Browsing by Subject "Highway safety"
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Item Application of a Rural Safety Policy Improvement Index (RSPII) Framework(University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2010-06) Knapp, Keith K.; Utecht, BradSix legislatively-based safety improvement measures (LSIMs) were proposed for evaluation within a rural safety policy improvement index (RSPII) framework during Phase I of this project. This report documents the step-by- step application of the RSPII framework and its rural roadway crash fatality reduction results for these LSIMs. Several approaches to the framework application were completed for each LSIM and the results compared. It was estimated (based on the selection of one framework outcome for each LSIM) that rural roadway crash fatalities could be reduced by 209 from the primary enforcement of seat belt use, 299 from universal motorcycle helmet use, 322 from the regular application of sobriety checkpoints, 120 from graduated driver licensing program upgrades, 268 from the mandatory ignition interlock installation, and 699 from automated speed enforcement. These estimates cannot be summed, however, because the fatalities impacted by these LSIMs sometimes overlap. The assumptions and generalizations required to overcome challenges to the RSPII framework application will also have an impact on its results. Additional LSIM research is suggested and it is recommended that the estimates in this report be used as a starting point for rural roadway safety discussions and the completion of more accurate individual state RSPII framework applications.Item Benefit:Cost Analysis of In-Vehicle Technologies and Infrastructure Modifications as a Means to Prevent Crashes Along Curves and Shoulders(Minnesota Department of Transportation, Research Services Section, 2009-12) Pitale, Jaswandi Tushar; Shankwitz, Craig; Preston, Howard; Barry, MichaelThe State of Minnesota has under way its Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) initiative, the goal of which is to eliminate fatal traffic crashes. This is a daunting task, and with limited financial resources, optimal strategies that provide the greatest benefit for a given cost have to be utilized if the goal of TZD is to be met. This report reviews both infrastructure and emerging in-vehicle solutions as a means to determine the optimal deployment strategy of countermeasures designed to improve highway safety. Infrastructure-based solutions are examined on two levels: 1) an analysis of a cross-section of strategies implemented throughout Minnesota, which 2) produced a before:after analysis that quantified the effectiveness of a variety of strategies utilized in Minnesota. In addition to the standard civil engineering countermeasures studied under the before:after analysis, emerging infrastructure and in-vehicle technology-based solutions were modeled in terms of effectiveness and potential deployment schedules. These cost and effectiveness models facilitated a comparison to the results of the before:after analysis, and from the comparison, optimal strategies for improving safety with limited funds and the TZD goal are presented.Item The Design of a Minimal Sensor Configuration for a Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System - Stop Sign Assist: CICAS-SSA Report #2(2010-08) Gorjestani, Alec; Menon, Arvind; Cheng, Pi-Ming; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, MaxThe deployment of a Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System – Stop Sign Assist (CICAS-SSA) can save lives by addressing the causal factor of crashes at rural thru-Stop intersection: drivers who stop on the minor leg of the intersection, improperly assess the gaps in the traffic on the major leg, proceed, and are then hit. The prototype CICAS-SSA system consisted of a network of sensors covering both the minor and the major legs of the intersection. Sensors on the minor road monitored the approach of vehicles and classified them based on their length and height. Sensors along the major road were arrayed to track vehicles (and the gaps between them) approaching the crossroads from 2000 feet away as a means to ensure that the tracking algorithm had sufficient time to “lock on” and track all approaching vehicles. Because cost is a primary concern for any highway safety application, the development of a “minimal sensor set” which would provide adequate safety performance for minimum cost was paramount to the success of the CICAS-SSA program. This report documents the development of this minimal sensor configuration.Item Determination of the Alert and Warning Timing for the Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System-Stop Sign Assist Using Macroscopic and Microscopic Data: CICAS-SSA Report #1(2010-08) Gorjestani, Alec; Menon, Arvind; Cheng, Pi-Ming; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, MaxCrashes at rural thru-stop intersections arise primarily from a driver attempting to cross or enter the mainline traffic stream after failing to recognize an unsafe gap condition. Because