Practice Test Geeks(ACTAR) Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstructionist Practice Test
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Roadway Analysis Flashcards

7 cards from real ACTAR practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Roadway Analysis flashcards as text

  1. In roadway lighting analysis for a nighttime accident, which photometric quantity describes the luminous intensity per unit area of a surface as seen by an observer?

    Answer: Luminance (cd/m²)

    Luminance (cd/m²) measures the brightness of a surface as perceived by an observer, which is the relevant metric for visibility at night.

  2. A roadway has a posted speed of 55 mph. Using AASHTO stopping sight distance tables, what minimum sight distance is generally required on a level grade?

    Answer: Approximately 495 feet

    AASHTO 2018 Green Book specifies approximately 495 feet stopping sight distance for 55 mph design speed on a level grade.

  3. Which of the following best describes a 'gore area' in roadway design?

    Answer: The triangular area between a through lane and a diverging exit ramp

    The gore area is the triangular-shaped paved or unpaved area between the through roadway and a diverging ramp at an interchange.

  4. When analyzing a roadway cross-section, what is the typical maximum allowable superelevation for a rural highway in the US?

    Answer: 8%

    AASHTO recommends a maximum superelevation of 8% for most rural highways, though 10% or 12% may be used in specific warmer climates without ice/snow.

  5. What does the 'tangent runout' portion of a superelevation transition accomplish?

    Answer: It rotates the outside lane from normal crown to a flat (zero) cross-slope

    Tangent runout rotates the adverse (outside) lane from its normal crown slope to a flat cross-slope, the first step before superelevation runoff begins.

  6. In a crash scene survey, a reconstructionist measures an 18-foot chord with a middle ordinate of 0.45 feet for a yaw mark. What is the approximate radius?

    Answer: Approximately 90 feet

    R = C²/(8M) = (18²)/(8 × 0.45) = 324/3.6 = 90 feet (ignoring the small M/2 term for approximation).

  7. Which roadway feature is most commonly associated with run-off-road crashes on horizontal curves?

    Answer: Inadequate or adverse superelevation

    Inadequate or adverse superelevation increases the lateral friction demand, often causing vehicles to slide off the road on curves.