Volume 04: A Guide for Addressing Head-On Collisions

Head-On Crashes Kill 5,200 Every Year

About one in five non-intersection fatal crashes involves two vehicles crashing head-on. Of these, 75 percent occur on rural roads and 75 percent on undivided two-lane roads. For all roads, one-third of head-on crashes involve vehicles “negotiating a curve” and two-thirds are related to vehicles “going straight.”

Most head-on crashes are likely to result from a motorist making an “unintentional” maneuver—the driver falls asleep, is distracted, or travels too fast in a curve. Contributing factors may include speed and alcohol use.

Objectives

• Keep vehicles from encroaching into opposite lane.

• Minimize the likelihood of crashing into an oncoming vehicle.

Download this guide: http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_500v4.pdf