Engineering Commons^™

Development Of Kentucky’S Highway Incident Management Strategic Plan, Monica L. Barrett, Joseph D. Crabtree, Jerry G. Pigman, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Even though Kentucky has undertaken many initiatives to improve specific aspects of incident management, there has never been a plan that establishes an overall framework for a systematic, statewide, multi-agency effort to improve the management of highway incidents. The objective of this project was to develop a strategic plan that provides a vision and strategy for significantly improving all aspects of incident management. This report identifies the current and best practices for highway incident management in the United States and in Kentucky and establishes a vision for the future of highway incident management in Kentucky. The Plan developed through the …

Kentucky’S Highway Incident Management Strategic Plan, Monica L. Barrett, Joseph D. Crabtree, Jerry G. Pigman, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky ’s Highway Incident Management Strategic Plan consists of a mission statement, 4 goals, 16 objectives, and 49 action strategies. The action strategies are arranged by priority and recommended time frame for implementation. When implemented, the action strategies will help Kentucky achieve its primary goals for incident management: 1) improved safety of responders, highway workers, and motorists; 2) reduced traffic delay; 3) improved motorist awareness; and 4) improved responder and highway worker preparedness.

Crash Rates At Intersections, Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this study were to develop a database of intersections, match traffic crashes to these intersections, calculate crash rates for various types of intersections, and identify intersections with the highest crash rates. A procedure was used to: a) identify intersections, b) assign crashes to these intersections, c) determine entering traffic volume, d) calculate a crash rate for each intersection, and e) calculate a critical rate factor (CRF) for each intersection.

About 7,000 intersections were identified with almost 19,000 crashes related to these intersections for the three-year period of 2000 through 2002. The analysis identified 428 intersections that had …

Highway Crash Site Management, Monica L. Barrett, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Traveler delay is the problem most often associated with highway crashes, but by far the most serious problem is the resulting secondary crashes that occur. Another related issue is the danger posed to response personnel serving the public at the scene of a crash. The longer a crash is in place, the longer the responders are vulnerable and exposed to injury.

The Kentucky Transportation Center, in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, developed a checklist and interagency workshop to address ways to secure and coordinate the resources necessary to restore the roadway’s operation in a safe and timely manner. The …

Traffic Control At Stop Sign Approaches, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this report were to: a) determine the number of crashes in Kentucky involving a driver disregarding a stop sign and the locations where these occur, b) determine the characteristics of these crashes, c) investigate loca tions with a large number of this type of crash, and d) make recommendations to reduce the probability of a driver disregarding a stop sign. The majority of the analyses involved a review and analysis of crashes where a stop sign was listed as the traffic control and “disregarding the tra ffic control” was listed as a contributing factor. Intersections having a …

Improving Incident Management Response And Coordination Of Resources, Jennifer R. Walton, Monica L. Barrett, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Highway crashes cause a major impact to the transportation network by critically limiting the operational efficiency of the roadway. Traveler delay is the problem most often associated with highway crashes, but by far the most serious problem is the resulting secondary crashes that occur. Another related issue is the danger posed to response personnel serving the public at the scene. The magnitude of these problems is severe. A coordinated plan for managing the scene is needed to reduce the impact of highway crashes and improve the safety for everyone.

A Checklist and interagency workshop has been developed to address ways …

Evaluation Of Kentucky's Graduated Driver Licensing System, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Lorena C. Steenbergen, Susan H. Pollack, Pamela S. Kidd, Caroline Mccoy

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky's current GDL program, which applies to drivers up to age 18, was enacted in 1996. The program includes a six-month instruction permit for drivers under age 18 (minimum age 16), a restriction on driving between midnight and 6am and a requirement for adult-supervised driving for permit drivers. In addition, there is a six-point limit on traffic violations with a penalty of license suspension for drivers under age 18, a requirement for a four-hour driving safety education class (or driver education course) and a 0.02 ml/dl limit on blood alcohol concentration (continues up to age 21 ).

Objectives: The …

Safety Improvements For Two-Lane Rural Roads, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Juan Villalba

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Two-lane rural roads in Kentucky have the highest fatal crash rate of any type of highway in Kentucky. This report is the first phase of a study with the objectives of: 1) identifying safety problems related to crashes on two-lane rural roads, 2) identifying high-crash locations, ad 3) recommending possible improvements. The procedure used in this phase of the study involved an analysis of crash data to identify characteristics of crashes on two-lane rural roads, use of the crash data to identify one-mile sections having critical crash rates, and a review of countermeasures to start development of recommendations to reduce …

Evaluation Of Retesting In Kentucky's Driver License Process, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Michael Ridgeway

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this research were to first evaluate the existing practices regarding driver license renewal, driver retesting, and medical review board procedures and then identify and recommend methods that would improve these processes. The analysis of the Medical Review Board process indicated that, while it operates at an acceptable level in major urban areas, it is almost non-existent in most areas of the state. A brochure describing the process was developed for distribution to physicians. There is a universal agreement among researchers that vision has a significant role in driving performance and that visual abilities deteriorate with age. It …

Evaluation Of Kentucky's Driver License Point System, Kenneth R. Agent, Nick Stamatiadis, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this study were to: a) summarize the characteristics of drivers in Kentucky involved in traffic crashes and b) evaluate and recommend improvements to Kentucky's driver license point system. Comparisons of driving record were made by driver age and sex. The relationship between violations and traffic crashes was analyzed. The change in driving record after various interventions was investigated. Based on a review of the point systems used in other states and the analysis of the driver's license file, a revised point system was recommended for use in Kentucky.