A study conducted through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) took an in-depth look at the relationship between the width of a highway’s median and the number and severity of accidents occurring on the highway. The study came at a time when in many cases median width on new highways was being reduced or eliminated to alleviate right-of-way costs and challenges. And median width on existing highways was being appropriated to create additional travel lanes to improve traffic capacity and flow.
Reduced highway safety was associated with reduced median width. A premise behind the study was that it is more cost-effective to build highways correctly in the first place than to have to go back and correct a safety deficiency caused by initial, misguided attempts to minimize cost. In effect, once the cost of the safety correction is factored in, the highway built around cost-effective concerns becomes more expensive that the highway built around safety concerns.
The study found that the total accident rate declined steadily as median width increased from 0 feet to 110 feet. The rate of multi-vehicle accidents declines steadily, while the rate of single vehicle crashes showed no significant change. The rate of decline ranged from a factor of 6 to a factor of 15 in differing locations. Until the median width reached 30 feet, the rate of decline remained fairly small. This suggested that medians should be at least 30 feet in width to enhance motorists’ safety. Around 70 feet in median width, the rate of decline flattened out.
This FHWA study and its results bolster the results of other studies regarding the dangers of head-on crashes on rural highways divided by just a painted centerline. Rumble strips and other safety features have been tested as a means of preventing these crashes, with varying degrees of success, as a means of reducing the crash rates on these highways. The FHWA study reveals that the best solution probably remains a median of substantial width to give drivers in peril more space to recover and avoid a crash. But budgetary and right-of-way considerations may continue to take precedence over the finer points of safety in some areas.
Should you be injured in a highway accident and in need of experienced legal counsel to help you understand your rights and options for obtaining fair recompense for your harm, contact our Katy, TX highway accident lawyers for a free and confidential consultation. We could help you identify the parties at fault for causing your accidents, and your available strategies for seeking just financial compensation from them for your losses. Call us today, or use our online contact features to schedule your free consultation/case evaluation.
Source: http://www.hsisinfo.org/pdf/rd93-046/rd93-046.htm, Summary Report FHWA RD-93-046, The Association Of Median Width And Highway Accident Rate