Driving on Iowa’s roads during winter may become less risky after the results of an ISU study of winter crash patterns from the last 10 years are applied by the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Two ISU faculty members, Thomas Maze, professor of civil engineering, and Zach Hans, associate scientist for the Center for Transportation Research and Education, are in the early stages of an analysis that will lead to recommendations for the DOT next winter, if not sooner.

“Some recommendations we’ve made have already been implemented,” Maze said, adding road maintenance is a fairly simple strategy when compared with some other measures that may result from the study, expected to be complete in December.

Things such as plowing high-risk areas first, putting up snow fences and anti-icing are low-cost but could make a big difference. Larger issues, like highway design, could also be affected by the study, but will take more time and money, Maze said.

Dennis Burkheimer, winter operations administrator for the DOT, said the department has done “similar types of crash analysis before,” but this study will be a “more comprehensive view of these locations.”

He said it will be a “thorough investigation of where some crashes are occurring and why.” The DOT approached the center about the study and is funding it with a $24,000 contract.

The analysis will take into account factors such as crash location, crash severity, type of vehicle, time of day, and age and sex of the drivers. Once the data is studied and plotted onto maps, they can begin interpreting what the countermeasures are, Maze said.

The countermeasures will largely involve road maintenance issues, but could eventually involve speed limits, law enforcement, ticketing and driver education.

Maze said the study found that during the winter “people tend to increase headways between vehicles but do not slow down.”

He said he thinks drivers on rural stretches of road tend to go faster because there is less congestion, which leads to more serious accidents.

Even four-wheel-drive vehicles do not increase safety when it comes to speed and stopping, Maze said.

“What gets you into trouble is not the ability to go forward but the ability to stop,” he said.

Although four-wheel-drive makes forward movement easier for vehicles in snowy conditions, the feature does little to stop the automobile, he said.

“We can do a lot to minimize crashes if due to [road maintenance],” Burkheimer said, but added that driving habits play a major role, as well.

“We can educate the public about driving habits and responsibilities during winter time, but it is still an individual responsibility to follow the advice,” Burkheimer added.

Many of the crash causes identified by the study were also identified by students.

“I feel safe when I use caution, and I don’t feel safe after a sheet of ice is on the ground,” said Jeremy Simon, senior in management. “A lot of rural highways don’t get plowed nearly as soon or as often as they should.”

Speed is one of the main factors in crash severity, Burkheimer said, adding he is concerned the recently raised speed limit on some Iowa highways may have a negative effect on winter driving this year.