Freeway traffic accident rate

[LeRoux Strydom]

[Rant]
I have a 50km (30 mile) commute to work every day and another 50km back. 98% of it is a 6-lane freeway between two major cities, and a good portion (30% but can vary hugely) is stop-and-go. A minor fender-bender accident or two is literally a daily occurance (usually in the stop-and-go sections), a more serious higher-speed accident happens weekly, fatal crashes about once a month, car+motorcycle accidents (from lane splitting) also about once a month.

Are these normal accident rates in other parts of the world? I wonder when my number is coming up when I observe the carnage around me.

[/Rant]

[masraum]

Well, just watch this and know that it could be worse

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/71801/lefortovo_tunnel_of_death/

[widebody911]

Originally posted by masraum
Well, just watch this and know that it could be worse
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/71801/lefortovo_tunnel_of_death/

Wow, talk about stupid human tricks!

[KNS]

It's no different in Phoenix, Arizona.

[Z-man]

There are two different routes I can take to get to work - both involve 90% of the driving being done on a major interstate.

Route A involves taking Interstate 80 to the Garden State Parkway. It's about a 20 mile distance that, with traffic, takes about 30 minutes to drive. If there is a major traffic mess up, it can take more than an hour. Rt. 80 is a heavily used road - during the commuting hours, it is a 'stop and go' highway.

Route B involves taking Interstate 287 to the NY State Thruway. It's about a 30 miles and takes about 40 minutes. This route is far less used - probably only 1/4 the amount of cars per mile there than on Route A.

I choose to drive Route B 99% of the time. Why? The risk of an accident is greatly minimized due to the far less amount of cars around me. Secondly: I hate sitting in stop and go traffic. Thirdly: while Route B may take a little longer than Route A (if traffic is flowing at a good pace on Route A), there is no guess work. Travelling Route A may take 30 minutes, it may take an hour, it may take an hour and 30 minutes, depending on traffic.

I really don't know what my point is - I guess that Codine I was given to fight my bronchitis is starting to take effect...

-Z

[masraum]

Z-man's whiggin guys, now's your chance.

[bell]

the two-car bus driver looks like he saved it
and to think what a simple guardrail could do in there.....

[ianc]

Damn, those are some scary shots!

To answer your question Leroux, no. I think that is way above average for around here (101 near SF, CA). I drive 16 mi. each way to work on a 4 lane fwy and I seldom see an accident (even a fender bender). Possibly once every two months or so. When one happens though, it is a major time waster! Very very rarely is it serious; mostly traffic speeds are too slow for that I think.

That fishtailing bus freaked me out!

ianc