the primary cause of these crashes is not failure to stop, but failure to recognize an unsafe condition, the US DOT FHWA, MnDOT, and the University of Minnesota ITS Institute undertook the Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System – Stop Sign Assist (CICAS-SSA) program. CICAS-SSA uses roadside radar sensors, a computer processor and algorithms to determine unsafe conditions, and an active LED icon based sign to provide timely alerts and warnings which are designed to reduce the frequency of crashes at rural expressway intersections. The focus of this report is the alert and warning timing used to provide a driver with assistance in recognizing and taking appropriate action when presented a gap which could be considered unsafe. The work presented herein uses both macroscopic data collected by roadside sensors and data acquisition equipment in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, and microscopic data collected using an instrumented vehicle and test subjects at the Minnesota Research Intersection, located at the intersection of US Hwy 52 and Goodhue County Road 9. Three tenets that are particularly germane to the determination of alert and warning timing for the CICAS-SSA system are: (1) the system does not help a driver choose a safe gap; it is designed to assist a driver with unsafe gap rejection, (2) it indicates when it is unsafe to proceed, not when it is safe to proceed, and (3) it must complement good decision making, and address those instances where poor decision making could lead to a crash.Item Development of a Sensor Platform for Roadway Mapping: Part A - Road Centerline and Asset Management(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2014-06) Davis, Brian; Donath, MaxCollecting information about the roadway infrastructure is a task that DOTs at all governmental levels need to accomplish. One way to increase the operational efficiency of these efforts is to use a relatively inexpensive mobile data collection platform that acquires information that is general enough to serve multiple purposes. The design and evaluation of one such platform that costs roughly $40,000 is described. It primarily consists of a differential GPS receiver providing vehicle location, and a LIDAR scanner that generates geometric profiles of the area between the vehicle and just beyond the road’s edge. The vehicle collects data along the road by driving it in both directions. The system post-processes the data to automate feature extraction. For roads with simple geometry such as two-lane, undivided highways, the road’s centerline can be calculated by finding the midline between the vehicle’s paths from each direction of travel. Algorithms process the LIDAR scans to automatically detect the presence of curbs and guardrails, which is then combined with location information to yield the position of these features in world coordinates. The centerline calculation was determined to be accurate to within 6 cm in areas where its use was applicable. Curbs and guardrails were generally detected with an accuracy of better than 10 cm. The results demonstrate that it is feasible to use a relatively inexpensive mobile data collection system to acquire road centerline and roadside features such as curbs and guardrails.Item Directional Rumble Strips for Reducing Wrong-Way-Driving Freeway Entries(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2019-07) Luo, Albert C; Guo, Chuan; Xing, Siyuan; Xu, Yeyin; Guo, Siyu; Liu, ChuanpingThis report presents evaluation results of directional rumble strips (DRS) designed to deter wrong-way (WW) freeway entries. Mathematical models have been built to identify high-risk locations of WWD. Based on the model, one off-ramp, exit 41 northbound on I-70 was found to have a WW entry probability of 55%. 96 hours of video data were recorded at the chosen off-ramp. Then one pattern of DRS (D3) was implemented on the chosen location with the help of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Sound and vibration data were recorded and compared between RW and WW directions for speed ranging from 15 mph to 30 mph. Another 96 hours of video data were recorded after the implementation. The analysis of before and after implementation data showed that the DRS cannot reduce the probability of WWD, but it can warn WW drivers and reduce their speed, which will significantly reduce WWD accidents.Item Directional Rumble Strips for Reducing Wrong-Way-Driving Freeway Entries(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2018-02) Zhou, Huaguo; Xue, Chennan; Yang, Lingling; Luo, AlbertThis report presents the evaluation results of five types of directional rumble strips (DRS) based on extensive field tests conducted at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) in Auburn, Alabama. The ultimate goal of this study is to develop a low-cost safety countermeasure by capturing a driver’s attention through elevated invehicle sound and vibration for wrong-way (WW) driving while providing normal sound and vibration levels for right-way (RW) driving. Tests of sound and vibration