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Overview of U.S. Crashes & Weather Environment

This overview examines how adverse weather conditions contribute to crashes by impairing visibility, decreasing stability, and reducing controllability. It also explores the impact of adverse road conditions. The analysis includes crash data, injuries, fatalities, and the economic costs associated with adverse weather. Various efforts and research conducted by the NHTSA to reduce the effects of adverse weather on crashes are highlighted, as well as the availability of weather information for drivers through telematics and in-vehicle information systems.

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Overview of U.S. Crashes & Weather Environment

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  1. Overview of U.S. Crashes & Weather Environment Dec. 4, 2000 Louis V. Lombardo Office of Human-Centered Research Research & Development National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  2. How Adverse Weather Contributes to Crashes • Impairs Visibility • Decreases Stability • Reduces Controllability

  3. How Adverse Weather Contributes to Crashes Impaired Visibility: • Rain & Splash & Spray • Fog • Snow • Dust Storms • Glare

  4. How Adverse Weather Contributes to Crashes Decreased Stability: • Winds • Cross Winds on Trucks, Trailers, Vans • Gusts with Passing Trucks

  5. How Adverse Weather Contributes to Crashes Reduced Controllability: • Slippery Roads (Rain, Snow, Ice) • Slick Spots (Bridges, Metal Plates, Oil) • Hydroplaning (Heavy Rain)

  6. Snow Crash

  7. Rain Crash

  8. NHTSA Crash Data Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) • Census of Fatal Crashes (~37,000 per year) • Police Accident Reports (~100 data elements) National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) • Sample of Crashes (~5,000 crashes per year) • Crashes Investigated (~ 650 data elements)

  9. NHTSA Crash Data FARS & NASS: Gold Standard of Crash Data Systems BUT: We lack exposure measures for Weather in terms of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) under adverse weather conditions

  10. Weather & Number of Police Reported Crashes (1998) • Normal: 5,329,000 (84%) • Rain: 827,000 (13%) • Snow/Sleet: 131,000 (2%) • Fog 28,000 (<1%) • Other*: 20,000 (<1%) • Total: 6,335,000 * Smog, Smoke, Sand, Dust

  11. Weather & Percent of People Injured in Crashes (1998)

  12. Weather & People Injured (1998) • Normal 2,709,000 (85%) • Rain 420,000 (13%) • Snow/Sleet 41,000 (1.3%) • Fog 13,000 (0.4%) • Other 9,000 (0.3%) • Total 3,192,000

  13. Weather & Percent of People Killed in Crashes (1998)

  14. Weather & People Killed (1998) • Normal 36,076 (87%) • Rain 3,644 (9%) • Snow/Sleet 691 (2%) • Fog 719 (2%) • Other 341 (<1%) • Total 41,471

  15. Weather & People Killed (1989-1998) People Killed • Normal 362,473 (87%) • Rain 37,649 (9%) • Snow/Sleet 8,976 (2%) • Fog 7,144 (2%)

  16. Adverse Weather & Deaths by Vehicle Type (1989-98) InvolvedVehicleTotal DeathsAdversePercent • Passenger Cars 286,316 39,622 13.8 • Light Trucks 170,268 23,98414.1 • Large Trucks* 50,877 8,66417 • Motorcycles 25,987 9033.5 • Buses* 3,239 57617.8 *Commercial Vehicles Travel More in Adverse Weather

  17. Weather & 1998 Estimated Economic Costs of Crashes • Normal $126 billion (84%) • Rain 20 billion (13%) • Snow/Sleet 3 billion ( 2%) • Fog <1 billion(<1%) • Other <1 billion ( <1%) • Total$150 billion/year

  18. Adverse Weather + Adverse Road Conditions • Adverse Weather (Rain, Snow, Fog, etc.) • Adverse Road Conditions: Roadway Surface (Wet, Snow, Ice) • Vision Obscured (Splash, Spray, Dust, etc.)

  19. Adverse Weather + Adverse Road Conditions (1989-1998) NumberPercent • Crashes 12,000,000 (28%) • Injured 8,000,000 (25%) • Killed 80,000 (19%)

  20. Adverse Weather + Adverse Road ConditionsEstimated Bottom Lines • Crashes: ~1,200,000/Year • Injured: ~ 800,000/Year • Killed: ~ 7,000/Year • Economic Costs: ~$42 Billion/Year

  21. NHTSA’s Efforts to Reduce Weather Contributions to Crashes Federal Standards: • Antilock Brakes for Trucks • Windshield Wiping, Washing & Defrosting • Vehicle Conspicuity • Lighting and Signaling • Tire Information on: Traction, Treadwear & Temperature

  22. NHTSA Efforts to Reduce Weather Contributions to Crashes, Deaths & Injuries Research: • Antilock Brakes for Cars & Trucks • Truck Splash & Spray Countermeasures • Truck Conspicuity • Lighting & Signaling Visibility • Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) • Weather & Driver Research on NADS

  23. NATIONAL ADVANCED DRIVING SIMULATOR (NADS)

  24. Weather Information for Drivers Telematics: Location-Specific Weather Information via Wireless, Internet, GPS, & Variable Message Signs

  25. Variable Message Sign Warning

  26. Weather Information Telematics In-Vehicle Information Systems: • Navigation • Communications • Location-based Weather Information Services

  27. Telematics Market Growth In-vehicle Information Systems: • 1999: $300 million • 2003: $5 billion (projected)

  28. DOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Weather Programs ITS Information Sources: • DOT/ITS info: http://www.its.dot.gov • Private Sector info: http://www.itsa.org

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