Sight Distances

CEHR-0313
 Sight Distances

SIGHT DISTANCE
Is the length of roadway ahead visible to the driver.
Passing Sight Distance – the sight distance long enough to enable a
vehicle to overtake and pass another vehicle on a two lane highway
without interference from opposing traffic.
Stopping Sight Distance – the minimum distance required to stop a
vehicle travelling near the design speed before it reaches a
stationary object may be another vehicle or some other object
within the roadway.
 Sight Distances

Design Speed – the maximum safe speed that can be maintained

over a specified section of a highway when conditions are so
favorable that the design features of the highway governs.
 Horizontal S.D

SIGHT DISTANCES FOR HORIZONTAL SURFACES

Where:
V = Velocity in m/s
t = perception – reaction time
f = coefficient of friction between tires and pavements
G = average grade of roadway
 Horizontal S.D

Situation 1:
Two cars a approaching each
other from the opposite directions
at a speed of 120 kph and 90 kph
respectively. Assuming a reaction
time of 2.0 seconds and a
coefficient of friction of 0.60 with
a brake efficiency of 50%.
Compute the minimum sight
distance required to avoid a head
on collision of two cars
 Horizontal S.D
Situation 2:
The driver of a vehicle travelling
at 80 kph up a grade requires
9m less to stop after he applies
the brakes than the driver
travelling at the same grade. If
the coefficient of friction
between the tires and pavement
is 0.50, what is the percent
grade and what is the braking
distance down the grade.
 Passing S.D
PASSING SIGHT DISTANCES ON A LEVEL ROAD
SURFACE
d1 = the distance traversed during perception and
reaction time and during the initial acceleration to
the point of encroachment on the left lane.
d2 = distance travelled while the passing vehicles
occupies left lane.
d3 = distance between the passing vehicle at the end
of its maneuver and the opposing vehicles.
d4 = distance traversed by opposing vehicle for two
– thirds of the time the passing vehicle occupies the
left lane or sometimes taken as 2/3 d2.
Passing S.D
 Passing S.D

Situation 1:
Compute the minimum passing sight distance for the following data:
Speed of the passing car = 90 kph
Speed of the overtaken vehicle = 80 kph
Time of initial maneuver = 4 sec
Average acceleration = 2.4 kph/s
Time passing vehicle occupies the left lane = 9 sec
Distance between the passing vehicles at the end of its maneuver and the
opposing vehicle = 80 m
Solution:
 Passing S.D

Situation 2:
Compute the passing sight distance that vehicle A could move while overtaking the slow
moving vehicle B before meeting the on – coming Vehicle C for the following data:
Speed of the overtaking vehicle A = 96 kph
Speed of vehicle B = 88 kph
Perception – reaction time = 2.5 sec.
Time the passing vehicle occupies the left lane = 10.4 sec
Average acceleration = 2.4 m/s^2
Distance between the passing vehicles at the end of its maneuver and the opposing
vehicle = 84 m
Solution: