The nighttime fatality rate on the nation's roadways is three times higher than the daytime rate, and 76% of pedestrian fatalities occur at night. FHWA offers tools including safety countermeasures, updated and new approaches for lighting design and traffic control devices.
With 40% of fatalities and serious injuries occurring at low-volume, unsignalized intersections, DelDOT implemented All-Way Stop Control. After three years, there were zero fatalities and 82% fewer injury crashes at the intersections evaluated.
CTDOT uses several strategies to combat wrong-way driving, including behavioral countermeasures, a public awareness campaign, traffic signals, signs, pavement markings, and delineators.
ARDOT evaluated mumble strips as a variation of rumble strips that reduce noise pollution while maintaining driver safety. They found comparable safety effectiveness with less environmental impact.
UDOT is addressing safety and mobility at traffic signals for all road users, including snow buildup in traffic signal LEDs, wrong-way driving countermeasures, and accessible pedestrian signals. Automated performance measures allow for full situational awareness, even for vulnerable road users.
A historical safety analysis from the Connection SATX Downtown Feasibility Study helped develop short-term improvements for the study area by analyzing vehicular and vulnerable road user crashes to identify specific safety concerns. The safety analysis provided great insights on vehicular, pedestrian, and cyclist crash patterns in the study area.
MASH Test Level 3 Compliant Guardrail System on 1H to 1V Slope
Texas
Under some conditions, achieving the recommended 2-ft offset from guardrail posts to the slope break is challenging. Texas A&M Transportation Institute found a thrie-beam option would work in these conditions and pass MASH TL-3 tests.
Crash Testing of Electric Vehicles into W-Beam Guardrail and Roadside Barriers
Nebraska
Crash testing of electric vehicles (EVs) into W-beam guardrails revealed concerns about the compatibility of EVs with existing barriers due to increased weight from batteries. In the first test, a Tesla Model 3 penetrated under the guardrail, and in the second test, a Rivian R1T ruptured the guardrail and penetrated through the barrier.
NJDOT's Systemic Approach to Safety focuses on proactively addressing crash risk by widely implementing low-cost, proven effective countermeasures throughout a roadway network. The systemic approach considers elements not typically identified through traditional approaches.
