Heavy Vehicles
Heavy goods vehicles (trucks) and buses have an important role to play in the economic wellbeing of any country.
The greater mass of heavy vehicles means that consequences of any crashes they are involved in tend to be severe. As they interact with other road users (especially vulnerable ones such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists) there can be serious safety consequences, especially without adequate facilities and controls.
Truck occupants are also at risk themselves, particularly in higher speed environments. Trucks may run off the road or collide with other vehicles, with serious consequences to occupants.
Data also exists in some countries on single heavy vehicle crashes that result in multiple fatalities of up to and over 30 deaths. This is from crashes involving public transport heavy vehicles.
Driver errors resulting from speed (Treatments\Safer People\Speed), drink driving (Treatments\Safer People\Alcohol and other drugs) and fatigue (Treatments\Safer People\Fatigue) all contribute to truck crashes. Vehicle defects (Treatments\Safer Vehicles\Vehicle Roadworthiness) may also play a significant role in truck crashes. Recently manufacturers have made advances in the design of heavy vehicles and in some countries regulation of their use is well established.
There are also many road related factors that influence the risk of crashes. It is often easier and cheaper to improve safety through a change to the road environment than it is to change driver behaviour, so improvements in the road system are an important means of improving road safety.
Road related contributing factors to crashes include
- Safer Roads
- Estimated cost
- Casualty Reduction
- Central Turning Lane Full Length
- Low
- 10-25%
- Delineation
- Low
- 10-25%
- Intersection - Delineation
- Low
- 10-25%
- Central Hatching
- Low
- 10-25%
- Rumble Strips
- Low
- 10-25%
- Median Crossing Upgrade
- Low to medium
- 25-40%
- Skid Resistance
- Low to medium
- 25-40%
- Roadside Safety - Hazard Removal
- Low to medium
- 25-40%
- Intersection - Turn Lanes (Signalised)
- Low to medium
- 10-25%
- Intersection - Turn Lanes (Unsignalised)
- Low to medium
- 10-25%
- Parking Improvements
- Low to medium
- 10-25%
- Regulate Roadside Commercial Activity
- Low to medium
- 10-25%
- Intersection - Signalise
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Railway Crossing
- Medium
- 60% or more
- One Way Network
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Roadside Safety - Barriers
- Medium
- 40-60%
- Shoulder Sealing
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Speed Management
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Road Surface Rehabilitation
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Traffic Calming
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Lane Widening
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Median Barrier
- Medium to high
- 60% or more
- Restrict/Combine Direct Access Points
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Intersection - Roundabout
- Medium to high
- 60% or more
- Additional Lane
- High
- 25-40%
- Intersection - Grade Separation
- High
- 25-40%
- Realignment - Horizontal
- High
- 25-40%
- Realignment - Vertical
- High
- 10-25%
- Duplication
- High
- 25-40%
- Service Road
- High
- 25-40%
Safer Roads
- Safer Roads
- Estimated cost
- Casualty Reduction
- Central Turning Lane Full Length
- Low
- 10-25%
- Delineation
- Low
- 10-25%
- Intersection - Delineation
- Low
- 10-25%
- Central Hatching
- Low
- 10-25%
- Rumble Strips
- Low
- 10-25%
- Median Crossing Upgrade
- Low to medium
- 25-40%
- Skid Resistance
- Low to medium
- 25-40%
- Roadside Safety - Hazard Removal
- Low to medium
- 25-40%
- Intersection - Turn Lanes (Signalised)
- Low to medium
- 10-25%
- Intersection - Turn Lanes (Unsignalised)
- Low to medium
- 10-25%
- Parking Improvements
- Low to medium
- 10-25%
- Regulate Roadside Commercial Activity
- Low to medium
- 10-25%
- Intersection - Signalise
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Railway Crossing
- Medium
- 60% or more
- One Way Network
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Roadside Safety - Barriers
- Medium
- 40-60%
- Shoulder Sealing
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Speed Management
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Road Surface Rehabilitation
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Traffic Calming
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Lane Widening
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Median Barrier
- Medium to high
- 60% or more
- Restrict/Combine Direct Access Points
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Intersection - Roundabout
- Medium to high
- 60% or more
- Additional Lane
- High
- 25-40%
- Intersection - Grade Separation
- High
- 25-40%
- Realignment - Horizontal
- High
- 25-40%
- Realignment - Vertical
- High
- 10-25%
- Duplication
- High
- 25-40%
- Service Road
- High
- 25-40%
Safer Vehicles
- Safer Vehicles
Safer People
- Safer People
Did you know?
Intersection crashes are one of the most common types of crash problem
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