New Rice University report shows Houston SafeClear program saves money, reduces collisions

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New Rice University report shows Houston SafeClear program saves money, reduces collisions
Nearly 90 percent of auto accidents receive tow-truck response time of six minutes or less

A new Rice University study shows that the city of Houston’s SafeClear program to remove disabled vehicles resulted in 120 fewer auto accidents per month and a monthly cost savings of $4 million to the driving public. 

The study, “SafeClear Performance Report 2008,” was co-authored by Robert Stein, Robert Dahnke and Benjamin Stevenson of Rice University and Tim Lomax of the Texas Transportation Institute.

In January 2005, the city of Houston launched its SafeClear traffic incident management program. The program aimed to combat many of the problems that arose from the “free-for-all” that occurred as tow truck operators raced toward disabled vehicles on Houston freeways. By improving tow operator response (dividing Houston freeways into segments with assigned operators responsible for specific sections), policymakers believed that they could reduce collisions.

“Our report confirms initial analysis from 2006 that showed that the SafeClear program works,” said Stein, professor of political science. “Nearly all of the goals of the program have been met, and it is performing very well.”

Key findings of the report: