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OFFICE OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE TURNER-FAIRBANK HIGHWAY RESEARCH CENTER

A Review of the Impacts of the Towaway Reporting Threshold on a Highway Safety Program

FHWA-RD-01-114.pdf (729.13 KB)

Publication Information

Publication Type:
Summary Report
Publication Number:
FHWA-RD-01-114
Abstract:

This study reviewed the potential impacts of a towaway reporting threshold (where at least one vehicle is disabled to the extent it must be towed from the scene) on the North Carolina Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) listings and on the locations and types of crash patterns identified on collision diagrams by field engineers. Results showed that there would be significant shuffling of HSIP listings that North Carolina uses to identify, investigate, and treat potentially hazardous locations on the highway system. The results of the crash-pattern analysis indicate that a towaway crash report threshold would make it more difficult for a group of engineers to identify crash patterns and therefore less likely to recommend improvements to certain sites with serious problems.

Publishing Date:
June 2001
Publishing Office:
Office of Research, Development, and Technology
FHWA Program(s):
Research
Corporate
Safety
AMRP Program(s):
Safety Data and Analysis
FHWA Activities:
Highway Safety Information System
Subject Area:
Safety and Human Factors