Safety Evaluation of Flashing Beacons at Stop-Controlled Intersections
Abstract
FHWA organized a pooled fund study of 26 states to evaluate low-cost safety strategies as part of its strategic highway safety effort. One of the strategies chosen to be evaluated was the installation of flashing beacons at stop-controlled intersections. The intent of flashing beacons is to reduce the frequency of crashes related to driver unaware-ness of stop control. Geometric, traffic, and crash data were obtained at stop-controlled intersections for 64 sites in North Carolina and 42 sites in South Carolina. Empirical Bayes methods were incorporated in a before–after analysis to determine the safety effectiveness of installing flashing beacons while accounting for potential selection bias and regression-to-the-mean effects. Overall, installation of flashing beacons in North Carolina resulted in statistically significant reductions in total, angle, and injury-plus-fatal crashes. The intersections in South Carolina experienced little change following the introduction of flashing beacons, but the combined results from both states still indicated a statistically significant reduction in angle and injury-plus-fatal crashes. An economic analysis indicated that standard flashing beacons can achieve a 2:1 benefit–cost ratio.
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Article first published online: January 1, 2008
Issue published: January 2008
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