This article describes the results of an accident survey carried out to ascertain whether traffic cones can cause accidents, an whether there is any evidence of vehicles overturning after collision with cones. Personal injury accidents on motorways in Leicestershire, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester between 1982/1983 and 1987 as recorded on STAT19 forms were examined, and those accidents where roadworks were a contributory factor were selected. The Leicestershire survey included a period when flatcones were used on the contraflow. Cone related accidents represented 20% of the non shunt accidents (NSA) recorded in the period. Whereas in the urban area 8% of NSA's were cone related this rose to more than 20% in the urban/rural area and more than 25% in the rural area. Of the total NSA's, 4% were directly caused by cones, 6.5% involved vehicles overturning and a further 6.5% severe loss of control. Where flatcones were used no such accidents were recorded.
Abstract