Aspects of Road Design and Trucks from the Analysis of Crashes

This paper shows how a detailed examination of original accident crash reports involving trucks (both rigid and articulated) can give data that allows aspects of road design in relation to trucks to be derived. More processed data can lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms in crashes and potentially lead to countermeasures. The author takes two years of truck crash data and uses a crash-coding system to provide a data set on approximately 7,000 crashes involving trucks in Victoria, Australia. The data included type of truck (rigid or articulated), urban versus rural areas, road design, and roadside features. The author notes that the data showed there are areas of road that clearly are not appropriate for large vehicles, however, it is also clear that the whole road system cannot be rebuilt to suit large vehicles. Thus, the use of large vehicles should be limited to specific road classes or routes. In addition, the design of these larger vehicles must be reconsidered; drivers need to have greater visual knowledge of the area immediately around the vehicle, as well as a better signaling system. The author also contends that traffic regulations should be reviewed and penalties for offenses involving big vehicles should be greater than those offenses involving cars, due to the greater severity of casualties sustained in crashes involving trucks. The author concludes that more of this type of data that is already being collected should be processed and put into State databases.