Study Details

Study Title: Safety Evaluation of Profiled Thermoplastic Pavement Markings

Authors: Lyon et al.

Publication Date:MAR, 2018

Abstract: The Development of Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) program conducted safety evaluation of profiled thermoplastic pavement markings for the Evaluation of Low-Cost Safety Improvements Pooled Fund Study. This study evaluated application of profiled thermoplastic pavement markings. This strategy involves upgrading existing markings from flat-line thermoplastic or other standard markings to the profiled product. These profiled markings are designed to provide an improved level of vision to drivers, particularly during wet-road surface conditions. Geometric, traffic, and crash data were obtained for two-lane and multilane road sections in Florida and South Carolina where the treatment was applied to the edge lines. To account for potential selection bias related to regression-to-the-mean, an empirical Bayes before–after analysis was conducted. The analysis controlled for changes in traffic volumes over time and time trends in crash counts unrelated to the treatment. Intersection-related, snow/slush/ice, and animal crashes were excluded from the analysis. Only nighttime wet-road crashes, a principal target crash type, exhibited a material change—an estimated CMF of 0.908. Although the estimated CMF was based on a small sample of crashes and was not statistically significant at the 95-percent confidence level, it was consistent between the two States, which suggests that its use might be justifiable. The benefit–cost ratio for flat-line thermoplastic markings was 3.65:1 based on the consistent reduction in nighttime wet-road crashes and estimated with conservative cost and service life assumptions. Applying the sensitivity analysis recommended by the U.S. Department of Transportation, this value could range from 2.01:1 to 5.04:1. These results suggest that the treatment—even with conservative assumptions on cost, service life, and the value of a statistical life—can be applied cost effectively despite the relatively small crash reduction effects.

Study Citation: Lyon, C., B. Persaud, and K. Eccles. "Safety Evaluation of Profiled Thermoplastic Pavement Markings" Report No. FHWA-HRT-17-075 Federal Highway Administration. Washington, D.C. (March 2018).

Study Report: Download the Study Report Document


CMFs Associated With This Study

Category: Delineation

Countermeasure: Install profiled thermoplastic pavement markings

CMF CRF(%)QualityCrash TypeCrash SeverityRoadway TypeArea Type
0.9683.24 StarsAllAllNot specifiedRural
0.9732.74 StarsAllK,A,B,CNot specifiedRural
1.061-6.14 StarsRun off roadAllNot specifiedRural
1.003-0.34 StarsWet roadAllNot specifiedRural
0.9732.74 StarsNighttimeAllNot specifiedRural
0.9089.24 StarsNighttime,Wet roadAllNot specifiedRural
0.9544.64 StarsAllAllNot specifiedRural
1.012-1.24 StarsAllK,A,B,CNot specifiedRural
0.9415.94 StarsRun off roadAllNot specifiedRural
1.229-22.94 StarsHead onAllNot specifiedRural
0.9831.74 StarsWet roadAllNot specifiedRural
1.01-14 StarsNighttimeAllNot specifiedRural
0.9194 StarsNighttime,Wet roadAllNot specifiedRural
0.9861.44 StarsAllAllNot specifiedRural
0.89810.25 StarsAllK,A,B,CNot specifiedRural
1.146-14.65 StarsRun off roadAllNot specifiedRural
0.89410.64 StarsHead on,SideswipeAllNot specifiedRural
1.009-0.94 StarsSideswipeAllNot specifiedRural
1.027-2.74 StarsWet roadAllNot specifiedRural
0.9267.44 StarsNighttimeAllNot specifiedRural
0.9039.74 StarsNighttime,Wet roadAllNot specifiedRural