The University of Adelaide CENTRE FOR AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY RESEARCH

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TitlePost impact trajectory of vehicles at metropolitan intersections
AuthorsDoecke SD, Woolley JE
Year2012
TypeReport
AbstractThis report describes the path of vehicles following a collision with another vehicle at a metropolitan intersection. The aim was to provide guidance to transport authorities on roadside design at intersections to protect vehicles from secondary impacts with roadside objects. Detailed information from in-depth investigations of 78 intersection crashes was analysed. Crashes at singalised and unsignalised intersections were analysed separately. Thirty two vehicles at signalised and unsignalised intersections (16 at each) were involved in a secondary collision. Nine of these collisions were more severe than the initial vehicle-to-vehicle collision, three at signalised intersections and six at unsignalised intersections. Following the vehicle-to-vehicle impact at both signalised and unsignalised intersections, more than half of the vehicles came to rest within 10 metres of the impact point. However, more than a quarter travelled 15 metres or further and around 10% travelled further than 27 metres. It was found that 40% of vehicles at signalised intersections crossed the designated pedestrian crossing areas following a collision between vehicles. It was also found that 14% of vehicles involved in crashes at signalised intersections departed the roadway. This poses a significant risk to pedestrians who are in the vicinity of junctions at the time of collisions. Graphical representations of the percentage of vehicles that travel through a given sector relative to the impact point following the metropolitan intersection crashes were developed. These can be used to determine the chance of a vehicle having a secondary collision with roadside objects.
Report NumberCASR060
PublisherCentre for Automotive Safety Research
Publisher CityAdelaide
SponsorDepartment of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
ISBN978 1 921645 98 3
ISSN1449-2237
Page Count39

Reference
Doecke SD, Woolley JE (2012). Post impact trajectory of vehicles at metropolitan intersections (CASR060). Adelaide: Centre for Automotive Safety Research.


Files Available for Download
CASR060.pdfPDF version of published report