Road safety has to be among the top priorities for any municipality or transportation agency. After all, it can lead to thousands of deaths and billions in damages every year.
Some road hazards, of course, are impossible to avoid. Driver-caused accidents and dangerous weather conditions are likely out of your control.
Other causes, though, are more preventable. About one-third of all car accidents in the United States happen at least partially due to poor road conditions, which falls directly under the authority of local agencies.
But what exactly makes roads unsafe? Understanding the various factors contributing to car accidents and other hazards can go a long way toward helping you better understand where intentional improvements can make a significant difference. These 6 factors have a particularly significant impact on making the streets in your jurisdiction safer.
1. Road Width
A much-publicized study by Johns Hopkins University last year had a major takeaway: narrower roads may be among the biggest safety factors in rural and urban areas. Reducing road width to nine feet can lead to a significant reduction in pedestrian deaths and vehicle crashes. Crossings take up less time and drivers tend to automatically reduce speeds when the road gets narrower.
Of course, this initiative can also be difficult to implement. Factors like state and local design guidelines, traffic capacity, and an inability to accommodate large trucks and emergency vehicles can cause transportation agencies to shy away from this drastic step. Still, the study can serve as an interesting starting point for new road planning where these issues may be less of a concern.
2. Sidewalks
Studies have also shown sidewalks to have a major impact on road safety, especially for pedestrians. But their potential benefit is broader, as well. According to one study, roads with sidewalks had 70% fewer traffic accidents than those without them. Meanwhile, research by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that sidewalks reduce pedestrian-involved accidents by 50%.
This research, backed up by countless other studies, makes inherent sense. Removing pedestrians from the roads and onto their dedicated areas removes them physically from the proximity of cars, while also removing a hazard from the road that could otherwise easily cause a crash.
3. Potholes and Cracks
According to research from AAA, one in 10 drivers have at some point sustained vehicle damage from potholes that were heavy enough to warrant external repairs. Potholes may not be a major contributor to fatal crashes, although the significance of the pothole can significantly impact the severity of the damage and accident. But they contribute to unsafe roads to a larger degree than might at first be obvious.
Road cracks are a typical precursor to potholes. They create the crevices that allow moisture to form and expand under the road. While they might not be a hazard on their own, they can become a crucial early-detection device to fix before the issue becomes worse and the road becomes unsafe.
4. Street Lights
As the U.S. Department of Transportation highlights, vehicle crashes occur at about the same rate during daytime and nighttime—even though only 25% of all driving hours occur at night. Put differently, driving at night is twice as likely to lead to an accident. Worse, nighttime accidents are three times as likely to be fatal compared to their daytime counterparts.
That’s where streetlights enter the equation. Adequate lighting provides significant benefits and visibility to all participants on the road including drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and more. Especially at crucial junctions like intersections and bus stops, street lights can make a massive impact in providing the illumination needed to make navigating the roads at night safer.
5. Pavement Markings
The Federal Highway Administration has pulled together a bibliography of research showing how crucial adequate paveway markings are for road safety. While focusing on various variables and nuances connected to the issue, the studies largely agree that good markings – especially when retroreflective – can have a massive impact on helping vehicles stay on the road and avoid accidents.
According to one cost-benefit analysis of line markings, every dollar spent on striping yields $60 in benefits. In urban roads, where traffic volume increases, the ratio is twice as high as its rural counterparts. Maintaining good markings across your roads thus has to be a major priority across the board.
6. Traffic Signs
Naturally, traffic signs also impact the safety of roads across types and sizes. As one study showed, insufficient information due to a lack of signage or incorrect signage leads to increased judgment calls, ultimately turning the drive into a guessing game that too easily ends badly.
At the same time, too many traffic signs can cause cognitive overload and come with adverse effects. Understanding that balance and adjusting your roads accordingly can make a massive difference in building safer roads.
Detecting Hazardous Conditions to Improve Road Safety
Not all vehicle accidents are preventable. But a significant portion is if you can identify what road conditions may be in serious need of improvement. Get this step right and prioritize the right fixes. You can make a significant impact on the safety of your roads, drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Fortunately, modern technology can help identify these areas of improvement at increasingly timely and efficient speeds. Consider, for example, the ability to leverage dashcam footage from countless vehicles that drive your roads every day.
Imagine being able to dynamically and automatically detect these high-priority elements like streetlights and potholes or fainted pavement markings, enabling you to quickly move to address these issues in a targeted fashion and at a lower cost. That’s how you can create a safer, more equitable environment for everyone using the roadway without a prohibitive investment.
That’s what Blyncsy can offer to state and city transportation areas. Our solution uses artificial intelligence to gather, analyze, and report on all potential safety hazards within your defined area, creating clear paths forward on where to spend your time and resources for maximum safety improvements. Schedule a demo to learn more about our solution, and how it can help you optimize your road safety efforts immediately and long-term.
