Lesson 10:

Analysis of Accident Statistics

Road accidents have been recognized as one of the major problems
in the world. In addition, it has major impacts on the society,
economy and progress of a country. Road accidents occur when
traffic conflicts between vehicular movements which can cause delay
and traffic congestions. Also, human error, traffic, vehicle and road
conditions, and the surrounding environment have been determined
as key factors that influence driving behavior, which can in turn
contribute to road accidents.
The importance of having a road accident data system is that it
establishes a reliable road accident database and analysis system and
with regards to this database, it helps in identifying safety problems
and in evaluating the effectiveness of road safety measures
introduced.

Goals of a Traffic Engineer:

• Reduce the frequency or rate of traffic crashes
• Reduce the frequency or rate of injury crashes
• Reduce the frequency or rate of fatal crashes
• Reduce the frequency or rate of specific crash categories, such
as, alcohol-related, speeding, older-driver crashes

Accident Analysis
• Accident rates for 100 million vehicle miles of travel
(HMVM) for a segment of a highway:

(100,000,000)
=
365

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

Where:
R = the accident rate for 100 million vehicle miles
A = number of accidents during period of analysis
ADT = average daily traffic
N = number of periods in years
L = length of segment in miles

• Accident rates per million entering vehicle (MEV) for an

intersection:

(1,000,000)
=
365

Where:
R = the accident rate for one million entering vehicles
A = number of accidents during period of analysis
ADT = average daily traffic entering the intersection from all legs
N = number of periods in years

• Severity Ratio

+
=
+ +

Where:
f = fatal
i = injury
p = property damage

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

SAMPLE PROBLEMS:
1. The number of accidents for 6 years recorded in a certain
section of a highway is 5892. If the average traffic is 476,
determine the accident rate per million entering vehicles.

2. It is observed that 50 traffic crashes occurred on a 20-mile-

long section of Route 120 In one year. If the average daily
traffic on the section was 5500 vehicles, determine the rate of
fatal crashes per 100 million vehicles-miles if 6% of the two
crashes involved fatalities.

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

3. Data on traffic accident recorded for the past 5 years on a
certain stretch of a two-lane highway is tabulated as follows.
Compute the severity ratio.

4. It is observed that 50 traffic crashes occur on a 20-mile-long

section of route in one year. If the ADT on the section was
5500 vehicles, determine the rate of fatal crashes per 100
million vehicle-miles if 6% of the two crashes involved
fatalities.

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

 Lesson 11:

Fundamental Relations of Traffic Flow

Traffic engineering pertains to the analysis of the behavior of traffic

and to design the facilities for a smooth, safe and economical
operation of traffic. Traffic flow, like the flow of water, has several
parameters associated with it. The traffic stream parameters provide
information regarding the nature of traffic flow, which helps the
analyst in detecting any variation in flow characteristics.
Understanding traffic behavior requires a thorough knowledge of
traffic stream parameters and their mutual relationships. Speed is one
of the basic parameters of traffic flow and time mean speed and space
mean speed are the two representations of speed.

Traffic Flow Theory

Traffic flow theories deal with the mathematical relationship between

the primary elements of the traffic stream which include flow, speed
and density.

Fundamental Relations of Traffic Flow

• Time Mean Speed - arithmetic average speed of all vehicles

for a specified period of time. It is associated with a single
point along a roadway over a duration of time.

∑
=
!
Where:
= time mean speed
n = number of vehicles
μ = observed speed of vehicle

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

 • Space Mean Speed - is the harmonic mean of time mean
speed. It is associated with a specified length of a roadway.

!
" =
1
∑

Where:
" = space mean speed
n = number of vehicles
μ = observed speed of vehicle

• Traffic Density - is the number of vehicles occupying a given

length of a roadway.

!
#=
$
Where:
k = traffic density in vehicles per unit distance, typically in units of
veh/km
n = no. of vehicles occupying some length of roadway at some
specified time
l = length of roadway

• Spacing of Vehicles - is the distance between two successive

vehicles as they pass a given point on a highway. It is
usually measured from front bumper to front bumper.

1
%=
#
Where:
k = traffic density in vehicles per unit distance
s = spacing, typically in units of km/veh

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

 • Traffic Flow - is the rate at which vehicles pass a given point
on a roadway.

&=# "

Where:
q = traffic flow
" = space mean speed
k = traffic density

• Time Headway - is the time that elapses between the arrival

of the leading vehicle and the following vehicle at the
designated test point.
1
' ( )* =
&
Where:
q = traffic flow

• Peak Hour Factor - is the traffic volume during the busiest 15-
minutes of the peak hour with the total volume during the
peak hour.

- $.' ). !/ #ℎ .
+(, =
60
1 2 - $.' ). !/ # 15 ' !% * ℎ ! #ℎ .
15

• Design Hourly Volume (DHV)

+ # ( . - $.'
(- =
+ #( . , 3

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

 • Capacity of a single lane in vehicles per hour

1000 -
4=

Where:
C= capacity of a single lane, typically in units of veh/hr
V = average speed of vehicle in kph
S = average center to center spacing of cars in meters

=- +
S = average center to center spacing of cars in meters
V = average speed of vehicle in m/s
t = reaction time in secs
L = length of one car in meters

• Minimum Time Headway

3600
( =
4
Where:
( = time headway in sec
C= capacity of a single lane in veh/hr

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

SAMPLE PROBLEMS:

1. From the following data of a freeway surveillance, there are 5

vehicles traveling distance “S” when observed on the two
photographs taken every 2 seconds apart. Determine the
space mean speed, the flow of traffic and the density of traffic.

2. From the tabulated table shows the following counts made

during a study period of one hour. Determine the design
hourly volume (DHV).

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon

3. Compute the minimum time headway for cars moving at an
average of 60 kph. The average length of the car is 4.5 m.
Reaction time is 0.7 sec.

4. Assume you are observing traffic in a single lane of

MacArthur Highway at a specific location. You measure the
average headway and average spacing of the vehicles as 3.2
sec and 50 m, respectively. Determine the traffic flow.

Prepared by: Engr. Roselle D. Tuazon