. The first model shows that WWD citations and 911 calls positively affect yearly crash prediction. The second model identifies hot spot segments in a route and predicts crashes during a 4-year period. This second model predicts crashes with the use of several variables, such as major interchanges per mile, directional interchanges per mile, and WWD 911 calls along the segment. The findings showed high WWD risk values on SR-821 (Homestead Extension) from Exits 20 to 39 and on SR-9 (I-95) from Exits 0 to 6B and Exits 7 to 14.

Wrong-way driving (WWD) often leads to severe collisions that cause serious injuries and deaths. Conventional “Wrong Way” signs can reduce WWD events, but can be insufficient in some cases. In areas with many WWD events, transportation agencies can be proactive by considering the use of countermeasures with advanced technologies to actively warn motorists of WWD violations. This paper analyzes recent performance data collected from two types of advanced technology WWD countermeasures implemented in Florida: light-emitting diode (LED) signs in South Florida and rectangular flashing beacon (RFB) signs in Central Florida. The 17 LED sites experienced a 38% reduction in WWD citations and 911 calls after the signs were installed. Images taken by the on-site cameras were examined to see how many vehicles turned around for both the RFB and LED treatment sites. Over 77% of the 170-detected wrong-way vehicles self-corrected their wrong-way movement at the RFB sites (each with two sets of signs and multiple cameras) and 14% self-corrected at the LED sites (each with one set of signs and one camera). Surveys were also conducted regarding these two WWD countermeasures. More than 73% of the 2,052 respondents preferred RFBs over LEDs, mainly due to the double set of RFB signs and their flashing pattern. The performance and survey results show that both the LEDs and RFBs have effectively reduced WWD movements. However, modifications could be made to both countermeasures to improve their detection ability and make wrong-way drivers more likely to turn around.

This study analyzed 31,438 reported crashes that involved 33,638 law enforcement vehicles, 27,723 non–law enforcement vehicles, 463 pedestrians, and 391 bicyclists that occurred in Florida from 2005 through 2008. These crashes resulted in more than $101 million in total damages, 10,124 injuries, and 88 fatalities. The law enforcement vehicle crashes could be characterized by descriptive techniques such as frequencies analysis and cross-tabulation. This study found that the typical law enforcement crash was a low-speed event on a local street. Stop and signalized intersection locations were well represented in the data. The law enforcement vehicle commonly moved straight, slowed, and stopped or was parked when it crashed. Rear-end and backing-type crashes were common. Most crashes occurred during the daytime, under favorable driving conditions, and during routine operating mode. Most of the time, the driver of the law enforcement vehicle did not contribute to the cause of the collision, and the vast majority of crashes did not result in any injury. Typically, law enforcement vehicles were driven away from the scene of the collision, and total damages averaged slightly more than $3,000. Pursuit and emergency operation mode crashes made up about 23% of the crashes. In these operating conditions, vehicle speed, injury severity, and damages all increased, although the culpability of the law enforcement vehicle operator usually did not. The environmental conditions for emergency mode were not significantly different than for other crashes.

This research had the objective of providing a decision support system for managers who must decide whether a roadway warrants the addition of a safety service patrol (SSP). Unlike the familiar signal warrants that guide the installation of traffic signals at candidate intersections, no such guidelines exist for decisions on SSPs. A proven framework for deploying intelligent transportation system equipment is adapted for this purpose. Meetings with managers from the service patrol program of the Florida Department of Transportation and a survey of national state points of contact for service patrols provided insight into critical factors that might contribute to guidelines. Historical incidents from Florida fed models that predict incidents and crashes on candidate roadways by using proven negative binomial regression models like those found in the Highway Safety Manual. Qualitative and quantitative thresholds for critical factors were established in the form of rules in decision tables that, when evaluated, render recommended actions for decisions on SSPs. The critical factors, thresholds, and use of decision tables proved to be an effective means by which to guide deployment decisions on SSPs, as evidenced by testing with a candidate roadway in Florida. Ultimately, computer software, with a graphical user interface, facilitated the collection of needed information, analysis, and recommendations in implementation of the guidelines.

Safety service patrols are a proven strategy to mitigate the effects of traffic incidents through quick clearance, incident management, and assistance to other incident responders like police, fire, emergency medical services, and towing. As encountered by other responders, working on or near roadways presents unique hazards for safety service patrol vehicles and operators. Road Rangers are Florida’s branded safety service patrols and, as a mature program with over 100 beats, a suitable case study for safety. This research combined an analysis of Road Ranger traffic crash data for 3 years with a comprehensive safety survey of more than 200 operators to determine safety characteristics related to service patrols. Comparing 200 Road Ranger traffic crashes from 2014 through 2016 with all Florida freeway crashes for the same time period revealed that Road Ranger crashes are five times more likely to involve a parked vehicle, and involve two or more vehicles 95% of the time. Pedestrian involvement, nighttime, shoulder locations, and work zones have higher representation for Road Ranger crashes, but weather is not a factor. Alcohol is three times more likely, drug use five times more likely, and distraction slightly higher when Road Ranger vehicles are struck. A survey of 217 Road Ranger drivers revealed that they are keenly aware of important safety topics like high-visibility safety apparel, non-traffic side vehicle approaches, and the dangers of working where there is limited lateral buffer space. Drivers overwhelmingly believe that they have the training and equipment necessary to do their jobs safely.