Kentucky 2006 Lifesavers Conference

1
Kentucky 2006 Lifesavers Conference

• Keeping Vehicles on the Road Lane Departure

2
Are Lane Departure Fatal Crashes a Problem for
KY????

• FARS 2004 Fatal Crashes - First Harmful Event
  Collision with Fixed Object
• National Ave 31.4
• KY 40.9 or 349 fatalities
• 6th highest after CT, MA, RI, PA, TN
• KY annually 3d to 6th highest in US
• FARS Fatality Analysis Reporting System - NHTSA

3
CODES 2000-2004Collision Fixed Object

• Type of Object Struck in Fixed Objects Crashes
  during 2000-2004
• First Object Struck Crashes Occ
  Hospitalized Occ Killed
• Emb/Rock cut/Ditch 36,896 ( 30) 2,612 ( 36)
  542 ( 31)
• Tree 15,320 ( 12) 1,611 ( 22)
  507 ( 29)
• Guardrail face 9,937 ( 8) 406 ( 6) 120
  ( 7)
• Fence 9,561 ( 8) 353 ( 5)
  69 ( 4)
• Utility pole 8,774 ( 7) 536 (
  7) 80 ( 5)
• Culvert/Head Wall 4,092 ( 3) 429 ( 6)
  112 ( 6)
• Total 122,979(100) 7,356(100)
  1,752(100)
• The most common object struck was the earth, in
  the form of an embankment,
• rock cut, ditch, etc. The second most common was
  a tree. Together these two
• account for 60 of fatals and 58 of
  hospitalizations due to fixed Obj crashes
• CODES Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System

4
The Cost to KY Fixed Object Crashes

• Fixed object crashes represented 17 of all
  crashes from 2000 to 2004, but 40 of all
  fatalities and nearly one-third of all
  hospitalizations.
• CODES Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System

5
The Cost to KY Fixed Object Crashes

• Hospital charges stemming from these crashes
  totaled 207 million over these five years, and
  the average bill per hospitalization increased
  from 22,000 in 2000 to 34,000 in 2004
• Who Paid
• Commercial Insurance 142 Mil
• Medicaid 15 Mil
• Medicare 16 Mil
• Self Pay 10 Mil
• Workers Comp 4 Mil
• CODES Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System

6
Are Lane Departure Fatal Crashes a Problem for
KY????

• All Types Lane Departure Crashes Total
  Fatalities
• 2005 613 of 985 fatalities
• 2004 565 of 964 fatalities
• 2003 558 of 928 fatalities
• 2002 540 of 915 fatalities

7
Damage from hitting a tree at 30, 45 and 55 MPH
8
KY 2004 - 964 Fatalities 152 Hit TreesKY 2005
- 985 Fatalities 151 Hit Trees Heaven Can Wait -
Belt Up
9
Vehicle reaction to a shoulder drop off (4½ inch
_at_ 55 MPH)
10
Keeping Vehicles on the Road Lane Departure

• Jeff Jasper, KYTC Design KYs Cable Guardrail
• Adam Kirk, KTC - Safety Audit Resurfacing
  Research Program
• Tom Napier, KYTC Permits Safety Programs
  Funding
• Duane Thomas, KYTC Traffic Lane Departure Task
  Team Status