HSIS Summary Report
Jan-14
The safety effects of horizontal curves and grades on rural two-lane highways have been quantified in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Highway Safety Manual (HSM), but it was not previously known whether and how the safety performance of horizontal curves and grades interact.(1) Furthermore, there are no established safety effects for crest and sag vertical curves, and it is unknown whether and how the safety performance of crest or sag vertical curves is affected by the presence of horizontal curves.
The objective of this study was to quantify the combined safety effects of horizontal curves and grade combinations and express the results as crash modification factors (CMFs) that can be considered for use in the AASHTO HSM.(1)
Download the Excel calculator tool here.
Safety Effects of Horizontal Curve and Grade Combinations on Rural Two-Lane Highways
HSIS Summary Reports are two to eight pages in length and include a brief description of the issue addressed, data used, methodology applied, significant results, and practical implications.
A variety of research studies have been performed using data from HSIS. Many of the final reports prepared are now available electronically.
Research reports are often summarized in executive summaries, technical briefs, or other abbreviated formats. Included here are those road safety summaries that involved research using HSIS data.
In addition to conducting research, HSIS resources are also used to develop products that can be used by practitioners in the analysis of safety problems.
HSIS data are sometimes used in research studies that result in other types of finished products, such as dissertations, theses, and conference proceedings.
