Did you know that when it comes to road safety, the United States ranks at the bottom among high-income countries? Per capita, we have more traffic deaths than virtually every other country in this area. Why? Our old, antiquated infrastructure is blamed by many experts for our high traffic mortality rates. They think that we can save lives by investing in changes that have previously been shown to avoid accidents.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, spending $146 billion on the following six road upgrades over a 20-year period may avoid 353,560 major injuries and save 63,700 lives.
Replace critical junctions with roundabouts
According to the study, this step alone would account for 30% of the expected crash reduction that the suggested changes would achieve. Roundabouts have the added benefit of improving traffic flow.
Install roadside barriers and remove roadside objects
By preventing automobiles from going off the road, roadside barriers can assist drivers slow down and minimize the severity of accidents. This enhancement would result in a 20% reduction in the expected number of crashes.
More Sidewalks and Pedestrian Crossings
Pedestrian safety is a major concern in metropolitan areas, therefore provide sidewalks and signalized pedestrian crossings. Adding sidewalks will assist keep pedestrians off the roadway, while signalized crosswalks will reduce jaywalking and make pedestrians more visible to vehicles. This solution would result in a 20% reduction in the expected number of pedestrian accidents.
Install barriers in the medians of split highways
Crossing into an oncoming lane of traffic can result in a head-on accident. These are always risky, but they’re much riskier at highway speeds. Head-on accidents can be avoided by placing barriers in the median. This would result in a decrease of roughly 14% of the projected crash reduction.
Install rumble strips
Rumble strips in the middle and along the shoulders of a road can assist keep cars in their lanes. Drivers who have strayed out of their lanes owing to distraction or sleepiness can be corrected. This would account for roughly 9% of the projected reduction in crashes.
Pave and broaden shoulders on the road
A wider shoulder on the road can assist prevent accidents in a variety of ways. For starters, it makes it more difficult to run off the road. Second, it gives stalled cars more room to move off the road, preventing them from causing accidents. Experts believe that this will account for roughly 3% of the projected reduction in crashes.
Have You Ever Been in a Car Accident?
The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker is here for you if you have been hurt in a pedestrian accident, bicycle accident, truck accident, or any other sort of traffic accident. Every stage of the personal injury claim procedure may be explained to you, and we can give expert support. We’ll make sure you have the best opportunity of getting the most money for your injuries and losses. For a free consultation, call 800-333-0000 now.
