Benefit-to-cost ratio of motorist aid call boxes on 39 miles of rural Interstate highway in Georgia found to be 2.76:1
Motorist aid call boxes were installed on 39 miles of I-85 in rural Georgia with a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.76:1 and enormous public approval
Statewide, Georgia, United States
Statewide,
Georgia,
United States
Identifier
2015-B01040
Best Practices in Traffic Incident Management
Summary Information
In 2010, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a handbook of best practices for overcoming common challenges in traffic incident management (TIM). These practices can help improve TIM nationally by sharing information on the tools and strategies found to be effective. The FHWA developed the best practices with information from publications and input from practitioners in incident response, including experts from law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical services, transportation, and towing and recovery agencies representing perspectives from 14 states.
Motorist aid call boxes are permanently mounted roadside communications devices enabling motorists to request assistance or report an incident, most call boxes have two-way voice communication capabilities.
Benefits
Analysis of data from Georgia assumes a reduction of one injury per year and one fatality every five years for the motorist aid call boxes installed along 39 miles of rural I-85. This estimation yields a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.76:1, with an associated cost savings of $329,820. Furthermore, a public opinion survey found that 97 percent of respondents felt that call boxes on rural Interstate highways in Georgia were a good idea even though 64 percent of respondents owned cellular telephones. Also, 78 percent of respondents indicated a willingness to pay a fee as part of their annual vehicle registration to fund the installation and maintenance of additional call boxes.
Benefits
Analysis of data from Georgia assumes a reduction of one injury per year and one fatality every five years for the motorist aid call boxes installed along 39 miles of rural I-85. This estimation yields a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.76:1, with an associated cost savings of $329,820. Furthermore, a public opinion survey found that 97 percent of respondents felt that call boxes on rural Interstate highways in Georgia were a good idea even though 64 percent of respondents owned cellular telephones. Also, 78 percent of respondents indicated a willingness to pay a fee as part of their annual vehicle registration to fund the installation and maintenance of additional call boxes.
Best Practices in Traffic Incident Management
Best Practices in Traffic Incident Management
Source Publication Date
09/02/2010
Publisher
United States Department of Transportation,Federal Highway Administration
Taxonomy (ARC-IT)
Public Safety »
Emergency Call-Taking and Dispatch (PS01)
Goal Areas
Deployment Locations
