road assessment programs: a new approach to highway safety management and communications

ROAD ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS: A New Approach to Highway Safety

Management and Communications

Funded through the

generosity of

and its members

Problems

• Unacceptably high socio-economic toll from traffic crashes

• Culture of complacency

• Under investment in safety

• Politics vs. evidence-based decisions

Global Safety Comparisons

Fatality Rate (2002 Data) – Deaths/1B kmVT– United Kingdom 7.6– Sweden 8.3– Norway 8.3– Switzerland 8.4– Finland 8.5– Australia 9.0– Denmark 9.2– Canada 9.3– USA 9.4– Germany 11.1

(Source: IRTAD 2004)

10th

Why Success in Other Industrialized Nations ?

“Safety Culture”

United Kingdom Typical speeding, safety belt or cell phone traffic

violation fine £ 1,000 = $1,893.00Automated speed enforcement is commonly

employed

Sweden “Vision Zero” National Goal is NO highway deaths The lowest legal BAC level is (.02)

Finland“When it comes to crime, the wealthy should suffer as much as

the poor.”Traffic fines generally are based on

two factors:

the severity of the offense the driver's income.

“Jaako Rytsola, a 27-year-old Finnish Internet entrepreneur and newspaper columnist, was cruising in his BMW one recent evening.

The officer pulled over Mr. Rytsola's car and issued him a speeding ticket for driving 43 miles an hour in a 25-mile-an-hour zone. The fine: $71,400.”

Change the Safety Culture

“I would conclude that one of the failures in the United States is to get

highway safety as a high priority for key decision makers.”

-Brian O’Neill , President and CEO Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

More Problems

• Data limitations in many agencies

• Wide variation in analysis and evaluation tools

• No single, agreed upon, systematic tool to assess road safety risks

• Little transparency in most procedures

What should be done?

“The media, private interest groups, and insurance companies should work together to enhance public awareness of highway safety.”

- S A M U E L C . T I G N O R, Eliminating the Annual Highway Safety Tragedy, TR NEWS 245 JULY–AUGUST 2006

“I would conclude that one of the failures in the United States is to get highway safety as a high priority for key decision makers.”

-Brian O’Neill , President and CEO, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Change the Safety Culture!

RAP – Road Assessment Programs

• Started in Europe in 2001 Inspired by EuroNCAP almost 20 countries

• AusRAP• RAP Objectives

Help cut death and serious injury rates through systematic risk assessment which identify major safety shortcomings amenable to practical remedy

Ensure that strategic decisions are linked to risk assessment

Forge partnerships among those responsible for a safe road system

• Initiated in 2004• Pilot studies in Iowa & Michigan• First public release of findings in

Spring 2006• Expanded pilot studies about to begin• Research Team:

Midwest Research Institute Iowa State University

• Risk Mapping maps of death and serious injury risk

for road users • Road Protection Score

star rating based on inspecting road features that protect users from serious injury or death

• Performance Tracking comparisons of safety performance for

roadway sections over time

The Three RAP Protocols

Risk Maps

• Focus on rural road system State primary routes County primary roads

• Homogeneous road segments

• Segment length sufficient to provide meaningful results

8 Types of Risk Maps

• Four from EuroRAP

• Four new ones being evaluated

Mason City

Waterloo

Cedar Rapids

Quad CitiesDes Moines

Council Bluffs

IowaCity

Ames

SiouxCity

DubuqueFort Dodge

Ottumwa

Marshalltown

Spencer

Clinton

< $7k 20%

$7k-$17k 20%

$17k-$33k 20%$33k-$64k 20%

$64K 20%

5 yrsof data

Map 5: Loss Density– Preliminary USRAP/Iowa Categories5 year Annualized Total Crash Loss per Mile (Iowa DOT values)

Mason City

Waterloo

Cedar Rapids

Quad CitiesDes Moines

Council Bluffs

IowaCity

Ames

SiouxCity

DubuqueFort Dodge

Ottumwa

Marshalltown

Spencer

Clinton

< $0.01 12%

$0.01-0.02 43%

$0.02-0.03 14%$0.03-0.04 14%

$0.04 17%

5 yrsof data

Map 6: Loss Rate– Preliminary USRAP/Iowa Categories5 year Annualized Total Crash Loss per Vehicle Mile (Iowa DOT values)

