Input from States Guides Roadside Safety Research
This valuable input was
gathered from representatives of State DOTs and
FHWA Regional Offices, as
well as researchers from
FHWA and the FHWA/NHTSA
National Crash Analysis Center. In
his opening statement to the workshop, Jeff Paniati, Safety Design
Division Chief, described this workshop as an integral part of the
Division's efforts to enhance the
quality of the FHWA safety
research program and to improve
communications between research
staff and the end users.
-- Leonard Meczkowski,.
Collision Countermeasure System Installed
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This sign is being installed as an additional safety measure at an intersection in Virginia. | |
For the side street (Fleetwood Drive), a sign is mounted to show when a main-street vehicle is approaching the intersection and in which direction. The sign says CROSSING TRAFFIC and has a vehicle that appears to be moving below the legend when a vehicle is approaching.
The intersection has poor sight distance and, although the speed limit is 60 km/h, vehicles on the main road travel at relatively high speeds making it dangerous to cross. Traffic loop sensors were installed on both roadways to detect when traffic is present, and a controller was installed at the intersection to operate the system. The evaluation will include conflict counts before and after the signs are installed. The loop-information and sign-activation data will automatically be collected by the system.
This system should prove
to be very successful. It
may offer another method
for improving safety at
intersections.
-- Howie Bissell, howard.bissell@fhwa.dot.gov
FHWA Explores World Transportation Innovations
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| The USA Pavilion is where many new technologies were marketed. | |
Concurrent with the meeting was the Transportation Exposition, which showcased state-of-the-art products, services,
technologies, and systems from around the world. FHWA
coordinated and staffed the 500-m2 USA Pavilion, tying into
the conference theme, "Roads ... Enhancing the Economy,
Sustaining the Environment." Visitors traveled the road
within the exhibit to experience showcased FHWA/DOT-sponsored projects, technologies, and partnerships. Hands-on sample materials, demonstrations, and interaction with
technical experts were complemented by a suite of multimedia presentations for indepth virtual experiences. A
bridge made of innovative composite materials carried visitors through displays of transportation innovations in such
subjects as the environment, planning, safety, pavement
and structures technologies, intelligent transportation systems, training and technology transfer, and economic
issues.
@fhwa. dot.gov
-- Martha Soneira, (202) 366-8029.
FHWA Explores World Transportation Innovations
Showing some good, some bad, and some ugly
automotive designs of the past, present, and future, Byron Bloch, a well-known
consultant on auto safety design, gave a slide and videotape presentation on
side- impact protection at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC)
in May. He showed how vehicle designs could be further improved to minimize
intrusion into the passenger compartment. He stressed the importance of minimizing
injury-causing protrusions and rigid edges in the vehicle interior and pointed
out new advances in technology, such as side-impact airbags, that would help
reduce the severity of injuries.
FHWA is interested in side-impact
protection because each year about
8,000 Americans are killed in side-impact crashes and tens of thousands are severely injured. Many of these side-impact collisions are with roadside
objects such as trees,
utility poles, and guardrail terminals. It has
been estimated that the
societal cost of side-impact collisions with
fixed objects exceeds
$3 billion per year.
-- Charlie McDevitt, charlie.mcdevitt@fhwa.dot.gov,