generated by different DRS were performed with full-size passenger vehicles for six categories of speed: 10, 15, 20, 25, 35, and 45 mph. For each type of DRS concept design, three initial tests were performed with vehicles traveling on normal pavement (ambient condition), followed by three to five tests on the DRS in both WW and RW directions. The study identified three final design patterns (C, D Configuration 3, and E.1) that can generate elevated sound and vibration for WW drivers. The field test results also showed that speed had a significant impact on sound and vibration. Considering that travelling speed will be different on DRS by WW and RW drivers, additional speed studies were conducted to estimate the WW and RW driving speeds at the proposed DRS implementation spots on off-ramps. Based on the results, recommendations were developed to implement the final three DRS designs on off-ramps that can achieve the maximum safety benefits by alerting WW drivers through in-vehicle elevated sound and vibration.Item Evaluation of the Smart Work Zone Speed Notification System(Minnesota Department of Transportation., 2019-06) Hourdos, John; Parikh, Gordon; Dirks, Peter; Lehrke, Derek; Lukashin, PavelThe Smart Work Zone Speed Notification (SWZSN) system aims to alleviate congestion, queuing, and rear end crashes in work zones by informing drivers of the speed of the downstream segment using a type of portable Intelligent Lane Control System (ILCS), Portable Changeable Message Signs (PCMS). The hypothesis was that drivers, knowing the speed up to 1 mile downstream, will slow down early or at least be alert and perform smoother decelerations. Video of the SWZSN was analyzed over two years of operation by the Minnesota Traffic Observatory. Overall, the system resulted in beneficial reductions of selected decelerations by the drivers. In situations where the messages communicated to the drivers were consistent and accurate, reductions of more than 30% in the selected deceleration rates were observed. Unfortunately, there were several cases where counterproductive or misleading messages were communicated to the drivers, prompting relative increases to the selected deceleration rates. The most important observation, stemming from both positive and negative influences, was that the speed notification system was noticed by drivers and resulted in a statistically significant influence on driving behavior, unlike other driver alert systems.Item Field Implementation of Direction Rumble Strips for Deterring Wrong-Way Entries(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2019-07) Zhou, Huaguo; Xue, ChennanThis report presents the field implementation results of three directional rumble strip (DRS) patterns designed to deter wrong-way (WW) freeway entries. Southbound off-ramps at Exits 208 and 284 on I-65 in Alabama were selected for implementation because they were ranked as high-risk locations by a network screening tool developed by Auburn University. Three patterns (D3, C, and E.1) were recommended for field implementation based on the results of a previous project. Pattern D3 was installed at the off-ramp terminal near the stop bar or yield line. Pattern C was implemented at the segment between the terminal and ramp curve. Pattern E.1 was placed on the tangent part before the ramp curve. WW incident and traffic speed data before and after the implementation were collected using cameras and magnetic sensors, respectively. Field driving tests were conducted to collect sound and vibration data at various speed categories for both RW and WW directions. Before and after studies evaluated the effectiveness of the DRS patterns in reducing wrong way driving (WWD) incidents and traffic speeds on off-ramps. Sound and vibration analyses quantified the differences between right way (RW) and WW drivers’ perceptions. Results showed that the number of WWD incidents and average driving distances were significantly reduced after implementing all of the DRS. The results confirmed that WWDs can perceive elevated sound and vibrations when passing the DRS. The DRS can also reduce the 85th percentile, mean, and standard deviations of off-ramp traffic speeds. A general guideline was developed for implementing different DRS to deter WW freeway entries.Item Identifying Issues Related to Deployment of Automated Speed Enforcement(Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2012-07) Douma, Frank; Munnich, Lee; Loveland, Joe; Garry, ThomasAutomated speed enforcement (ASE) has been shown to be one of the most effective strategies for reducing speeding by vehicles and improving road safety. However, the perception that ASE is unpopular and controversial has limited its use by policymakers in the United States. This report investigates whether this perception is justified in Minnesota by conducting a public opinion survey of Minnesota residents about their views of ASE. In light of the survey results, the report then examines the legal and related political obstacles for deploying ASE in Minnesota, and outlines a strategy for moving forward with