A study of driver behavior at 37 rail-highway crossings in Michigan revealed the possible association between past crash histories and violations. Data collection included recording license plate numbers for violating vehicles, driver gender, approximate age of the driver, and the vehicle make and model. Driver violations were categorized into five different levels of severity ranging from routine to critical. The 37 study sites were subdivided into four groups based on crossing geometry and traffic control. The number of sites in the groups ranged from 5 to 18. Seven years of crash data on the study sites were considered for significance testing. Observed violation data for the same groups were calculated, and tests for statistical significance were performed on them. The results of this study indicated promise for the use of the violation data in determining the relative hazardousness of rail-highway crossings in combination with crash histories. The violation data may also be used to develop countermeasures that would help alleviate violations and eventually traffic crash problems at rail-highway crossing sites. Targeted enforcement as well should assist in driver behavioral modifications. Additionally, the timely arrival of trains after the warning devices are triggered is an essential element that motorists assess when considering taking risks.
High approach speeds coupled with aggressive driving often lead to the running of red lights at intersections. When motorists see a yellow light as they approach an intersection, they are supposed to stop unless such sudden stopping is unsafe. Entering an intersection during the red signal is a citable offense, and several states are working to legalize video detection and enforcement using red light violation camera systems. Such enforcement is targeted toward driver behavioral modification; in the absence of an all-red interval the motorist who enters an intersection during the red signal runs an extremely high risk of being struck by cross-street traffic. A study was performed in the city of Detroit, Michigan, to compare the red light violation characteristics of intersections with properly designed all-red intervals and those intersections without all-red intervals. In the absence of before violation data, a comparative parallel experimental study was used. It was hypothesized that providing an all-red interval following a yellow change interval would reduce right-angle crashes. A before-and-after crash analysis was performed at the all-red-interval treatment sites (sites that targeted a reduction of right-angle and injury crashes). The analysis indicated significantly lower red light violations at the treatment sites. The analysis also indicated an extraordinary reduction in right-angle and injury crashes. This study demonstrated that substantial benefits, in terms of reducing red light violations and right-angle crashes, can be achieved by introducing a well-designed all-red interval.
A vast majority of traffic crashes in urban areas occur at signalized intersections. Roadway geometry, traffic control, adjacent land uses, and environmental factors at intersections often contribute to the high incidence of traffic crashes and injuries. A public-private partnership project to identify high-crash and high-risk locations in the city of Detroit was initiated in 1996. Eighteen candidate sites were selected, and an extensive engineering study was conducted to develop countermeasures to help alleviate the traffic crash problem at the selected sites. The Automobile Association of America, Michigan, was the private partner in this joint venture and, in partnership with the city of Detroit, was a major contributor to covering the cost of improvements. The selection of countermeasures was based on state-of-the-art methodology and analysis, and implementation of the selected countermeasures at some of the sites was undertaken as the initial phase of the project. A comprehensive before-and-after evaluation study was performed at three of the improved sites. The study revealed that the safety improvements that were implemented lowered both crash and severity experience. The differences between the before and after crash frequencies proved to be statistically significant. Additionally, a benefit-cost analysis at the study locations indicated extraordinary results. This research presents the evaluation study results and discusses the countermeasures and improvements that were the most successful in mitigating traffic crash problems at the selected study locations.
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