The objectives of this study are to: (1) Identify the extent of the pole accident problem; (2) Determine accident and injury severity rates associated with pole accidents; (3) Assess vehicle crashworthiness and highway design and operational characteristics for pole accidents; and (4) Evaluate performance, cost-effectiveness, and injury severity reduction of breakaway versus nonbreakaway poles. Data categories were analyzed to address the study objectives. The results of the study include descriptive statistics on the extent of the pole accident problem; analysis of the characteristics of pole accident sites, vehicle damage, and occupant injuries; assessment on the performance of various pole types; and a cost-effectiveness evaluation of the breakaway modification as a safety countermeasure.
Samenvatting