ASE in Minnesota in select areas.Item In-Vehicle Dynamic Curve-Speed Warnings at High-Risk Rural Curves(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2018-03) Davis, Brian; Morris, Nichole L.; Achtemeier, Jacob D.; Patzer, BradyLane-departure crashes at horizontal curves represent a significant portion of fatal crashes on rural Minnesota roads. Because of this, solutions are needed to aid drivers in identifying upcoming curves and inform them of a safe speed at which they should navigate the curve. One method for achieving this that avoids costly infrastructure-based methods is to use in-vehicle technology to display dynamic curve-speed warnings to the driver. Such a system would consist of a device located in the vehicle capable of providing a visual and auditory warning to the driver when approaching a potentially hazardous curve at an unsafe speed. This project seeks to determine the feasibility of in-vehicle dynamic curve-speed warnings as deployed on a smartphone app. The system was designed to maximize safety and efficacy to ensure that system warnings are appropriate, timely, and non-distracting to the driver. The developed system was designed and implemented based on the results of a literature survey and a usability study. The developed system was evaluated by 24 Minnesota drivers in a controlled pilot study at the Minnesota Highway Safety and Research Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The results of the pilot study showed that, overall, the pilot study participants liked the system and found it useful. Analysis of quantitative driver behavior metrics showed that when receiving appropriately placed warnings, drivers navigated horizontal curves 8-10% slower than when not using the system. These findings show that such a curve-speed warning system would be useful, effective, and safe for Minnesota drivers.Item ITS and Transportation Safety: EMS System Data Integration to Improve Traffic Crash Emergency Response and Treatment - Phase III Report(Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, Center for Transportation Studies, 2011-10) Schooley, Benjamin; Horan, Thomas A.; Hilton, BrianThe transportation safety and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) literature has called for the development of better information system tools to support EMS to aid in reducing the human impact of medical emergencies. Building upon previous research by the researchers, this project seeks to advance a prototype of a mobile and web-based information service, known as CrashHelp, designed for use by various emergency medical practitioners involved in the end-to-end continuum of emergency patient care. The broad objective in this report was to examine the potential to provide – through a geographic information system (GIS)-based visual and interactive platform -- an easy to use analytical tool that can provide a holistic view of crash information (such as distance, age, severity of crash) that can better serve practitioners and agencies in planning for and responding to traffic crashes. The specific research objectives were to: (1) collect and examine information regarding the potential for using the CrashHelp system in the state of Idaho as a case-study; (2) identify and develop aggregate performance metrics for end-to-end EMS responses to automobile crashes for inclusion in CrashHelp; and (3) expand the CrashHelp prototype to include aggregate level clinical and operational performance metrics that would provide valuable decision-level information for planners and practitioners.Item Macroscopic Review of Driver Gap Acceptance and Rejection Behavior at Rural Thru-Stop Intersections in the US - Data Collection Results in Eight States: CICAS-SSA Report #3(2010-08) Gorjestani, Alec; Menon, Arvind; Cheng, Pi-Ming; Newstrom, Bryan; Shankwitz, Craig; Donath, MaxCrashes at rural thru-stop intersections arise primarily from a driver attempting to cross or enter the mainline traffic stream after failing to recognize an unsafe gap condition. Because the primary cause of these crashes is not failure to stop, but failure to recognize an unsafe condition, the US DOT FHWA, MnDOT, and the University of Minnesota ITS Institute undertook the CICAS-SSA program. CICAS-SSA uses roadside radar sensors, a computer processor and algorithms to determine unsafe conditions, and an active LED icon based sign to provide timely alerts and warnings which are designed to reduce the frequency of crashes at rural expressway intersections. These rural, thru-stop crashes are problems in many states. In conjunction with the CICAS-SSA program, MnDOT and the University of Minnesota led a nine-state (CA, GA, IA, MI, MN, NC, NH, NV, and WI) pooledfund study whereby driver behavior data at rural thru-stop intersections was collected by the Minnesota Mobile Intersection Surveillance System (MMISS). The ultimate goal of the pooled fund study and the analysis of that data described here, was to identify whether drivers in different regions of the county exhibit different gap acceptance/rejection behavior, and if different driver