Conflict points are a high-level, simple measure of the potential collision or crossing between two intersecting roadway configurations. Conflicts are created at points where users cross, diverge, or merge with another user. Crossing conflict points, which are points that show the crash potential of two opposing traffic streams, often result in higher severity collisions than merging and diverging conflict points, where vehicles are traveling in the same directions.

Table 11-5

presents the number of conflict points based on type of interchange, assuming a single lane in each direction. The number of conflict points vary depending on the number and configuration of lanes. A greater number of conflict points does not automatically result in more alarming operations. For example, although the DDI has more conflict points than a partial cloverleaf interchange, the conflict points are more spread out and so the overall relative exposure is comparable. A conflict points diagram for a single roundabout is shown as an example in

Figure 11-16