Note: does not include zero crash intersections

3 yrsof data

Map 7: Intersection Rate – Preliminary USRAP/Iowa

Categories3 Year Average Crash Rate per 100MEV

3 yrsof data

Map 8: Intersection Frequency – v.2 Preliminary USRAP/Iowa

Categories3 Year Annualized Crashes

3 yrsof data

1 yrof data10 yrsof data5 yrs

of data

Duration of Study Period• 1-year too short• 10-year maps pose problems due

to highway system changes • Both 3- and 5-year maps have

been developed

How to s

et the ri

sk ra

nges?

Applications for Risk Maps

• Better public understanding of highway safety needs

• Influence motorist route choice

• Influence motorist behavior on higher risk routes

Applications for Risk Maps

• Assist highway agencies in implementing new SAFETEA-LU programs: 5% criterion

high-risk rural roads program

statewide safety planning

Star Ratings based on Road Protection Score

• Identify differences in road design features related to crash protection features of the roadway

• Provide star ratings based on inventories

• More research needed to adapt EuroRAP tools to U.S. conditions

Star Rating Maps -- Iowa

RPS data collection:• Obtained as much data as

possible from existing highway agency files

• Obtained remaining data from videlog review

RPS data collection

Data Collection Issues

• Cost of field data vs. video• Automated video data reduction

(as in AusRAP)• Accuracy of roadside slope

estimates

usRAP Plans• Release pilot study results

• Expand pilot studies into other states – Florida, New Jersey, Illinois

• Additional work in MI & IA

• Coordinate with international efforts – Costa Rica and Chile

• Seek collaborators

• Explore most appropriate communication strategies

For more information …

www.aaafoundation.orgor

Reg SouleyretteIowa State [email protected]

Questions?

http://www.aaafoundation.org/

mailto:[email protected]

GIS Challenges

• Integrating disparate data sets

• Defining “common” road types

• Aggregating roadway sections

• Identifying road location: urban v. rural

• Crash assignment & changing cartography

• Road protection scoring

Integrating Disparate Data Sets

• Iowa DOT GIMS roadway database– Linear– Annual spatial and attribute changes

• Iowa DOT crash database– Point– Geocoded against GIMS “snapshot”

• Iowa DNR corporate limits– Polygon

• FHWA urban areas– Polygon

Similar data also presentin GIMS

Defining Common Road Types

• Access control– No Access Control (not

presently used)– Interstate and Freeway– Expressway– Planned Access with

through traffic given primary consideration

– Planned Access with through traffic and land services traffic given equal consideration

• City• Corporate boundary

• Median type– No barrier (< .152 meter

curb)– Hard surface without

barrier (Raised Median) Grass surface without barrier Hard surface with barrier Grass surface with barrier

– Barrier (> .152 meters)

• Urban area• Number of lanes• Type of lanes (through,

turning, etc.)• Speed limit

FreewayMultilaneDivided

MultilaneUndivided

Two-lane

Defining Common Road Types

Do not fit a “common” road type

Aggregating Sections

• 27,900 3,100– Homogeneous among several attributes, e.g. # lanes,

shoulder type, traffic volumes, speed, etc.

• 3,100 1,600Part 1– Same county, route number, road type– Equal speed limits or within 5 mph– Traffic volumes w/in 20% or 2,000 vpd

Part 2– Short sections w/in towns under 2,000 population…– Short sections outside of towns with speed limits…– Very short sections of different road types…– Very short rural sections with urban sections on both

sides…

Aggregating Sections

• As a starting point, may require overlaying multiple event themes to generate “homogeneous” sections.

