Proposed segment length for safety evaluation studies on rural divided highways in India

Determining an appropriate segment length for highway safety evaluations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) poses a significant challenge. This study aims to address this issue by recommending a suitable segment length for such evaluations in India, using a 167 km intercity expressway as a case study. We employed negative binomial (NB) models on datasets segmented from 100 m to 1000 m with 100 m increments. Our findings strongly suggest that segment lengths between 300- and 700-m suit various safety assessments. However, the study reveals that parameter estimates vary significantly with both segment length and sample size. This highlights the sensitivity of parameters to data aggregation and sample size across different segment lengths, making it difficult to identify a single optimal length. Therefore, we propose selecting the segment length and segmentation approach based on specific local conditions, highway context, data availability and quality. The methodology presented here can guide policymakers in LMICs to make informed choices regarding segment length for safety evaluations, including blackspot identification and treatment on their highways.