Horizontal curves on undivided hilly roads are critical segments prone to head-on crashes between opposite-direction-bound vehicles. The majority of head-on crashes occur due to the inability of drivers to keep their vehicles at right lateral placements across the carriageway when maneuvering on these curves. The traffic safety assessment at horizontal curves conducted in past studies was largely based on previous crash records. However, there is a complete absence of a proximal indicator quantifying the crash potential of a horizontal curve, unlike other critical road segments. As background, this paper conceptualizes Mutual Area in Lateral Distribution (MALD) as a proximal indicator for head-on crash potential at horizontal curves and demonstrates an effective methodology for its field estimation. Theoretically, MALD may vary within a range of [0–1] with a higher value indicating a higher head-on crash potential. Further, a validation test was performed where the proposed methodology was implemented to determine the MALD of seven distinct horizontal curves. The results justified the effectiveness of MALD as a proximal indicator of head-on crash potential.
Mutual Area in Lateral Distribution: Indicator of Head-On Crash Potential at Horizontal Curves on Hilly Highways
J. Transp. Eng., Part A: Systems
2024-07-01
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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