behaviors are identified, determine whether they are different enough to inhibit the deployment of a common CICAS-SSA design throughout the US. The analysis of the data indicated that the system can indeed be deployed nationally.Item Options for Automated Speed Enforcement Pilot Projects in Minnesota Work and School Zones(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2014-05) Douma, Frank; Munnich, Lee; Garry, ThomasStudies have shown that automated speed enforcement (ASE), when deployed in certain settings, increases roadway safety. Minnesota is one of the 36 states that do not use ASE. This is despite public opinion polling in Minnesota showing overwhelming public support for ASE in certain locations. This gap in Minnesota between (i) the safety benefits and strong public support for ASE in certain settings and (ii) state policy led to this study. The purpose of the study was to investigate scenarios for an ASE pilot project in Minnesota. Work and school zones were selected as the target deployment location given the polling showing strong public support for ASE there and the experiences in other states showing that ASE is effective in reducing speeding in these areas. The aim of this study was to develop a pilot project blueprint to inform policymakers about the potential for such a project. The study included data and legal analysis, a literature review, and stakeholder engagement.Item Performance Analysis of Squad Car Lighting, Retro-reflective Markings, and Paint Treatments to Improve Safety at Roadside Traffic Stops(Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2012-05) Fischer, Jacob; Krzmarzick, Adam; Menon, Arvind; Shankwitz, CraigIn the United States, more police officers are killed in collisions at roadside stops than through felonious acts. Causal factors that affect police safety at roadside stops include officer conspicuity, squad conspicuity, weather conditions, and the attention and fatigue level of the traveling public. Described herein is a research project that provides insight and guidelines that may ultimately improve officer safety at roadside stops. The project is designed to modify an existing sensor-based traffic monitoring system so that it serves as a test bed to evaluate the retro-reflector, lighting, and paint treatments of an emergency vehicle to determine whether particular combinations produce improved “move over” behavior of oncoming traffic. This is done using automated data analysis software built specifically for this project. Tests are performed at a fully instrumented rural intersection. After mimicking a traffic stop where a patrol vehicle is placed at this intersection, the experimenter logs onto a website and enters the time when the test took place. Analysis software draws results from the data. The results are e-mailed to the experimenters, who devise their own test regimes, following the guidelines presented herein, and draw their own conclusions. A second system was built to provide a more portable option for testing in urban areas. This system consists of two freestanding radar boxes with wireless communication, as well as one netbook computer. Test procedures and results are analogous to the original system. Additional calibration is automatically performed to account for the variable position of the radars.Item Rural Transportation Safety and the Strategic Highway Safety Plan: An Examination of Select State Programs and Practices(University of Minnesota Center for Excellence in Rural Safety, 2008-02) Munnich, Lee Jr; More, AlecThis first in a series of Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (CERS) research summaries examines the current state of safety planning through interviews and a comprehensive review of the newly mandated strategic highway safety plans (SHSPs) and supporting documents from six states representing different U.S. regions: Alabama, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington. The researchers took several steps to develop a knowledge base of existing conditions pertaining to safety planning in the six states. During the analysis, five key themes emerged: 1. A focus on changing driver behavior; 2. The importance of state-level public policy and political leadership; 3. The use of emerging technologies; 4. The importance of sustained, collaborative approaches; and 5. The use of measurement-driven approaches, which rely on enhanced data collection and new interpretive methodologies. In addition to these findings, case studies of each state provide a synopsis of certain aspects of their SHSPs. Recommendations concerning the SHSP development process and emphasis areas include: strengthening public engagement activities and initiatives to communicate the importance of roadway safety, reviewing the development structure and safety stakeholders involved, and continuing integration across agencies contributing to safety.Item Sign Comprehension, Considering Rotation and Location, Using Random Gap Simulation for a Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System – Stop Sign Assist: CICAS-SSA Report #4(2010-08) Creaser, Janet; Manser, Michael; Rakauskas, Michael; Donath, MaxCrashes at rural thru-stop intersections arise primarily from a driver attempting to cross or enter the mainline traffic stream after failing to recognize an unsafe gap condition. Because the primary cause of these crashes is not failure to stop, but failure to recognize an unsafe condition, the US DOT FHWA, MnDOT, and the University of Minnesota ITS Institute undertook the CICAS-SSA program. CICAS-SSA uses roadside radar sensors, a computer processor and algorithms to determine unsafe conditions, and an active LED icon based sign to provide timely alerts and warnings which are designed to reduce the frequency of crashes at rural expressway intersections. The primary goal of this portion of the overall effort was to evaluate several candidate CICAS-SSA concepts in order to identify a single sign that may provide the greatest utility in terms of driver performance and usability at a real-world rural intersection. A secondary goal of the work was to determine the ideal physical characteristics (i.e., location and rotation of a sign relative to drivers) of the candidate CICAS-SSA at a test intersection to maximize comprehension (and subsequent use) of the sign. This report summarizes the results of the work.Item Understanding Roadway Safety in American Indian Reservations: Perceptions and Management of Risk by Community, Tribal Governments, and Other Safety Leaders(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2018-10) Quick, Kathryn; Narváez, GuillermoThe focus of this study is roadway safety in American Indian reservations. We provide new sources of data and policy- relevant findings to address the unusually high rates of roadway fatalities and injuries among American Indians. Qualitative methods were used to generate and analyze data from people with the most direct knowledge of and responsibility for reservation roadway safety. Four case studies were conducted in partnership with the tribal governments of the Red Lake, Fond du Lac, Leech Lake, and Mille Lacs reservations; these data sources include fieldwork (90 days), interviews (n=102), focus groups (n=8), and short surveys (n=220). These data are triangulated with data from FHWA’s 2016 nationwide survey of tribes and states (n=196). Key findings from this extensive data analysis are: 1. Pedestrian safety is a critical, yet under-recognized issue on reservations. This is unequivocal across all data sources and differentiates reservations from rural areas in general. 2. Reservation road engineering and repair are very high priorities according to both tribe and state governments. 3. Reckless driving is a multi-faceted concern, including not only impaired driving but also cell phone distraction and speeding. 4. Education and enforcement to increase seatbelt and car seat use are named as high priorities in the national survey. 5. Tribes need better cooperation with local, state, and federal agencies. Priorities include addressing data quality and sharing issues better inter-jurisdictional cooperation for infrastructure and enforcement. The study concludes with recommendations to improve roadway safety in reservations and for further research.Item Validation Study – On-Road Evaluation of the Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System – Stop Sign Assist Sign: CICAS-SSA Report #5(2010-08) Rakauskas, Michael; Creaser, Janet; Manser, Michael; Graving, Justin; Donath, MaxThe CICAS-SSA sign is a roadside driver support system that is intended to improve gap rejection at rural stopcontrolled intersections. The CICAS-SSA system tracks vehicle locations on a major roadway and then displays a message to a driver on the minor road via an active LED icon-based sign. The basis of this sign is a “Divided Highway” sign that is commonly presented in traffic environments. Overlaid on the roadways of the sign are yellow or red icons that represent approaching vehicles that are at a distance at which the driver on the minor road should proceed with caution or at a distance that is considered unsafe to enter the intersection. Previous research conducted in a driving simulation environment indicated potentially beneficial changes in driver decision-making relative to approaching vehicle gap sizes and indicated that drivers perceive the system as being both useful and satisfying. While simulation-based evaluations provide a wealth of useful information, their ability to replicate the full array of behavioral, cognitive, and perceptual elements of a driving environment do have some limitations. It is because of these limitations that it is useful to confirm simulation-based findings in a real-world environment. The primary goal of the current work was to evaluate the candidate CICAS-SSA sign in a real-world setting to confirm previously identified benefits and identify any unintended consequences of sign usage. This goal was accomplished through a validation field test performed at the intersection of US Highway 52 and County Road 9 in Southern Minnesota. The findings of the work are summarized in this report.