scholarly journals Examination of Fault, Unsafe Driving Acts, and Total Harm in Car-Truck Collisions

Author(s):  
Forrest M. Council ◽  
David L. Harkey ◽  
Daniel T. Nabors ◽  
Asad J. Khattak ◽  
Yusuf M. Mohamedshah

Crashes involving large trucks and passenger cars are important topics for research and countermeasure development since they represent more than 60% of all fatal truck crashes and because the passenger car occupant is much more likely to be killed. This study ( a) examined “fault” in total car–truck crashes using North Carolina Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) data for comparison with fault analyzed in previous studies of fatal crashes, ( b) used general estimates system (GES) crash data to verify unsafe driving acts (UDAs) identified by expert panels in past studies, and ( c) used North Carolina HSIS data to identify critical combinations of roadway facility type, roadway location, and crash type based on “total harm”—a measure combining both the frequency and severity of the crash. Fault in total North Carolina car–truck crashes was found to differ significantly from past fatal crash studies, with the truck driver being at fault more often than the car driver both overall and in certain crash types. Car drivers continue to be at fault much more often in head-on and angle crashes. While it was not possible to analyze all UDAs identified in prior studies, when possible, the current analyses revealed differences between the GES crash data results and the expert-based results, pointing to the need for better UDA methods if they are to be used to target treatments. Finally, using the total-harm analysis with North Carolina car–truck crashes indicated that undivided rural arterials and collectors should be primary targets for further investigation and for treatment.

Author(s):  
Subasish Das ◽  
Mouyid Islam ◽  
Anandi Dutta ◽  
Tahmida Hossain Shimu

The number of fatalities and severe injuries in large truck-related crashes has significantly increased since 2009. According to the safety experts, the recent increase in large truck-related crashes can be explained by the significant growth in freight tonnage all over the U.S. over the past few years. This notable freight-haul growth has allowed continuous day–night movement of freight on roads and highways, exposing the trucks to a greater number of potential crashes or near-crash scenarios. There are many ongoing research efforts that aim to identify the different factors that influence large truck crashes; however, further research with innovative approaches is still needed to better understand the relationship between crash-related factors. In this study, the project team applied taxicab correspondence analysis (TCA), a data-mining method known for dimension reduction, to large truck fatal crash data to investigate the complex interaction between multiple factors under a two-dimensional map. For this study, 6 years (2010–2015) of large truck fatal crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) were used. The study found five clusters of attributes that show patterns of association between different crash attributes such as two-lane undivided roadways, intersection types, posted speed limit, crash types, number of vehicles, driver impairment, and weather. The findings of this study will help the safety professionals, trucking industry, and policymakers to make decisions for safer road design, and improvement in truck driver training, and education.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linjun Lu ◽  
Chen Wang ◽  
Tao Wang

This paper aims to examine characteristics of e-bike fatal crashes on urban highways in China. Crash data were retrieved from the three-year crash reports (2010–2012) of Taixing City. Descriptive analysis was conducted to examine characteristics of e-bike riders, drivers, and crashes. The important findings include the following: (1) most fatal crashes were related to e-bike riders’ aberrant driving behaviors, including driving in motorized lanes, red-light running, driving against the direction of traffic, inattentive driving, and drunk driving; (2) e-bike riders with lower educational background tended to perform illegal or inattentive driving behaviors in fatal crashes; (3) most drivers were not found to commit any faults and very few drivers were found to commit drunk driving offences; (4) most nighttime fatal crashes were related to absence of street lightings; (5) heavy good vehicles (HGVs) and small passenger cars were the two vehicle types that were mostly involved in the e-bike fatal crashes. This study provides useful information that can help traffic engineers better understand e-bike safety in China and develop safety countermeasures.


1999 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stewart J. D'Alessio ◽  
Lisa Stolzenberg ◽  
W. Clinton Terry

Using longitudinal data drawn from Tennessee's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and a multiple time-series research design, the authors assessed whether an emergency cellular telephone program, established on April 1, 1995, reduced alcohol-related fatal crashes. Maximum-likelihood results revealed a 2.5 percent decline in the alcohol-related fatal crash rate on roads serviced by the program. No significant change in the monthly percentage of fatal crashes attributed to drunk drivers was observed on roads where the program was not implemented. Emergency cellular telephone programs show promise as an effective and relatively inexpensive means for improving highway safety.


