United States Department of Transportation
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Impact of energy sector growth on perceived transportation safety in the seventeen-county oil region of western North Dakota : a three-year case study.
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2015-10-01
[PDF-1.77 MB]
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Abstract:The sharp increase in travel volumes, shift in traffic mix, and large increases in crashes have transformed
the traffic environment in the oil region of western North Dakota. Roads once used for local access and
agricultural purposes now regularly serve the energy sector. Oil companies, workers, commercial trucks,
and industrial equipment associated with oil extraction use these roads to access drilling and production
sites. This has led to a larger number of overweight and oversized vehicles sharing the roadway with other
traffic. A survey questionnaire was sent to drivers to better understand perceptions and behaviors of road
users in this region. County-level crash data were gathered to analyze changes in driving conditions
during the latest oil boom – specifically between 2004 and 2014. This study addresses two goals for
improving regional traffic safety: first, to examine public perceptions of traffic safety issues and
priorities; and, second, to address crash trends and intervention strategies. Survey results indicate
residents believe driving conditions in the region are dangerous, but ratings have improved as oil activity
has decreased. Crash data reveal that crashes parallel oil production: as the number of active oil wells
grew exponentially, so too did crashes – even when factoring for changes in vehicle miles traveled and
population growth. Economic factors, such as the price of a barrel of oil, may be linked to the prevalence
of crashes, especially those involving large trucks.
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