© 2016 IJSRSET | Volume 2 | Issue 3 | Print ISSN : 2395-1990 | Online ISSN : 2394-4099

Themed Section: Engineering and Technology

Literature Review on Accident Studies at Intersections

Ekta Sharma*, Khushbu Bhatt, S. M. Damodariya
Parul Institute of Engineering and Technology, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

ABSTRACT

Although the phenomenon of high motorization growth rate accompanied by rapid expansion in road network and
urbanization over the years, has significantly contributed in raising the road accident rate resulting into injuries,
fatalities, disabilities and hospitalization. The Scope of the work consisted of conducting a literature review,
assimilating accident trends statistics, establishing variables of influence and determining significant casual patterns.
Keywords: Accident, Road, Transport

I. INTRODUCTION II. METHODS AND MATERIAL

Transportation is the movement of people, animals A. Literature Review

and goods from one location to another. Transportation
forms a vital part of the infrastructure for economic and The Scope of the work consisted of conducting a
social development of a country. literature review, assimilating accident trends statistics,
establishing variables of influence and determining
significant casual patterns.
Modes of Transport include air, rail,
road, water, cable, pipeline and space. Among these Many researchers have devoted their work in the area of
transportation by road is the only mode which could road accidents and traffic safety aspects. Works have
give maximum service to one and all. Road been undertaken on accident characteristics, accident
transportation has also the maximum flexibility for forecasting and better roadway and vehicular design for
travel with reference to route, direction, time, and speed the improvement of road safety in different traffic and
of travel etc. that is not available to other modes of roadway conditions.
transport. Road network alone could serve the remotest
villages of the vast country like ours. 1. Development of accident prediction models for
safety Evaluation of urban intersections
Although the phenomenon of high motorization growth
rate accompanied by rapid expansion in road network C. Minachi, Jebaselwin Gladsen, S. Kalaanidhi and K.
and urbanization over the years, has significantly Gunasekaran. (May 2015, Chennai) This study is
contributed in raising the road accident rate resulting attempted to develop Accident Prediction Models for
into injuries, fatalities, disabilities and hospitalization. signalized four arm and T intersections in urban areas. In
All of these, in turn cause severe socio-economic costs this study, 106 intersections in Chennai were chosen and
to the country. Traffic hazards, exposures and risk their volume count data were obtained from the previous
factors have also increased over the years. studies for the development of Accident Prediction
Models.

IJSRSET16238 | Received : 06 May 2016 | Accepted : 12 May 2016 | May-June 2016 [(2)3: 46-48]
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2. Analysis of Sight Distance, Crash Rate, and be applied to intersection angle-accident risk evaluation
Operating Speed Relationships for Low-Volume with data collected from 81 signalized intersections in
Single-Lane Roundabouts in the United States the Tokyo Metropolitan area. A risk model for such
angle accidents was developed with the occurrence
Brian Zirkel et al. (2013, United States) This paper mechanism considered in this study. Unlike most
explores the relationship between sight distance existing accident models, human factors, which caused
parameters, crash rates, and operating speeds at low- about 95% of all the traffic accidents, can be considered
volume single lane roundabouts in the United States. quantitatively in this model. Very specific flow data,
The understanding of the interaction of design, regulation data, geometric data and accident
operations, and crash performance is a step forward in observations of each approach were applied for
the development and application of performance-based calibrating the model using a modified negative
standards for roundabouts. The specific objective of this binomial regression. Nineteen explanatory variables
paper is to quantify the relationship between crash rates, were found significantly affecting angle-accident risk at
sight distance parameters, and operating speeds to signalized intersections. Such estimation results may
present an approach to establishing performance-based help to improve traffic safety at signalized intersections
standards that highway practitioners can adopt in in metropolitan areas.
roundabout design. Geometric, traffic, and crash data
were collected on 72 approaches to 19 low-volume 4. Crash rates at intersection
single-lane roundabouts in six states. The data for these
sites were broken into two groups based on the posted Eric Green, Kenneth. R. Agent (2003, Kentucky)
speed limit (at 40 km=h and greater than 40 km=h). In The objectives of his study were to develop a database
addition, the associations between different sight of intersections, match traffic crashes to these
distance parameters, crash parameters, and operating intersections, calculate crash rates for various types of
speed data were investigated. intersections, and identify intersections with the highest
crash rates. Following procedure was used: a) identify
The research findings provided insight into relating the intersections b) assign crashes to these intersections. c)
operational and safety effects of sight distance geometry Determine entering traffic volume. d) Calculate a crash
at roundabouts. This research also identified a rate for each intersection, and e) calculate a critical rate
methodology that provides guidance as to the factor (CRF) for each intersection.
development of performance-based standards that rely
on a better understanding of these relationships. In He identified about 7000 intersections with almost
general, the research findings were consistent with 19000 crashes related to these intersections for the three
previously conducted studies and indicated that year period of 2000 through 2002. Analysis identified
exceeding sight distance thresholds increases the risk of 428 intersections that had a CRF of one or more while
crashes occurring. It was also found that exceeding sight only 36 intersections had a CRF above two. As would be
distance thresholds yielded greater speed differentials expected, the crash rates were higher in urban than in
between the approach and the entry to these roundabouts. rural areas.
The results of this research can advance the state of
practice in understanding the relationships of sight An Excel spreadsheet containing a list of all
distance design attributes, operational characteristics, intersections of two or more state-maintained roadways
and safety metrics for low-volume single-lane was developed. The spreadsheet also contains crash and
roundabouts, which is necessary to the creation of volume data for each intersection. After those
performance-based standards. intersections with the highest critical rate factors were
identified, improvements for that were implemented. He
3. Quantitative Analysis on Angle-Accident Risk at developed a database of intersections and matched
Signalized Intersections. traffic crashes to these intersections to calculate crash
rates for various types of intersection, and identify
Yinhai Wang and Nancy L. Nihan (2005, Tokyo) intersections with highest crash rates. The results
He demonstrated how a new modeling methodology can

