The National Road Safety Strategy has identified intersection crashes as one of the most frequent crash types occurring on Australian roads. As rear-end crashes are a common collision type at intersections, they have been targeted as part of the strategy. Rear-end crashes feature significantly in jurisdictions’ road crash statistics. Whilst most rear-end crashes do not lead to fatalities, about one-quarter result in fatal or serious injuries. About two-fifths of CTP insurance claims are for rear-end crashes, amounting to a quarter of all CTP costs. Austroads has commissioned this research project to explore the contributory factors for rear-end crashes, especially those leading to fatal and serious injuries. Both urban and rural locations have been considered. The project sought to identify appropriate solutions, discussing both engineering treatments currently used and new potential treatments. To meet the research goals, a literature review was undertaken. The review identified previous investigations into factors associated with rear-end crashes in urban and rural environments, measures that may be used to prevent such crashes, and the effectiveness of these measures. Crash data over a five-year study period (2006—10) was analysed. A series of site investigations was also conducted at ‘high’ crash sites in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland to identify factors that may have contributed to the occurrence or severity of rear-end crashes. Throughout the project, road environment, vehicle and driver characteristics were considered as potential crash contributory factors. Factors found to be related to an increased incidence or severity of rear-end crashes include: * driver characteristics: distracted, younger, and male drivers have all been identified as at greater risk of being the striking driver in a rear-end crash. Older and female drivers are at greater risk of sustaining more serious injuries * vehicle factors: larger vehicles have an increased risk of both being struck and being the striking vehicle in a rear-end collision; collisions involving larger vehicles with passenger cars can be more severe due to vehicle incompatibility * road environment: rear-end crash risk is highest on highly trafficked, high-speed roads and at intersections, particularly when signalised and/or featuring poor horizontal and vertical alignment. The study identified a number of opportunities for future research. These include studying the rear-end crash risk associated with disruptions to traffic flow (such as caused by bus stops and driveways), and with short yellow phase times at traffic signals. Also, it is recommended that measures aimed at reducing tailgating be investigated. Safety measures that could be affected were identified as either short-term measures that could be undertaken as part of a road maintenance program, or more substantial improvements to be undertaken as part of a capital works or road safety program. Improvements to be undertaken as part of road maintenance included improved delineation and visibility at signalised intersections and treatment of the road surface. More substantial improvements to be undertaken include targeted treatment of at-risk intersections, replacement of red-light cameras with combined red-light speed cameras, and improved turning provisions at intersections. (Author/publisher)
Abstract