Solomon Curve - The Original Research

The Original Research

In 1964, Solomon researched the relationship between average speed and collision rates of automobiles and plotted the results. While others have attempted to quantify the relationship between average speed and collision rates, Solomon's work was both "the earliest and best known". Solomon conducted a comprehensive study of more than 10,000 collision-involved drivers and their vehicles and how other roadway, driver, and vehicle characteristics affect the probability of being involved in a crash. He found that the probability of being involved in a crash per vehicle-mile as a function of on-road vehicle speeds follows a U-shaped curve with speed values around the median speed having the lowest probability of being in a crash. Although typically called the Solomon curve, the U-shaped curve has also been referred to as the Crash Risk Curve.