A strategy for dramatically reducing trauma from run-off-road crashes along high-speed rural roads

This paper investigates the opportunities to use flexible barrier systems over long lengths of high-speed rural roads to change, in a fundamental way, the risk of serious injury for this very common crash scenario. Simple techniques such as GIS mapping of casualty crashes involving vehicle departures from the roadway, the calculation of linear crash densities and the selection of ‘black lengths’ as candidates for comprehensive crashworthiness upgrade were used to predict benefit-to-cost ratios for a treatment program based on enhanced crashworthiness. The results of economic analyses are presented as a means of prioritising infrastructure improvements rather than to decide whether to undertake such safety improvements. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E211985.