Vehicle speed and road lighting level influence on traffic safety in agglomerations at dark time

Abstract

The article deals with analysis of application of traffic safety measures in agglomerations at night time. 50 % of fatal traffic injuries happen at night (dark) time or when visibility conditions are insufficient. Pedestrians and bicyclists are involved into approximately 30 % of accidents from the total number. The research and calculations revealed that probability of traffic accidents at day time is approximately 0.000001 vehicles·km, while at dark time it can increase from 15 to more than a hundred percent in case when the asphalt road surface is dry and the driving speed range is from 20 to 50 km·h-1. In the case of a wet asphalt surface this probability increases from 20 to more than 140 percent correspondingly and in the case the asphalt road surface is covered with ice – from 40 to >200 percent. The calculation results show that a safe vehicle stopping distance in nonilluminated roads at dark time will be guaranteed, if the speed of the vehicle does not exceed 40 km·h-1.