scholarly journals The variability of urban safety performance functions for different road elements: an Italian case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Intini ◽  
Nicola Berloco ◽  
Gabriele Cavalluzzi ◽  
Dominique Lord ◽  
Vittorio Ranieri ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Urban safety performance functions are used to predict crash frequencies, mostly based on Negative Binomial (NB) count models. They could be differentiated for considering homogeneous subsets of segments/intersections and different predictors. Materials and methods The main research questions concerned: a) finding the best possible subsets for segments and intersections for safety modelling, by discussing the related problems and inquiring into the variability of predictors within the subsets; b) comparing the modelling results with the existing literature to highlight common trends and/or main differences; c) assessing the importance of additional crash predictors, besides traditional variables. In the context of a National research project, traffic volumes, geometric, control and additional variables were collected for road segments and intersections in the City of Bari, Italy, with 1500 fatal+injury related crashes (2012–2016). Six NB models were developed for: one/two-way homogeneous segments, three/four-legged, signalized/unsignalized intersections. Results Crash predictors greatly vary within the different subsets considered. The effect of vertical signs on minor roads/driveways, critical sight distance, cycle crossings, pavement/markings maintenance was specifically discussed. Some common trends but also differences in both types and effect of crash predictors were found by comparing results with literature. Conclusion The disaggregation of urban crash prediction models by considering different subsets of segments and intersections helps in revealing the specific influence of some predictors. Local characteristics may influence the relationships between well-established crash predictors and crash frequencies. A significant part of the urban crash frequency variability remains unexplained, thus encouraging research on this topic.

Author(s):  
Ghalia Gamaleldin ◽  
Haitham Al-Deek ◽  
Adrian Sandt ◽  
John McCombs ◽  
Alan El-Urfali

Safety performance functions (SPFs) are essential tools to help agencies predict crashes and understand influential factors. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has implemented a context classification system which classifies intersections into eight context categories rather than the three classifications used in the Highway Safety Manual (HSM). Using this system, regional SPFs could be developed for 32 intersection types (unsignalized and signalized 3-leg and 4-leg for each category) rather than the 10 HSM intersection types. In this paper, eight individual intersection group SPFs were developed for the C3R-Suburban Residential and C4-Urban General categories and compared with full SPFs for these categories. These comparisons illustrate the unique and regional insights that agencies can gain by developing these individual SPFs. Poisson, negative binomial, zero-inflated, and boosted regression tree models were developed for each studied group as appropriate, with the best model selected for each group based on model interpretability and five performance measures. Additionally, a linear regression model was built to predict minor roadway traffic volumes for intersections which were missing these volumes. The full C3R and C4 SPFs contained four and six significant variables, respectively, while the individual intersection group SPFs in these categories contained six and nine variables. Factors such as major median, intersection angle, and FDOT District 7 regional variable were absent from the full SPFs. By developing individual intersection group SPFs with regional factors, agencies can better understand the factors and regional differences which affect crashes in their jurisdictions and identify effective treatments.


Author(s):  
Steven Y. Stapleton ◽  
Anthony J. Ingle ◽  
Meghna Chakraborty ◽  
Timothy J. Gates ◽  
Peter T. Savolainen

