Sight Distance & It’s

Types
SIGHT DISTANCE

◉ The safe and efficient operation of vehicles on the road depends very
much on the visibility of the road ahead of the driver.

◉ the geometric design of the road should be done such that any
obstruction on the road length could be visible to the driver from some
distance ahead.

◉ This distance is said to be the sight distance

Sight Distance

◉ Sight distance is the length of highway a driver needs to be able to see

clearly.

◉ It is important for drivers on a highway to see far enough down the

highway to recognize an object in the path and react appropriately to
avoid a crash.

◉ It is equally important for drivers entering the highway to have a clear

line of sight in both directions to see oncoming traffic and to be visible
to other drivers on the highway.
Types of Sight Distances

◉ The type of sight distances are following:

1. Stopping Sight Distance (S.S.D)

2. Passing Sight Distance (P.S.D)
3. Decision Sight Distance (D.S.D)
4. Intersection Sight Distance (I.S.D)
Types of sight distance

Stopping Sight Distance (S.S.D.)

S.S.D
 It is the minimum sight distance available on a highway at any spot
having sufficient length to enable the driver to stop a vehicle
traveling at design speed, safely without collision with any other
obstruction.

 The stopping sight distance is the sum of lag distance and the
braking distance.

 Lag distance is the distance travelled during PIEV process.

Stopping Sight Distance
Stopping Sight Distance

◉
Stopping Sight Distance

◉
Factors affecting S.S.D

There are some important factors which affect the S.S.D:

• Reaction time of the driver (t).

• Speed of the vehicle (u).
• Efficiency of brakes.
• Frictional resistance between the tire and the road (f).
• Gradient of the road (G).
• Driver eye height = 3.5ft for passenger vehicles.
• Height of object = 2ft should be taken generally.
Factors affecting S.S.D

◉ The speed of the vehicle very much affects the sight distance.

◉ Higher the speed, more time will be required to stop the vehicle.

◉ Hence it is evident that, as the speed increases, sight distance also

increases.

◉ The efficiency of the brakes depends upon the age of the vehicle,
vehicle characteristics etc.
Minimum Required Stopping Sight Distances
DECISION SIGHT DISTANCE

 There are many situations where stopping sight distance is not

sufficient for safe and smooth operations.

 Complex conditions, problems of expectancy, high volumes and high

speed require more time for the perception-reaction process.

 These conditions are present on arterial streets and highways,

particularly in urban areas.

 The AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design has provided for such

situations through the decision sight distance.
DECISION SIGHT DISTANCE

Distinction between Stopping Sight Distance and Decision Sight

Distance

 Stopping sight distance is used when the vehicle is traveling at

design speed, and one clearly discernable object or obstacle is
presented in the roadway. The vehicle must decelerate to a stop at an
acceptable rate to avoid the object.

 Decision sight distance applies when conflicts are numerous,

conditions are complex, driver expectancies may vary, or visibility to
traffic control or design features is impaired.
◉ Speed + Speed/2 = Number X 2 and thats the braking
distance. 70 MPH + 35 MPH = 105ft*3 = 315ft stopping
distance ( includes thinking + reaction time ).
 PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE/ OVERTAKING SIGHT
DISTANCE

 It is the minimum distance open to the vision of the driver of a vehicle

intending to overtake the slow vehicle ahead safely against the traffic in
the opposite direction.

 It is calculated as

P.S.D = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4
◉ P.S.D = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4
 PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE

P.S.D = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4
Where

Passing sight distance is composed of four

distances:
d1 = Distance traveled during P/R time to point
where vehicle just enters the left lane.
d2 = Distance traveled by vehicle while in left
lane.
d3 = Clearance distance varies from 110 to 300
feet.
d4 = Distance traveled by opposing vehicle
during passing maneuver.
 PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE

Where

d3 = Distance between the passing vehicle at the end of its maneuver and the
opposing vehicle.
d4 =Distance traversed by the opposing vehicle.
 P.S.D = d1 + d2 + d3 + d4

• d1 =1.47t1(v-m+at1/2) • d1 =0.278t1(v-m+at1/2)
• d2 = 1.47vt2 • d2 = 0.278vt2
• d3 =110 – 300ft • d3 =30 – 90m
• d4 = 2d2/3 • d4 = 2d2/3

• where:
• t1 = time of initial maneuver, sec.
• a = average acceleration, ft/h/s.
• v = average speed of passing vehicle, ft/h.
• m = difference in speed between passing and passed
vehicles, ft/h.
• t2 = time passing vehicle occupies the left lane, sec.
• where:
• t1 = time of initial maneuver, sec.
• a = average acceleration, km/h/s.
• v = average speed of passing vehicle, km/h.
• m = difference in speed between passing and passed
vehicles, km/h.
• t2 = time passing vehicle occupies the left lane, sec.
Calculation of D3
 Factors that affect the OSD

• Velocities of the overtaking vehicle, overtaken vehicle and of the

vehicle coming in the opposite direction.
• Spacing between vehicles, which in-turn depends on the speed
• Skill and reaction time of the driver
• Rate of acceleration of overtaking vehicle
• Gradient of the road
 Passing Sight Distance
Criteria for Design

1. The overtaken vehicle travels

at uniform speed.
2. The passing vehicle has
reduced speed and trails the
overtaken vehicle as it enters a
passing section.
3. When the passing section is 5.
reached, the passing driver When the passing vehicle
needs a short period of time to returns to its lane, there is a
perceive the clear passing suitable clearance length
section and to react to start between it and an oncoming
his or her maneuver. vehicle in the other lane.
4. Passing is accomplished under what may be termed a delayed
start and a hurried return in the face of opposing traffic. The
passing vehicle accelerates during the maneuver, and its
average speed during the occupancy of the left lane is 10 mph
higher than that of the overtaken vehicle. 30
 How the min. passing sight distance for 2-lane 2-way highways is
determined.

• d1 – Distance traversed during

perception and reaction time AND during
the initial acceleration to the point of
encroachment on the left lane.
• d2 – Distance traveled while the
passing vehicle occupies the left lane.
• d3 – Distance between the passing
vehicle at the end of its maneuver and
the opposing vehicle
• d4 – Distance traversed by an
opposing vehicle for two-thirds of the
time the passing vehicle occupies the
left lane, or 2/3 of d2.
Elements of PSD
d1 = Initial maneuver distance
d3 = Clearance length, empirical

d4 = Distance traversed by an
opposing vehicle = 2/3 of d2

m = 12 mph, used to be 10 mph

d2 = Distance while passing vehicle occupies left lane

32
 Intersection Sight Distances (Sight Triangles)

◉ Def. At intersections where two or more roads meet, visibility should be

provided for the drivers approaching the intersection from either sides.

◉ They should be able to perceive a hazard and stop the vehicle if required.

◉ Stopping sight distance for each road can be computed from the design
speed.

◉ The sight distance should be provided such that the drivers on either side
should be able to see each other. This is illustrated in the figure.
 Intersection Sight Distances (Sight
Triangles)

◉ A Sight Triangle is similar to standard sight distance, however is located at

an intersection. The distance is defined as a triangle, as each leg of the
intersection requires sufficient sight distance to the adjacent approaches
creating a triangle.