Understand and Act – Improving the safety of bends
on major rural roads
While driver error is usually the underlying reason for the accident, thecharacteristics of the road infrastructure also play a significant role in theevents leading up to the accident.
This document provides design engineers and planners with all theknowledge they need in a condensed form to improve the safety of bends onmajor rural roads.
Accidents on bends in open country result in around 2000 deaths every year,a quarter of all deaths due to road accidents. They are a major safety stake.
While driver error is usually the underlying reason for the accident, thecharacteristics of the road infrastructure also play a significant role in theevents leading up to the accident. Conversely, a consistent road geometry andappropriate signalling ease the task of the driver and dramatically reduce therisk of driver error. Treating side obstacles can also reduce the severity ofinjuries when a vehicle leaves the carriageway on a bend.
This document provides design engineers and planners with all theknowledge they need in a condensed form to improve the safety of bends onmajor rural roads.
Contents
1 - Bends = risk area....................................................................................................... 9
2 - The characteristics of bends that lead to accidents....................................................... 10
3 - Radius of curvature .................................................................................................. 11
4 - Uniformity of the radius of curvature........................................................................... 12
5 - Surface characteristics ............................................................................................. 13
6 - Legibility.................................................................................................................14
7 - Visibility .................................................................................................................15
8 - Length of the bend ................................................................................................... 16
9 - Crossfall ................................................................................................................. 17
10 - Obstacles on the verges .......................................................................................... 18
11 - Verges .................................................................................................................. 19
12 - Signing bends ........................................................................................................ 20
13 - Safety when overtaking ........................................................................................... 21
14 - Further information ................................................................................................. 22