Safety performance functions (SPFs) were developed for rural two-lane county roadway segments in Michigan. Five years of crash data (2011 to 2015) were analyzed for greater than 6,500 mi of rural county roadways, covering 29 of Michigan’s 83 counties and representing all regions of the state. Three separate models were developed to estimate annual deer-excluded total and injury crashes on rural county roadways: 1) paved federal-aid segments, 2) paved non-federal-aid segments, and 3) paved and gravel non-federal-aid segments with fewer than 400 vpd. To account for the unobserved heterogeneity associated with differing county design standards, mixed effects negative binomial models with a county-specific random effect were utilized. Not surprisingly, the county segment SPFs generally differed from traditional models generated using data from state-maintained roadways. County federal-aid roadways general showed greater crash occurrence than county non-federal-aid roadways, the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) two-lane rural roadways model, and rural state highways in Michigan. County non-federal-aid paved roadways showed crash occurrence rates that were remarkably similar to the HSM base rural two-lane roadway model, whereas gravel roadways showed greater crash occurrence rates. The presence of horizontal curves with design speeds below 55 mph had a strong association with the occurrence of total and injury crashes across all county road classes. Increasing driveway density was also found to be associated with increased crash occurrence. However, lane width, roadway surface width, and paved shoulder width had little to no impact on total or injury crashes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9011
Author(s):  
Nopadon Kronprasert ◽  
Katesirint Boontan ◽  
Patipat Kanha

The number of road crashes continues to rise significantly in Thailand. Curve segments on two-lane rural roads are among the most hazardous locations which lead to road crashes and tremendous economic losses; therefore, a detailed examination of its risk is required. This study aims to develop crash prediction models using Safety Performance Functions (SPFs) as a tool to identify the relationship among road alignment, road geometric and traffic conditions, and crash frequency for two-lane rural horizontal curve segments. Relevant data associated with 86,599 curve segments on two-lane rural road networks in Thailand were collected including road alignment data from a GPS vehicle tracking technology, road attribute data from rural road asset databases, and historical crash data from crash reports. Safety Performance Functions (SPFs) for horizontal curve segments were developed, using Poisson regression, negative binomial regression, and calibrated Highway Safety Manual models. The results showed that the most significant parameter affecting crash frequency is lane width, followed by curve length, traffic volume, curve radius, and types of curves (i.e., circular curves, compound curves, reverse curves, and broken-back curves). Comparing among crash prediction models developed, the calibrated Highway Safety Manual SPF outperforms the others in prediction accuracy.


Author(s):  
Bhagwant Persaud ◽  
Dominique Lord ◽  
Joseph Palmisano

Accident prediction models, also known as safety performance functions, have several important uses in modern-day safety analysis. Unfortunately, calibration of these models is not straightforward. A research effort was undertaken that demonstrates the complexity of calibrating these models for urban intersections. These complexities relate to the specification of the functional form, the accommodation of the peculiarities of accident data, and the transferability of models to other jurisdictions. Toronto data were used to estimate models for three- and four-legged signalized and unsignalized intersections. Then the performance of these models was compared with that of models for Vancouver and California that were recalibrated for Toronto using a procedure recently proposed for the application in the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM). The results of this transferability test are mixed, suggesting that a single calibration factor as is currently specified in the IHSDM procedure may be inappropriate and that a disaggregation by traffic volume might be preferable.


Author(s):  
Anthony Ingle ◽  
Timothy J. Gates

This study evaluates the intersection of rural roads where a curved roadway segment connects the major flow of through traffic from orthogonal directions. A system of up to three intersections in combination can be represented singly by the situation modeled in this paper as a curved corner intersection site. This paper evaluates the application of random intercept negative binomial (NB) regression modeling to produce safety performance functions, and compares the outcome with NB models using fixed regional effects. At curved corner intersections, installing a combined/merged intersection approach near the midpoint of the curve is a potential countermeasure that by comparison with three-leg configurations experienced 20% fewer intersection crashes. A larger radius of curvature along the curved segment at these types of intersections is also very favorable for safety performance. Each 100 ft increase in the radius of a three-leg or four-leg curved corner intersection is estimated to reduce total non-animal crash occurrence by 5% and 7%, respectively. This study can help safety engineers to prioritize the improvement of rural un-signalized intersections.


Author(s):  
Ghalia Gamaleldin ◽  
Haitham Al-Deek ◽  
Adrian Sandt ◽  
Alan El-Urfali ◽  
Md Imrul Kayes ◽  
...  

