Roadside Hazards

Blatnik, John A.; Prisk, Charles W.; D'Amico, Salvatore J. · 1968 · ROSA P / Eno Foundation for Highway Traffic Control

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Summary

This 1968 report, published by the Eno Foundation for Highway Traffic Control, addresses the critical issue of roadside hazards on the U.S. Interstate Highway System. Motivated by a rising trend in highway fatalities—which increased from approximately 37,000 in 1955 to 53,000 in 1966 despite massive infrastructure investments—the document argues that safety deficiencies in road design, rather than driver error or vehicle limitations, are primary contributors to accident severity. The report stems from investigations by the House Special Subcommittee on the Federal-Aid Highway Program, chaired by Representative John A. Blatnik, and technical evaluations by Charles W. Prisk of the Federal Highway Administration. The study methodology combined legislative hearings with a field inspection tour conducted in the spring of 1967. Prisk inspected newly opened Interstate segments in nine states across different geographic regions (including Rhode Island, Ohio, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nevada, Montana, and Utah) to assess design safety. The review focused on specific roadside elements, including guardrails, sign supports, curbs, drainage facilities, bridges, shoulders, and lighting. The authors also referenced data from General Motors’ proving grounds, where controlled tests demonstrated that traversable roadsides could reduce accident severity significantly compared to public highways. The findings revealed that lethal roadside hazards were widespread, even on the newest Interstate projects. The report identifies several specific design failures: rigid signposts and light poles placed too close to the pavement; guardrails with exposed ends that act as "harpoons" penetrating vehicles; guardrails positioned too high or low, causing vehicles to snag or vault; and bridge railings incapable of retaining vehicles at low speeds. The authors note that up to 60% of Interstate deaths involve single-vehicle run-off-road accidents, with 75% of those striking roadside objects. The report concludes that these hazards often result from cost-cutting measures, such as reducing right-of-way widths or using inadequate materials, rather than a lack of technical knowledge. It highlights that many hazards, such as rigid sign supports, could have been eliminated with breakaway bases at negligible additional cost. The significance of the report lies in its call for a paradigm shift in highway administration. It argues that highway departments must transition from viewing themselves solely as construction agencies to adopting an operational mindset that prioritizes continuous safety maintenance. The authors assert that safety is an essential component of highway construction, comparable to pavement, and that failing to incorporate known safety features is unjustifiable. The report recommends improved communication between safety experts and designers, the removal of unnecessary fixed objects, and the implementation of "traversable" roadsides to allow drivers time to regain control. It concludes that correcting these known design flaws could substantially reduce fatalities without requiring new research, emphasizing that the cost of unsafe design often exceeds the cost of safe construction.

Key finding

Field inspections of new Interstate projects revealed widespread lethal roadside hazards caused by rigid fixed objects and improper guardrail placement, with General Motors' controlled environment demonstrating a 2,500 percent improvement in accident records by removing such obstacles.

Methodology

field_study

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• roadway lighting effects
• rail grade crossings
• perceptual countermeasures