Lecture Notes: Highway and Traffic Engineering (CEX-306) B.Tech. III Year (Sem.

VI)

Module: Traffic Engineering

Traffic Studies

Accident Studies

Introduction
The problem of accident is very acute in the road transportation. It is attributed mainly to:
(i) complicated flow patterns of the vehicular traffic; (ii) presence of the mixed type of vehicles;
and (iii) the pedestrians on the road, apart from many other reasons.
The accidents involve property damages, personal injuries and many a time, the
causalities. One of the main aims of the traffic engineering is to provide safe traffic operations.
The accidents studies pertain to the road accidents that occur from time to time on an existing
road system. Though we can not prevent the road accidents totally, we can at least reduce the
rate of the accidents considerably by resorting to the suitable traffic engineering and
management measures.
On this backdrop, it is necessary to carry out the systematic accident studies for
investigating the causes of the accidents and to take preventive measures in terms of design
and control. It is essential to analyze the every individual accident and to maintain the zone wise
accident records. The statistical analysis of the accidents carried out periodically at critical
locations or road stretches or zones or a city for that reason would help in arriving upon suitable
measures to effectively decrease the accident rates.

Purposes of the accident studies

Pursuant to the significance of the accident studies contained in the preceding sections, the
various objectives of the accident studies are mentioned below. They are to-

1. Identify high accident locations for detailed study.

2. Study the causes of accidents and to suggest suitable corrective treatment at critical /
potential accident prone locations.
3. Evaluate the existing design of the various features falling under the purview of the traffic
engineering/ geometric design, traffic regulation and traffic control measures; and form
the basis for the proposed changes in the same.

1 Dr. Hemant Chore Associate Professor Department of Civil Engg. NIT Jalandhar
Lecture Notes: Highway and Traffic Engineering (CEX-306) B.Tech. III Year (Sem.VI)

4. Carry out ‘before and after studies’ following implementation of the changes in the
design, regulation and control and subsequently, to demonstrate the improvement in the
condition w.r.t. the problems of the accidents.
5. Justify the provision of dividers, islands, etc, roads and/ or intersections.
6. Control and guide the pedestrian movement by provision of subways, overhead bridges,
pelican crossings (zebra crossings),etc.
7. Impose parking restrictions and other restrictions on heavy vehicles, turning, etc.
8. Plan driver’s education/ training programme.
9. Calculations of the financial losses caused due to accidents.
10. Justify the financial viability for the improvement measures being enacted in order to
avoid the accidents.

Basic elements involved in the traffic accidents

Following are the basic elements involved in any traffic accidents.
a. The road User: Driver, pedestrians and passengers
b. Vehicle
c. Road and its condition
d. Traffic
e. Environmental Factors such as visibility, weather, etc.

Causes of accidents
Pursuant to the above, we can summarize the following causes of the accidents:

Drivers Excessive Speed; rash driving; carelessness; violation of rules and

regulations; failure to perceive the traffic situation, rules and regulations,
temporary effects due to fatigue, sleep; effect of drugs and /or alcohol, etc.

Pedestrians Violation of the regulations, carelessness while using the carriageway meant
for the vehicular traffic, failure to perceive the traffic situation, rules and
regulations, temporary effects due to fatigue, sleep; effect of drugs and /or
alcohol, etc.

Passengers Alighting from or getting into the moving vehicles (city buses, autos,
rickshaws, etc.) at/ from a point which is not designated for such activity.

2 Dr. Hemant Chore Associate Professor Department of Civil Engg. NIT Jalandhar
Lecture Notes: Highway and Traffic Engineering (CEX-306) B.Tech. III Year (Sem.VI)

Road Slippery or skidding road surface, pot holes, ruts and other distresses in the
Conditions pavement, temporary obstructions to the line of sight (caused by the parked
vehicles, branch of a tree, etc.) resulting in reduction in the normal or usual
sight distance.

Road Design Erroneous/ defective design of the various features such as sight distance,
horizontal and vertical alignment, inadequate width of shoulders, improper
lighting arrangements and traffic control devices, etc.

Traffic Other vehicles of the traffic stream such as vehicles moving ahead getting into
Conditions an accident; presence of disables vehicle parked randomly on the roadway,
etc.

Weather Unfavorable weather conditions (snow, fog, mist, smoke or heavy rainfall) that
restrict the normal visibility and renders the driving unsafe.

Animals Stray animals on the road either sitting in between on the roadway or moving
across the roadway, randomly.

Other / Incorrect sign or signals, their wrong positioning or installation; level Crossing
Miscellaneous not closed when required; negotiating of such crossings by the pedestrians or
drivers of the two wheelers by hook or crook even when the gate is closed;
ribbon development, badly located advertisement boards, service stations,
etc.

Stages involved in the accident studies

 Collection of accident data
 Preparation of accident reports
 Preparation of location file
 Preparation of diagram illustrating the type of collision
 Application of the above record for suggesting measures to prevent the accidents at the
same location.

