Head On
Head-on crashes are generally the most severe of all vehicle crash types. The combined mass and speed of vehicles often result in serious or fatal consequences for vehicle occupants.
Even in the most modern cars, the chances of surviving a head-on crash at speeds above 70 km/h are greatly reduced. For older vehicles, or in collisions involving vehicles of different size, surviving such a crash is less likely at far lower speeds.
This crash type occurs when one vehicle leaves its path and comes into the path of the oncoming vehicle. There are many direct causes of head-on crashes including:
- driver fatigue/sleepiness
- alcohol/drugs/medication impairment
- overtaking errors, including poor judgement of the approaching vehicle speed
- misjudgement of curve severity
- skidding or loss of vehicle control
- poor delineation
- driver distraction, including inattention due to vehicle occupants or mobile phone use.
Often this type of crash results from a steering wheel overcorrection, e.g. a driver veers to the roadside, instinctively turns the steering wheel to return to the road and travels across the carriageway. Therefore, ways to treat this crash type include treatments in the centre of the road, but also at the side. The chance of over-steering will be increased if there is a drop off between the road and the roadside or shoulder (an 'edge drop'), making it more difficult to return to the roadway. Excessive drop offs should be avoided.
- Safer Roads
- Estimated cost
- Casualty Reduction
- Central Turning Lane Full Length
- Low
- 10-25%
- Delineation
- Low
- 10-25%
- Intersection - Delineation
- Low
- 10-25%
- Central Hatching
- Low
- 10-25%
- Rumble Strips
- Low
- 10-25%
- Shoulder Sealing
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Speed Management
- Medium
- 25-40%
- One Way Network
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Traffic Calming
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Lane Widening
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Median Barrier
- Medium to high
- 60% or more
- Additional Lane
- High
- 25-40%
- Intersection - Grade Separation
- High
- 25-40%
- Duplication
- High
- 25-40%
- Realignment - Horizontal
- High
- 25-40%
- Realignment - Vertical
- High
- 10-25%
- Safer Vehicles
Safer Roads
- Safer Roads
- Estimated cost
- Casualty Reduction
- Central Turning Lane Full Length
- Low
- 10-25%
- Delineation
- Low
- 10-25%
- Intersection - Delineation
- Low
- 10-25%
- Central Hatching
- Low
- 10-25%
- Rumble Strips
- Low
- 10-25%
- Shoulder Sealing
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Speed Management
- Medium
- 25-40%
- One Way Network
- Medium
- 25-40%
- Traffic Calming
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Lane Widening
- Medium to high
- 25-40%
- Median Barrier
- Medium to high
- 60% or more
- Additional Lane
- High
- 25-40%
- Intersection - Grade Separation
- High
- 25-40%
- Duplication
- High
- 25-40%
- Realignment - Horizontal
- High
- 25-40%
- Realignment - Vertical
- High
- 10-25%
Safer Vehicles
- Safer Vehicles
Safer People
- Safer People
Did you know?
The severity of bicyclist crashes is often much higher than passenger or heavy vehicle crashes.
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