Safety Evaluation of Transverse Rumble Strips on Approaches to Stop-Controlled Intersections in Rural Areas

摘要

Transverse rumble strips (TRS) have been used by some agencies in rural areas to warn drivers that they are approaching a stop sign. There is some evidence in prior research that TRS are effective in reducing approach speeds. However, little is known about effects on crashes. Data from 20 intersections in Minnesota and 134 intersections in Iowa were used to examine the safety impact of TRS at three- and four-leg intersections with minor-leg stop control. Empirical Bayes methods were incorporated in a before-after analysis to determine the safety effectiveness of the rumble strips. Results from 3- and 4-leg intersections in the combined sample of Iowa and Minnesota indicate about a 21% reduction in fatal, incapacitating injury, and nonincapacitating injury crashes and a 39% reduction in fatal and incapacitating injury crashes. Coupled with this reduction in severe injury crashes, there seems to be an increase in property damage only crashes. A limited economic analysis indicated a reduction in crash harm of about $6,600 per intersection per year due to the installation of TRS. Due to limited sample sizes, no definitive conclusions could be made regarding the specific crash types investigated, that is, right-angle and ran-stop-sign crashes.