The effect of pavement surface condition on traffic accidents was investigated as part of an Israeli Public Works Department survey of the feasibility of investing in the maintenance of the interurban road network in Israel. An analysis of this problem for the whole network attempted to correlate the state of the pavement surface with conditions of safety. The results of the investigation did not indicate any unilateral correlation between these two parameters. In contrast, similar tests that concentrated on specific road sections indicated that an increase in pavement surface grading might improve or worsen traffic safety, depending on the geometric and traffic characteristics of the section under investigation. Additional tests conducted in the context of this survey concerned the state of the pavement shoulders and the slipperiness of the pavement. According to the Israeli data, it is possible to decrease the total number of accidents (nonintersection accidents) on the interurban road network by approximately 7.5% If the skid coefficient of the pavement surface, as measured by the mu-meter, is greater than 37. Similarly, it is possible to diminish the number of such accidents by about 8% if the shoulder's surface is in good condition and the width of the shoulder is no less than 2 m. The findings of this investigation indicate that black spots or black section analyses are required rather than an analysis of the whole network to determine the pavement and shoulder condition on highway accidents. An application of the black spots or black sections concept facilitates the achievement of an optimal level of economic feasibility. Thus, for example, anti skid treatments provided at those sections where there is a high rate of accidents of this type, or treatment of the pavement shoulders and their widening at those sections where there is a high rate of accidents caused by a state of disrepair, can lead to high benefit-cost values.
Abstract