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SURFACE
CHARACTERISTICS AND ROAD SAFETY: A JOINTLY FUNDED PROJECT BY AA FOUNDATION FOR ROAD SAFETY RESEARCH AND CSS BEING UNDERTAKEN BY HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Earlier
this year the AA Foundation and CSS awarded a two-year contract on
the above topic to Hampshire County Council.
It continues the AA Foundation’s research links with local
highway authorities which began with Birmingham City Council in 1989
and with whom three urban road safety accident reports were commissioned. In the mid 1990s three further studies
were commissioned from Cambridgeshire County Council this time specialising
in rural road accidents. The objectives
of the study are: * To
investigate whether any relationship exists between the surface characteristics
of the road surface and the accidents that occur, and in particular
to investigate influencing factors, including: -
wet/dry
conditions; -
the role
of splash and spray on skidding and as an impairment to visibility; -
lighting
provision for accidents after dark -
the presence
of porous surfaces via skid resistance and via behavioural adaptation
(ie drivers going faster); -
the presence
or absence of white lines at road margins * To
report on the position regarding relevant research on the role and
efficacy of the tyre in the tyre/road interaction. * To
advise Decision makers on appropriate levels of maintenance, Suppliers
on the selection of materials and, generally, the direction that developments
of surface characteristics should take in order to improve safety. The results of the research will be published in 2003 but it has yet to be decided if interim reports will be issued. The researcher, John C Bullas who has previously worked for TRL, is reporting locally to Terry Lomas of the Technical Advice unit within the County Surveyor’s Department at Winchester |