MTC Roadside Call Box Crashworthiness Study
Author(s):
D.L. Bullard, D. Lord, A. Abuodeh, W.L. Menges
Publication Date:
February 2004
Abstract:
The objective of this study were to 1) identify safety performance issues that may be illustrated by analyses of the in-service performance accident data, 2) crash test and evaluate the performance of several different call box site types in accordance with NCHRP Report 350, and 3) develop design parameters for making future changes to the configuration of call box poles/appurtenances and sites which may prevent the need for re-crash testing the modified installation.
Analyses performed on the accident data for California call boxes provided the following information:
- Call boxes account for less than 0.5% of all crashes on the freeway system;
- Call boxes account for about 1% of all roadside objects being hit;
- Call boxes are hit more frequently on weekends;
- Call boxes, when hit by a single vehicle, do not generally lead to serious injuries. However, many single vehicle crashes with injuries involved a vehicle overturning either before or after hitting a call box;
- Vehicles do not always strike a call box by the front-end; 65% of the time the vehicle hits the call box sideways or by the back-end;
- The data seems to suggest that Type B leads to more serious injuries;
- The average cost per crash is $1,450.
Report Number:
474240-06001-F
Electronic Link(s):
Document/Product
http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/474240-08-F.pdf
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