The aim of the study has been to evaluate the traffic safety effect of wide lanes on 13-metre roads and expressways. Existing wide-lane roads have been compared with other roads of the same type but without wide lanes. The roads with ordinary lanes have wide shoulders instead. In all, 380 km of 13-metre roads and 110 km of expressways with wide lanes have been compared with 2300 km and 350 km, respectively, of roads without wide lanes. On average, wide lanes have existed for scarcely three years. According to the results obtained, there are no differences in traffic safety between roads with and without wide lanes. Compared with motorways, the risk of being killed or seriously injured on 13-metre roads or expressways with or without wide lanes is approximately twice as high. (A)
Abstract