Try looking thru :

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/

 

Absolutely no data to back it up, but I'm of the opinion that an interstate freeway is safer than a highway.
Intersections are where a lot of crashes happen- none of those on the interstate. Starting and stopping traffic and intersections impede traffic flow. Impeded traffic is less safe.
Usually, interstate freeway traffic flows much smoother, so in my opinion, it'd be safer.

 

Before there were interstate highways I dreaded riding down to Eugene because I had to go through 6 small towns and 2 medium size. every house, every farm road had access and it was always a maximum alert ride. In the early 60's it became worse. I was stationed at Camp Pendelton and made regular rides (illegal because servicemen were not supposed to have bikes) down to or up to Oceanside, San Clemente, L.A. and there sere still no freeways.

Now, with major arterial 4 lanes everywhere it is easy to go from "A" to "B" with only a few intersections. I don't know about others, but except for a few times when I had the big re S on my chest and just knew I could do things on a bike that God wouldn't try, maybe 90% of the accidents happen at a place where a car can cross in front of the bike. a four way or a super-market pakring lot with no signal. Freeways do not offer the opportunity for cross-traffic. they are safer. let your girl friend ride one time on one and she will change her mind.

 

I've had around 6 ' close calls' with other vehicles while riding. Only one of those have been on the interstate. Personally, I feel the Interstate is a safety ride.

 

I know from personal experience what a lottery the undivided highway is - no matter what you do the other guy can drift right into you. Interstates (motorways) are instrinsically safer but just incredibly boring! :wink:

 

Hi Norman,
Below are some stats, partly answering your question.

In case you do not read french:
for the same distance traveled, the probability of being involved in an accident on a local road (undivided road) is almost 4 times higher than on large divided roads
Despite the fact that local roads are much more pleasant to ride!

And why we are at it... 10 to 20 times :shock: (!) more risk of getting killed while riding your motorcycle than driving your car. But I am convinced that once you are aware of it, the difference becomes less dramatic.

 

Somewhat related:

Someone told me years ago that the most dangerous place and time in America is on any two lane highway on a Saturday night. Something like 30% of the drivers you'll pass have been drinking.


- Tom

 

Thank all of you for your comments. I hope I was not alone in wondering/I this type of data. I wanted to save my comments for last as to not bias anyone off the bat, but I also have a gut-feeling that when you take the possibilty of t-bones down to zero percent when on the interstate....there's just nothing that can compare to that added level of safety. I think what crosses my girlfriends mind (all women too?) is that semis and high speed = more danger that state roads.

I'm guessing there are some 700+ geographical opportunities for someone to pull out in front of me between indianapolis and 1000 mile trek down toward the southeast coastline. I just get nervous thinking that if I flip a 700 hundred sided dice 700 times....the odds are decent that it'll come up "snake eyes"

Thanks again!

David

 

Of course, if I guy a headlight modulator, then I've taken the chance of someone not seeing me down near zero too. And I've also reduced semi wind gusts, retreaded tires debris (had a cousin that got hit by a tire blowing on a semi in front of him), and reduced min speed.

So with headlight modulator, maybe they even up? Or maybe even state roads pull ahead in safety?

Before anyone answers I wanted to say that in my personal experienced modulators are the most attention grabbing thing I've ever seen while driving. I honestly feel that the human brain cannot miss blinking lights (that's why all the tv commercials and shows have flashes of light and camera angles switching every 2 seconds...so that you won't stop watching)

David

 

We have head-ons on long stretches of two lane in broad daylight, and cars pulling out of their driveways, making a left, that have to wait for a car to pass, that pull right out in front of a car coming from their left.

When coming at a semi on a two lane they are traveling at 60 to 65 in a 55 here. If you hit one head on, it's the same as driving into the front end of a parked truck when you're going about 120. Riding next to one on an interstate is much better than coming at one on a two lane with around 120mph difference between you.

 

Having had some experience on your Interstates just last year, driving from Baltimore through Maryland to Deep Creek Lake and down into West Virginia, and I have to say it was nothing like as bad as I expected - in fact it just served to show how bad the congestion and driving has become on our overcrowded motorway network here in the UK.

Given the choice for covering distance safely, I think the Interstates are the way to go. Massively uninvolving, but the safe alternative.

What impressed/suprised me most was the narrow speed range of all the vehicles on the I-routes - everything was between 60 and 90, with most between 70 and 80, whereas on our motorways you get nutters over the ton all the time, and old farts who crawl along at 40, forcing lorries to overtake. Add in the lane hoggers and tailgaters, and the Schumacher-wannabe sales reps and it ain't fun.

But the undivided carriageways in the `States are definitely a different kettle of fish! :wink:

 

It varies by area, but what you report is pretty usual from my experience.
Most traffic stays within 10 - 15 mph of the speed limit- and those going too slow might get a hard time.


How did you assimilate to driving on the other side? That is something I'd picture being difficult for myself. I keep thinking of that scene in the movie "European Vacation" where Chevy Chase got into several crashes just leaving his parking spot, then got stuck for an entire day in a round-about.

 

Well, actually I have loads of experience on `da udder side` so it wasn't a difficult transition for me, and even in and around Baltimore things were quieter and more civilised than Croydon on a wet Wednesday in rush hour.
'Sides, we were driving a Mustang convertible, and that appeals to you folks, I'm told...

The only struggle for me was the unfamiliar layout at junctions, just as for an American visitor to these shores it would be the sheer volume of lunacy on show - and roundabouts. :wink:

We arrived at Baltimore at about 9pm, after being on planes or in terminals for about 10 hours (we flew up to Iceland, then changed to fly down to Baltimore in preference to the direct flight to DC 'coz it was hundreds cheaper), grabbed our luggage and went through security then collected the car - So I had to drive on unfamiliar roads, in an unfamiliar vehicle, in the gathering dark, for 180 miles to our first stop, in the middle of nowhere, while knackered...

Frankly, I enjoyed it! But we did bring our own CD entertainment. American radio sucks!

But within a couple of days even SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) was happy to do her share of the driving - and she'd never driven on foreign roads before!