Understanding how the type and location of intersections affect crashes is important to reduce these crashes effectively. This paper discusses the development of regional safety performance functions (SPFs) based on a new context classification system developed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). This classification system (which has not previously been used) categorizes intersections into eight different categories based on land use and other parameters, allowing SPFs to be developed for up to 32 different types of intersections. The Model Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE) 2.0 was used as the standard inventory for the data elements collected. Using MIRE 2.0 allows for the procedures conducted in this study to be easily implemented in other states. SPFs were developed for two intersection groups. First, a linear regression model was built to predict missing minor traffic volumes. This statistically significant model ( p-value < 0.05) had an adjusted R-square of 0.7648. Data were collected for over 25 potential predictor variables (including a regional variable for FDOT districts) and used to fit a negative binomial model to each studied intersection group. Some variables (such as major traffic volume) were significant for both groups, but each SPF had unique variables (such as speed limit and road width). Different regions were significant for each group, showing how crashes vary for different intersection types in different regions. By allowing for the development of SPF models for many intersection classifications, FDOT’s context classification system can be used by other agencies to identify crash-influencing factors better for different conditions.


Author(s):  
Moatz Saad ◽  
Mohamed Abdel-Aty ◽  
Jaeyoung Lee ◽  
Qing Cai

Cycling is encouraged in countries around the world as an economic, energy efficient, and sustainable mode of transportation. Although there are many studies focusing on analyzing bicycle safety, they have limitations because of the shortage of bicycle exposure data. This study represents a major step forward in estimating safety performance functions for bicycle crashes at intersections by using crowdsourced data from STRAVA. Several adjustments in respect of the population distribution and field observations were made to overcome the disproportionate representation of the STRAVA data. The adjusted STRAVA data which include bicycle exposure information were used as input to develop safety performance functions. The functions are negative binomial models aimed at predicting frequencies of bicycle crashes at intersections. The developed model was compared with three counterparts: the model using the unadjusted STRAVA data, the model using the STRAVA data with field observation data adjustments only, and the model using the STRAVA data with adjusted population. The results revealed that the case of STRAVA data with both population and field observation data adjustments had the best performance in bicycle crash modeling. The results also addressed several key factors (e.g., signal control system, intersection size, bike lanes) which are associated with bicycle safety at intersections. Additionally, the safety-in-numbers effect was acknowledged when bicycle crash rates decreased as bicycle activities increased. The study concluded that crowdsourced data are a reliable source for exploring bicycle safety after the appropriate adjustments.


2021 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 106103
Author(s):  
Ali Khodadadi ◽  
Ioannis Tsapakis ◽  
Subasish Das ◽  
Dominique Lord ◽  
Yingfeng Li

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Morjina Ara Begum

A set of Safety Performance Function (SPFs) commonly known as accident prediction models, were developed for evaluating the safety of Highway segments under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (MTO). A generalized linear modeling approach was used in which negative binomial regression models were delevoped separately for total accidents and for three severity types (Property Damage Only accidents, Fatal and Injury accidents) as a function of traffic volume AADT. The SPFs were calibrated from 100m homogenous segments as well as for variable length continuous segments that are homogeneous with respect to measured traffic and geometric characteristics. For the models calibrated for Rural 2-Lane Kings Highways, the variables that had significant effects on accident occurrence were the terrain, shoulder width and segment lenght. It was observed that the disperson parameter of the negative binomial districution is large for 100m segments and smaller for longer segments. Further investigation of the dispersion parameter for Rural 2-Lane Kings Highways showed that the models calibrated with a separate dispersion parameter for each site depending on the segment length performed better that the model calibrated considering fixed dispersion parameter for all sites. For Rural 2-Lane Kings Highways, a model was calibrated with trend considering each year as a separate observation. The GEE (Generalized Estimating Equation) procedure was use to develop these models since it incorporated the temporal correlation that exists in repeated measurements. Results showed that integration of time trend and temporal correlation in the model improves the model fit.


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