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showed intersections with highest crash rate factors and From the results of the analysis, it can be concluded that
measures were suggested respectively. this National Highway section needs improvement from
safety point of view. A large number of accidents have
5. Accident prediction models for urban been occurring over such a small section of 40 km
unsignalised intersections length. Proper traffic guidance and control system to
guide road users ensuring safe movement of vehicles has
Lakshmi M Divakaran, Sreelatha T (2013, Kottayam, been recommended and some of the facilities such as
Kerala) pedestrian crossings and median openings, acceleration
Their Accident Prediction models were developed for and deceleration lanes were re-designed in order to
the unsignalised urban intersections. Accident Prediction improve the safety of the road and minimize the
models for three legged intersections and four legged accidents.
intersections were separately developed. Previous
Accident Prediction Models for intersections predict the III. CONCLUSION
number of accidents for the intersection as a whole. This
model can predict the number of accidents for each Research studies present in the paper take us to a fact
approach leg of an intersection. By knowing the factors that if accidents are caused by some, surely the ones
that affect safety, he suggested that we can do proper responsible for could be identified and appropriate
treatment and upgrading. remedial measures can be developed and implemented
to the extent feasible. Some Accident Prediction Models
This paper lays emphasis on accident studies on the 40 not only helped in predicting the number of accidents
km long National Highway - 5 section between and evaluating alternate measures but also help in
Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam, in the State of Andhra evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment. It is proven
Pradesh, India. They had undertaken a study on NH-5 that Accident Prediction Models are the key for
between Anakapalli to Visakhapatnam during the year evaluation of improvement measures using before and
2003 and it runs through urban, semi urban and rural after analysis. Realizing the importance of the Accident
areas. The accident data for the past five years were Prediction Models, many countries have developed them
collected form the concerned police station and analyzed and included them as a part in their economic evaluation
thereafter.

IV. REFERENCES
The data revealed that 64 deaths and 373 injuries were
recorded between January to December, 2002 and 20
[1] Brian Zirkel et al, “Analysis of Sight Distance,
deaths, 82 injuries were recorded between January to
Crash Rate, and Operating Speed Relationships for
June, 2003. The analysis of the data from safety point of
Low-Volume Single-Lane Roundabouts in the
view indicated that the vehicle drivers are the single
United States”( 2013, United States)
major factor responsible for the accidents as they fail to
perceive the situation ahead because of poor reflexes, [2] C. Minachi, JebaselwinGladsen, S. Kalaanidhi and
fatigue, inexperience or being under the influence of K. Gunasekaran, “Development of accident
intoxicants. The accident data for the section indicated prediction models for safety Evaluation of urban
that two wheelers are the ones who mainly suffer the intersections” (May 2015, Chennai)
fatalities and major injuries, which is around 35% [3] Eric Green, Kenneth. R. Agent, “Crash rates at
followed by trucks 23% involved in accidents. The intersection” (2003, Kentucky).
reasons for the accidents can be attributed to the lack of [4] Yinhai Wang and Nancy L. Nihan, “Quantitative
signage, raised median cover with trees/bushes, making Analysis on Angle-Accident Risk at Signalized
pedestrians not visible to driver, improper design of
pedestrian crossing, frequent median openings, and lack
of enforcement to control wrong side movements. There
are however, other factors, which contribute directly or
indirectly to the accidents include road, vehicle, road
user and environmental factors.

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48