Heavy vehicle crashes in rural and remote Australia and New Zealand.
Keywords: Heavy Vehicles
ACRS
Submission Date: 2011 Conference: ACRS
Abstract
A substantial proportion of crashes in rural and remote areas involve heavy vehicles (rigid trucks, articulated vehicles and buses). The freight task is expected to continue to grow steadily over the next 20 years, and an associated increase in crashes can be expected unless effective safety measures are implemented.
This paper presents the results of the crash data analysis for Austroads Project ST1193 (Heavy Vehicle Safety in Rural and Remote Areas). The project involved (1) a literature review identifying existing road design safety measures and intelligent transport systems (2) analysis of mass crash data for Australia and New Zealand (3) site investigations and (4) a review of the predicted growth in the freight task.
There were an annual average 1,761 heavy vehicle casualty crashes in rural Australia between 2001 and 2005, and 10% of these were fatal crashes. In rural New Zealand the average annual number of heavy vehicle casualty crashes during the same period was 518, and 12% of these were fatal crashes. Detailed results on crash characteristics, environmental conditions and location features are presented, with consideration given to probable exposure.
The crash data analysis identified patterns in crash characteristics, environmental conditions and location features. Targeted safety measures were identified based on the crash data analysis and site investigations.