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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation
OFFICE OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE TURNER-FAIRBANK HIGHWAY RESEARCH CENTER

Intersection Lighting Impacts on Nighttime Crashes Reduction and Safety Improvement

Publication Information

Publication External Link:
Publication Type:
Other
Publication Number:
N/A
Abstract:

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) uses lighting as a significant countermeasure to increase roadway safety during nighttime. Statistics show that 25% of all motor vehicle travels occur at night, but approximately 50% of all traffic fatalities occur during nighttime. This research investigated the benefits of intersection lighting on the expected nighttime crashes reduction in both rural and urban intersections. Recent crash data from the Highway Safety Information System database for Minnesota and California were used to study the effect of intersection lighting on the expected nighttime crash frequency. The negative binomial regression model was used to analyze data. Overall, illuminated intersections showed a reduction of 3.61% and 6.54% in the expected nighttime crash frequency as compared to dark intersections in Minnesota and California, respectively.

Publishing Date:
January 2016
FHWA Program(s):
Research
Safety
AMRP Program(s):
Safety Data and Analysis
FHWA Activities:
Highway Safety Information System
Subject Area:
Safety and Human Factors