Relationship between horizontal curves design and accident rate

Abstract

Horizontal curves are very problematic elements of the road alignment. The danger of these spots is confirmed by the analysis of accidents, which showed that while on the tangents (straight sections) is an accident resulting in injury or death one of every five, at intersections and curve segments it is one of every three. Share of fatal accidents in curve segments compared to the intersections or direct segments is then more than doubled. The research aims to find potential correlations between different accident’s characteristics and horizontal curves design, which could help predict dangerousness of horizontal elements. Strong correlation was proven between radius of horizontal curve and relative accidental rate. Lower correlation was found between traffic lanes width and relative accidental rate. From gathered data wasn’t proven relationship between relative accidental rate and deflection angle.