This report provides a review of current international literature in regard to road infrastructure and how it can be improved to reduce the frequency and severity of rural road crashes. The following features of rural roads were shown to increase the risk of serious injury: the presence of roadside hazards such as trees and poles; intersections and their design and operational features; alignment and design speeds; and road surface conditions. Single-vehicle crashes are common on rural roads and mostly involve vehicles leaving the roadway and colliding with rigid objects or overturning. Multi-vehicle collisions are also an important source of road trauma in rural areas and include collisions at intersections, head-on impacts and rear-end collisions. A system-wide and comprehensive application to key crash problems in rural areas appears to offer the most effective and cost-effective solutions. The most strategically important measures to reduce crash and injury risk are introduction of grade-separated intersections; construction of roundabouts; installation of crashworthy barrier systems; and introduction of speed reduction measures. (Author/publisher)
Abstract