ADT

Road TypeTwo-lane Multilane Undivided

3,500 6,000 7,500

45 mph 35 mphSpeed Limit

Event OverlayTwo-lane3,500 vpd45 mph

Two-lane6,000 vpd45 mph

MLUD6,000 vpd45 mph

MLUD6,000 vpd35 mph

Multilane Undivided7,500 vpd35 mph

Identifying Road Location

Not defined as “urban area”

Pop ~ 6,000 Pop ~ 8,000

Not defined as “urban area” but…completely within corporate limits

Urban v. Rural

Crash Assignment & Changing Cartography

Crashes not within spatial tolerance(must combine tolerance and proximity)

Crashes within spatial tolerance but…potentially inaccurately assigned

Crash Assignment & Changing Cartography

Determination of entering traffic volumes(spatial tolerance required?)

Potential inaccurate crash assignment and…how to distribute crashes among intersection legs?

too manyroad segments

identified

Within Distance

50m?

Crash Assignment

Closest Proximity

Crash Assignment

Section 12500 ADT

Section 23500 ADT

20 Crashes

Section 32000 ADT

Section 42000 ADT

Section

Crashes ADT Sum ADT Prop ADT Prop Crashes

1 20 2500 10000 0.25 5

2 20 3500 10000 0.35 7

3 20 2000 10000 0.20 4

4 20 2000 10000 0.20 4

•Section 1?•Section 2?•Section 3?•Sections 1 & 2?•Sections 1 & 3?•Distribute among all?•Higher functional class?

Intersection Crash Assignment

Crash Assignment

Example alternative

Road Protection Scoring

Must track & record road protectionelements for appropriate roadwaysegmentation, utilizing videolog &GIS-based mileage.

usRAP Florida

Risk Maps

Scope

• Rural state highway system

• No ramps, frontage roads

Data for Risk Mapping

• Access to data provided by FDOT– FDOT website GIS– FDOT Transportation Statistics Office,

GIS Support Section: segment characteristics

– CAR system – mainframe crash data and videolog

RCI to usRAP Segmentation• Used

– County– Posted US or State

Road Number– Type of Road– Toll Road– Urban Area Code– Number of Through

Roadway Lanes– AADT– Access Control Type– Speed Zone

Segmentation, cont.

• Group segments into four road types (not always straightforward)– Freeway– Multilane divided– Multilane undivided– Two-lane

• Objective: homogeneous segments for analysis• Before aggregation

– 62,438 records (RCI)• After preliminary aggregation

– 7838 segments after prelim. aggregation• Average length 0.77 mi.

• After final aggregation– 1584 segments

• Average length 3.8 mi.

Process for QC and data prep

Crash Data

• Used fatal and major-injury crashes only

• Geolocated all crashes using dynamic segmentation– .53% unmapped

• Identify crashes on usRAP segments

YEAR From Pat Brady

Dist 1 - 4 Dist 5 - 8 Total

2001 68,208 77,893 146,101

2002 68,828 77,837 146,665

2003 68,814 77,726 146,540 136,541

2004 74,285 85,375 159,660 159,658

2005 76,958 89,871 166,829 166,824

463,023 2003-2005

CRASHES

Florida Crashes on State Maintained Roads

From CARS (ZH EXTRACT)

Preliminary section aggregation:

• ± road type, route, county or toll

• AADT ± 2000 or 20%• Speed ± 5mph

Too many sections, far too short

Relaxed some constraints:

• Urban (Speed <=50mph)– AADT ± 4,000 or 40%

• Rural (Speed > 50mph – AADT ± 4,000 or 40%– speed ± 10mph– Section length < 1

Mile

Manual adjustment based on county breaks for short distances or similar short segments caused by city limits

Safety Performance of Roadway Types

Florida Rural, State Maintained Roads 2001-2005

Total Frequency

Annual Frequency

Annual Density

Annual Rate (HMVM)

Freeway 89 949 10.7 35,913 12.4 3,709 8.33 0.78 5.96Divided Highway 423 1,009 2.4 13,515 5.0 2,834 1.34 0.56 11.39Undivided Multilane 31 28 0.9 10,311 0.1 56 0.36 0.39 10.44Two-lane 1,041 4,026 3.9 5,278 7.8 5,403 1.04 0.27 13.93Total 1,584 6,012 3.8 11,519 25.3 12,002 1.52 0.40 9.50

