Safety Evaluation of Profiled Thermoplastic Pavement Markings

2017PDFTech Reporthttps://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/17076/index.cfmFHWA-HRT-17-076Road markingsThermoplastic materialsCrash typesCrash modification factorsHighway safetyUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research, Development, and TechnologyLyon, CraigPersaud, BhagwantEccles, KimberlyUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research, Development, and TechnologyTurner-Fairbank Highway Research CenterAmjadi, RoyaFederal Highway AdministrationThis research examined the safety impacts of profiled thermoplastic pavement markings in Florida and South Carolina. The States applied the markings only on edge lines and mostly on rural, two-lane undivided roads, with some use on rural, multilane divided roadways. A literature review found no published research evaluating the effect of profiled thermoplastic pavement markings on crashes after the application. According to FHWA, several agencies have used the treatment with good results, but none have conducted a safety effectiveness evaluation. The objective of this study was to estimate the safety effectiveness of this strategy as measured by crash frequency. This study excluded intersection-related, snow/ slush/ice, and animal crashes. A further objective was to conduct a disaggregate analysis to investigate whether the safety effects vary by factors such as the level of traffic volume, the frequency of crashes before treatment, roadway type, posted speed limit, lane width, and shoulder width.80