Compared to a flat roadside, the safety recovery zone will be wider for which feature?

Compared to a flat roadside, the safety recovery zone will be wider for which feature?

• A. Fill slopes
• B. Trees
• C. Buildings
• D. Grass

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the recovery zone provides space for a driver to regain control if the vehicle leaves the road. A fill slope creates a sloped edge beyond the shoulder, which can cause a vehicle that goes off the road to slide or roll down the incline. This situation increases the risk and the potential for rollover or loss of control, so more lateral distance is needed to recover and avoid the slope. Grass, trees, and buildings don’t add the same level of sudden, destabilizing danger as a steep slope, so they don’t require as wide a recovery zone.