| Traffic safety in rural areas continues to be a source of concern among North America's highway users. Reducing crashes in rural areas is an important transportation goal, and technology, in the form of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) could play a critical role in achieving this goal.; In order to examine the rural crash problem and potential and existing ITS treatments, this effort is divided into 3 parts. Part I examines rural crash frequency and contributing factors, provides a discussion on crashes that are amenable to mitigation through technical means, and identifies a variety of potential ITS treatments. Part II provides a synthesis of previous/ongoing rural safety efforts and focuses on infrastructure-based systems. Part III provides further analysis of the results of Parts I and II and develops a list of recommendations with respect to application of ITS technologies to improve safety on rural roadways. The study was carried out in the U.S., but its information and results have wide applicability.; The analysis of rural crashes begins at the national (US) statistics level. It is shown that fatal crashes are over represented in rural areas, and an extensive review of the U.S. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) is undertaken to better understand the types of crashes that occur in rural areas and their contributing factors. Special interest crashes in rural areas, namely animal crashes and railroad grade crossing crashes are also examined using FARS data and data available in the literature.; The information contained in Part II was gained through the use of a questionnaire that was sent to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration Division Office ITS Specialists. Fifty-one Division offices were contacted, and detailed information on 30 systems was collected. The systems are categorized, and the population of rural fatal crashes addressed by each category is computed. In addition, the situations where such systems should have the greatest potential payoff in rural safety improvement are identified.; In Part III the author examines (where possible) the cost effectiveness of deployed systems and identifies priority situations where ITS investments may have the greatest potential payoff. The overall potential for infrastructure-based, in-vehicle, and combined infrastructure and in-vehicle ITS to address rural safety issues is discussed.; The recommended actions provided are broken down into three categories—Research, Prototyping and Field Operational Tests. These recommendations should generate work and knowledge for transportation professionals around the country. |
