Impacts of Increased Trade on Highway Safety along the Texas/Mexico Border Region

摘要

The report addresses the impacts on highway safety due to increased trade along the Texas/Mexico border. To identify those areas that will be most affected, characteristics of the border region were reviewed; namely, population, the economy, and the maquiladora program, as well as accident records. The manuals of geometric design of highways and streets used in the United States and Mexico were reviewed, and visual assessments of the existing road conditions were performed. A comparison of Texas and Mexican vehicle laws was conducted. Also, a survey was conducted to identify public and trucking industry concerns, along both sides of the border.