Outcome based management of roadside hazards

Run-off-road crashes represent 55% of all fatal crashes and 32% of all serious casualty crashes in Victoria. These crashes account for 50% of all serious casualty crashes in rural areas. In 2010, 66% of all run-off-road fatal crashes involved collisions with fixed roadside objects and 70% resulted in serious casualty crashes. Crash statistics show that errant vehicles continue to leave the carriageway and strike hazards beyond the clear zone. This paper discusses the development of engineering treatments along sections of rural highway in Victoria, using an outcome-based approach with the intent to shield all roadside hazards along the treatment lengths and challenges the current clear zone approach. The site assessments were based on the proven Safe System approach to treating roads and roadside hazards, recognising that human error is unavoidable and that there is a natural limit to the amount of force that the human body can endure. It is anticipated that the initiatives proposed in this paper regarding the design and installation philosophy of safety barrier, as one of a host of treatments to reduce the road toll, will make a significant contribution towards our road safety objectives, ideally across all projects. This paper explores the new initiative for an outcome-based approach to treat roadside hazards that is supported by recent research in the area.