3 Dr. Hemant Chore Associate Professor Department of Civil Engg. NIT Jalandhar
Lecture Notes: Highway and Traffic Engineering (CEX-306) B.Tech. III Year (Sem.VI)

Collision Diagram: It depicts the details of the accident location (not to the scale) and show the
approximate path of the vehicles and pedestrians involved in the accidents; and other objects
with which the vehicles have collided.

They are useful for comparing the accident pattern before and after the remedial measures
have been taken.

Condition Diagram: It is a drawing of the accident location drawn to the scale. It shows all the
important physical features of the road and the adjoining area. The features to be included may
comprise: width of the roadway, shoulders, medians, if any; other geometric features such as
curves, kerb lines, bridhes, culverts, electric poles, trees, obstruction to the vision, property
lines, signs, signals, etc.

While sketching both these diagram, standard symbols / notations are required to be used.

Accident Investigations and Analysis

This is carried out scientifically in the following three stages.
(a) Accident Investigations
(b) Analysis of Individual Accidents
(c) Statistical Analysis of Accidents

Measures for reduction in the accident rates

Various measures to be taken in order to decrease the rate of accidents may be grouped
as below. They are termed popularly in brief as ‘3-Es’.
 Engineering
 Enforcement
 Education

 Engineering Measures:
a. Road Design: Checking of the features of the geometric design and
correction if becomes necessary.
Checking of the pavement surface characteristics including skid
resistance at frequent intervals and to bring them to suitable design
standards by resorting to the suitable maintenance steps.

4 Dr. Hemant Chore Associate Professor Department of Civil Engg. NIT Jalandhar
Lecture Notes: Highway and Traffic Engineering (CEX-306) B.Tech. III Year (Sem.VI)

Construction of the bye-passes wherever necessary in order to separate

the through traffic from the local traffic.
Construction of the grade separated intersections or fly over with
interchange facilities in order to minimize the delay and conflicts at
intersections.
Construction of pedestrian grade facilities in the form of pedestrian
subways or foot over bridges wherever necessary

b. Preventive maintenance of Vehicles: Checking of the braking system,

steering, indicators, lighting system and condition of the tyres of vehicles
at suitable intervals and maintenance thereof.

c. Before and After studies: Conduction of the before and after studies in
order to compare the reduction in accident rate, if any and the
effectiveness of different preventive measures introduced at the accident
prone location.

d. Road Lighting: Proper road lighting improves the visibility during night and
can decrease the rate of accidents.

 Enforcement Measures:
a. Speed Control: Installation of Speed Limit and Warning Signs at all critical
locations on the road; Surprise checking of the speed and imposing heavy
fines and / or initiate legal action against the drivers violating the speed
limit; Installation of tachometers in all public transport vehicles recording
the running speed and the respective timings; speed jammers;
introduction of the speed breakers at the critical / identified locations, etc.

b. Traffic Control Devices: Signs/ Signals/ Marking at the appropriate

locations.

c. Training and Supervision: Stringent care to be exercised by the driving

license issuing authorities w.r.t. testing and issuing the license to the
drivers of public service vehicles and taxis.

5 Dr. Hemant Chore Associate Professor Department of Civil Engg. NIT Jalandhar
Lecture Notes: Highway and Traffic Engineering (CEX-306) B.Tech. III Year (Sem.VI)

Keeping the drivers having cleared the requisite tests under proper
supervision and refurbishing/ training them at frequent intervals.

d. Medical Check Up: Regular medical checkup for the driver at the regular
interval.

e. Special Precautions for the Commercial Vehicles: The establishments

plying the commercial vehicles/ public road transport authorities needs to
be asserted upon providing the attendant to the driver of the commercial
vehicles/ buses, etc.

f. Observance of Law and Regulations: The transport or police authorities

need to ensure that the road users, especially the drivers, are compiling
with the traffic rules and regulations.

 Educational Measures:
a. Education of the Road Users: The road users be educated in respect of
the various precautionary measures.
Teaching the passengers and pedestrians about the traffic rules and
correct manner of crossing and boarding or alighting from the mass
transit system.
Introducing necessary instructions in the schools for the children.
Posters exhibiting the serious results due to carelessness of road users .

b. Safety Drives/ Traffic safety Week: Organization of the traffic safety week
where the road users are properly directed by the help of traffic police.
Conduction of the refresher/ training courses for the drivers.
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Bibliography
1. Kadiyali, L.R. : Highway Engineering (Standard Publishers, Delhi)
2. Khanna, S.K., Justo C.E.G. and Veeraragavan : Highway Engineering (Nem Chand Bros.
Roorkee)
3. Saxena S.C. : Highway and Traffic Engineering (CBS Publishers and Distributers, New Delhi

6 Dr. Hemant Chore Associate Professor Department of Civil Engg. NIT Jalandhar