Road Safety

Run-off-road crashes result in a high number of serious casualty crashes in rural environments. It is therefore important, within a Safe System, that factors that contribute to this type of crash and methods that may be used to prevent them from occurring be identified. This report collates research into factors that contribute to the incidence and severity of run-off-road crashes on rural roads in Australia and New Zealand and possible countermeasures. A literature review was undertaken to identify the outcome of recent investigations into contributory factors and countermeasures associated with run-off-road crashes. Contributory driver factors were identified as straying into the opposing lane, driver inattention or impairment, overcorrecting after straying onto the road shoulder, excessive speed particularly on bends, and overtaking.