An Impact of Safety Rest Area Closures on Fatigue-Related Highway Crashes in the Pacific Northwest
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2023-06-30
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Alternative Title:An Impact of Safety Rest Area Closures on Fatigue-Related Highway Crashes in the Pacific Northwest 2021-2023
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Edition:Final Report, 08/16/2021 – 06/30/2023
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Abstract:Safety rest areas (SRAs) enable highway users to rest during trips. This study examined how SRA facility closures affect highway crashes, particularly those due to driver fatigue. The closures of three SRA facilities in Washington and two SRAs in Idaho were examined. The project team gathered information on SRA closures, mileage points, annual average daily traffic (AADT) of highway sections, and highway crashes from states and media outlets. The Washington State Department of Transportation and Idaho Transportation Department provided crash data, and crash information in these two states was correlated with SRA shutdowns. The numbers of crashes per month and per 10,000 AADT were used to compare crash rates before, during, and after the closures of SRA facilities. The results indicated no significant increase in fatigue-related accidents during the shutdown periods. However, total crash rates and fatigue-related crash rates rose in one location, decreased in another location, and did not change in another location during the closure times. Some extant literature has shown that fatigue-related events increase during SRA facility closures. The study highlighted the importance of SRA facilities in reducing driver fatigue and ensuring safer roads by shedding light on the correlation between SRA closures and highway crashes. The results may help policymakers create strategies for minimizing accidents caused by weariness and formulate regulations for SRA closures.
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