Author(s):  
Kun-Feng Wu ◽  
Scott C. Himes ◽  
Martin T. Pietrucha

The federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) has been associated with the reduction in fatal crashes since 2006, but the reasons for the reduction remain largely unknown. This paper examines the reduction in fatal crashes in terms of different types of first harmful events that can provide insight into crash causes and prevention strategies. In this study, fatal crashes were categorized into four types: overturn, collision with motor vehicle in transport, collision with fixed object, and collision with nonmotorist. Fixed-effects and mixed-effects Poisson models were used to estimate the magnitudes of fatal crash reduction by first harmful events for each state. Fatal crashes due to collisions with nonmotorists and motor vehicles in transport have been reduced by 10% and 5.3%, respectively, compared with the 2001 to 2005 period. Fatal crashes due to overturn and collision with a fixed object decreased in some states but remained unchanged or increased in other states. Nevertheless, the numbers of national fixed-object and overturn fatal crashes have been reduced by 3% and 0.7%, respectively, as a whole. This study also investigated possibilities that could be associated with the magnitudes of the reductions, for example, the different traffic laws among states. It was found that although different safety improvement projects were implemented to target the various types of crashes, the improvements were also likely to be beneficial to other crash types. These are referred to as spillover effects. Nationally, fatal crashes have decreased since the introduction of the HSIP partly because of the reduction in fatal crashes due to collisions with nonmotorists and motor vehicles in transport and partly because of spillover effects.


Author(s):  
Charles V. Zegeer ◽  
Herman F. Huang ◽  
J. Richard Stewart ◽  
Ron Pfefer ◽  
Jun Wang

The effects on future data analysis capabilities and results should states convert to a towaway and above crash-reporting threshold are quantified. The results from the four states used in the analysis (Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and North Carolina) revealed that only 51.7 percent of the crash data would be included using a towaway threshold. Only 33.7 percent would be included using an injury threshold. In general, a towaway threshold would exclude more crashes on urban streets than on rural roads. For most road classes, 40 to 60 percent of crashes would be excluded. A towaway threshold would result in greatly underestimating the occurrence of certain crash types, particularly rear-end, sideswipe, parking, and animal crashes. Run-off-road and angle/turning crashes would also be affected considerably. Using a towaway criterion will seriously affect researchers’ ability to conduct meaningful evaluations of roadside appurtenances, such as guardrail, breakaway signs and poles, crash cushions, and various median treatments. For most vehicle types, only 30 to 60 percent of crashes would be included under a towaway threshold. Technological, institutional, and organizational strategies for improving crash reporting thresholds are suggested.


Author(s):  
Charles V. Zegeer ◽  
Herman F. Huang ◽  
J. Richard Stewart ◽  
Carolyn Williams

Motor vehicle crash rates and roadway characteristics for National Highway System (NHS) and non-NHS roads in seven states—California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Washington— are presented. Accident and roadway data were extracted from the Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Safety Information System. Overall, crash rates on NHS roads were approximately 10 percent lower than those on non-NHS roads, perhaps the result of higher design standards. Crash rates on urban roadways were considerably higher than on the corresponding rural roadways in each state. For rural roadways, fixed-object crash rates were higher on NHS roads than on non-NHS roads. The distribution of crashes by severity was quite similar on NHS and non-NHS roads. For urban freeways, NHS Interstates usually had lower crash rates than NHS non-Interstates. The majority of NHS roads had lane widths of 3.4 m (11 ft) or more, and many had shoulder widths of 1.5 m (5 ft) or more. Compared to NHS non-Interstate roads, NHS Interstate roads were more likely to have lane widths of 3.7 m (12 ft) or over, shoulder widths of 2.4 m (8 ft) or over, paved shoulders, and improved median design. Highway designers and safety officials can use this type of information about accident rates and roadway characteristics to enhance safety by upgrading existing highways and improving the design of NHS highways to some specified roadway design standards and guidelines.


Author(s):  
Dan Wolford ◽  
Dean L. Sicking

A cost-effectiveness analysis was used to study safety-treatment options for embankments and culverts on resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation (3R) projects. An examination of the need for cable and W-beam guardrails to shield traffic from roadside embankments and roadside culverts, respectively, was made. Average embankment and culvert accident severities were estimated using Highway Safety Information System data from Utah and Michigan. Average accident severities were calibrated through computer simulations of ran-off-road accidents. Simplified design charts were developed to allow highway engineers to quickly determine the need for cable guardrail on 3R projects.


Data in Brief ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 106154
Author(s):  
Seyedehsan Dadvar ◽  
Young-Jae Lee ◽  
Hyeon-Shic Shin ◽  
Hamed Khodaparasti

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402093992
Author(s):  
Xiuguang Song ◽  
Jianqing Wu ◽  
Hongbo Zhang ◽  
Rendong Pi

Crash severity, as a major concern in the routing and scheduling of hazardous material shipments, has caused great loss of lives and property damage every year. Although abundant studies have been conducted to identify the relationship between different factors on crash severity, the analysis of the severity of hazard material transportation (HMT) crashes is very limited. Factors including road, vehicle, driver, and environment are not well considered in previous studies. This article analyzed the influence of various factors on HMT crash severity using Highway Safety Information System data. The random forest combined with the ordered logistic model is used for factor analysis. The results showed that annual average daily traffic, fatigues/asleep, number of lanes, speeding, adverse weather, and light are the six most important factors affecting HMT crash severity. Different from the non-HMT crashes, driver factor (e.g., driver age, gender, and drug/alcohol influence) was found to be not significantly related to crash severity. Speeding should be strictly forbidden for HMT drivers, considering the potential increased crash severity. Increasing the level of lighting can help reduce the number of severe crashes. The corresponding recommendations were provided based on the regression results.


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