Fatal & Incapacitating Injury Crashes

Road Type Sections Road MilesAverage

Length (mi) AADTAnnual VMT

(Billion)

The world road safety problem

1.2 million killed every year

iRAP - Background

Every year worldwide 1.2 million road deaths 50 million are injured or permanently disabled 85-90% of road deaths are in low and middle income

countries

Cost is 1-3% of global GDP

Road deaths set to overtake AIDS as the leading cause of unnatural death by 2020

iRAP Project Aims

Drive safety upgrading where large numbers are killed and seriously injured

Global methodology to generate effective and economic countermeasure programmes

Implement performance tracking methodologies for funding bodies to assess outcomes

Provide the training, manuals and web tools to build and sustain national capability

iRAP (international Road iRAP (international Road Assessment Programme)Assessment Programme)

Intro VideoIntro Video

3 Continent Road Inspections

Pilot countries: Typical country of the region with a strong

commitment to road safety

Casualty data available for calibration and validation

GPS data can be acquired without unusual difficulty

Club strong with good relationships (police, local and national authorities etc)

iRAP Pilot

EuroRAP

usRAP

AusRAPSouth Africa

MalaysiaCosta Rica

Chile

AusRAP – Malaysia – AAM, ARRB & AAAEuroRAP – South Africa – TRLusRAP – Costa Rica and Chile – MRI plus RACC help

iRAP – longer term

If the pilot study is successful…..

Link to the World Bank and secure greater funding for international road safety

Wider implementation of iRAP across the world Safer roads & Lives saved

Costa Rica Pilot

Ciclovía: Sección 1Ciclovía: Sección 1

Acera en Puentes Acera en Puentes

What is Hawkeye?What is Hawkeye?

Is it a plane, a train, a speeding Is it a plane, a train, a speeding bullet?...bullet?...

An early warning plane??

No… it’s a road No… it’s a road surveying surveying

vehicle system!!!vehicle system!!!

A Slide guitarist – Hawkeye Herman

A comic book hero??

An actual bird’s eye?? - Surely not

A TV Character??

www.arrb.com.au Advancing safety and efficiency in transport through knowledge

A Network Survey Vehicle


Hawkeye Acquire Software


Click here for Sample Costa Rica Video Log


Hawkeye Survey Viewera.k.a : Hawkeye Processing Toolkit


Hmmm… So how does it work?

• Hawkeye has 3 parts– Hardware (Lasers, Cameras, GIPSI, Computers, Heartbeat)– Acquire Software (in NSV)– Processing Toolkit/Data Viewer Software (in office)

USEFUL INFORMATION

ODO

Video

GPS

Lasers

GIPSI

Road

Information

HawkeyeAcquire

HawkeyeProcessing

Toolkit

Risk Calculation

Engines

Utility ScaleAll knowing Deities Road Uber-Dorks ARRB Employee’s Roads Engineers Planners/Economists Politicians/Laymen

iRAP List of Attributes for Hawkeye.xls

iRAP Test Output Columnar.xls


research | consulting | technology

Raters

Session 4 : Tuesday 27th March 2007

Raters are humans too


As you will find out over the next couple of days:

Rating is not the most exciting job.…But someone has to do it

How can we make it easier?


Area of Interest

• We want to rate only the 50m in front of the car• So we don’t double up on the rating


Ratings Definition

• Lets have a look at the inspection manual

– Malaysia (video)– South Africa (tablet).


All the pretty lights…

…and cables and cameras

High Definition Digital Cameras

Accelerometer/Odometer

GPS Unit


What does Hawkeye Acquire acquire?

• Odometer Info (Distance, Time)

• GPS (Lat, Long)

• Video (Hi-def Video)

• Digital Profile

• Geometry (Gyro1, Gyro2)

What can we do with it?

Speed

GPS, DGPS, WGS84

Video rating

Roughness, Rutting, Texture

Horizontal Curvature,

Vertical Curvature,

Cross fall,

Super Elevation

Altitude

Time for a break

road assessment programs: a new approach to highway safety management and communications

Documents

highway safety management

safety belt

annual highway safety

highway safetychange

highway deaths

inspecting road features

safe road systeminitiated

serious injury risk