NEAR-MISS DETERMINATION THROUGH USE OF A SCALE OF DANGER

Abstract

NEAR-MISS TRAFFIC EVENTS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BUT NOT ADOPTED AS A TRAFFIC SAFETY TOOL BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEGREE OF SUBJECTIVITY INVOLED WITH THEIR IDENTIFICATION. A SCALE OF DANGER MAY BE APPLIED TO A TRAFFIC EVENT TO FACILITATE OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT AND SUBSEQUENT DETECTION OF NEAR-MISS SITUATIONS. THE UNIT PROPOSED HERE FOR THIS DANGER SCALE IS THE TIME MEASURED UNTIL COLLISION BETWEEN TWO VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE UNSAFE EVENT. THIS MEASURE, COMPUTED FROM FILMS TAKEN WITH THE TRAFFIC SENSING AND SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM OF THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AT AN URBAN INTERSECTION, IS AN ADEQUATE UNIT TO RATE THE DANGER OF ALMOST ANY TRAFFIC EVENT. IT MAY BE USED TO STANDARDIZE HUMAN OBSERVER JUDGEMENT OF DANGEROUS MANEUVERS AND, THEREFORE, MAKE NEAR-MISS MONITORING A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TRAFFIC SAFETY DETERMINATION. /AUTHOR/

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