Road Safety

Intersection crashes are one of the more common type of crash that may occur in rural environments. It is therefore important, within a Safe System, that factors that may contribute to intersection crashes and methods that may be used to prevent them from occurring be identified. Intersection crashes result in a high number of serious casualty crashes in rural areas. They tend to have a high severity due partly to the speed at which they occur. This project contributes to reducing the gaps in the knowledge of factors that contribute to the severity and incidence of rural intersection crashes and seeks to identify methods that may be used to reduce the potential of them from occurring. A literature review and an internet search were undertaken to identify the findings of recent investigations into contributory factors and countermeasures associated with intersection crashes. Inadequate sight distance (due to poor roadside geometry or roadside obstructions), excess speed and the absence of protected right turn lanes and acceleration/deceleration lanes were identified as major contributory factors.