The Study of Risk Factors for Road Accidents on Indian Highways NH152

Abstract

In the present paper, the risk variables for highway collisions in situations of mixed traffic are evaluated. Abutting land use, highway, and traffic characteristics served as the foundation for choosing study locations. In order to cover a wide range of these road qualities, the study chose thirteen segments from the state of West Bengal's existing highway network. The crash rate has continuously climbed for years with traffic independent of highway category and conditions, according to a comprehensive research based on site-specific accident data to identify the safety elements of the high-way sections. Mid-block access, pavement and shoulder conditions, vehicle participation, time of day, and road configuration, such as two and multi-lane, are among the risk factors that cause traffic accidents. The empirical finding shows that multi-lane highways have a significantly lower crash rate, but that any crashes that do occur there tend to be more severe. Due to the lane-based, unidirectional traffic movement, it is noteworthy that crash frequencies on such roads are lower during the day. Contrarily, at night, when drivers are less able to adapt to changing traffic conditions, crashes are more likely to occur. On two-lane roadways, however, hazardous driving manoeuvres are the primary cause of collisions. The study also found that frequent mid-block accesses and bad shoulder conditions limit opportunities to correct driving errors and, as a result, raise collision risk. The report then makes proactive recommendations for identifying safety gaps during planning and design.