RELATIONSHIPS AMONG URBAN FREEWAY ACCIDENTS, TRAFFIC FLOW, WEATHER, AND LIGHTING CONDITIONS

Linear and nonlinear multivariate statistical analyses are applied to determine how the types of accidents that occur on heavily used freeways in Southern California are related both to traffic flow and to weather and ambient lighting conditions. Traffic flow is measured in terms of time series of 30-s observations from inductive loop detectors in the vicinity of the accident prior to the time of its occurrence. Results indicate that the type of collision is strongly related to median traffic speed and to temporal variations in speed in the left and interior lanes. Hit-object collisions and collisions involving multiple vehicles that are associated with lane-change maneuvers are more likely to occur on wet roads, while rear-end collisions are more likely to occur on dry roads in daylight. Controlling for weather and lighting conditions, there is evidence that accident severity is influenced more by volume than by speed.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/8674831
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Golob, T F
  • Recker, W W
• Publication Date: 2003-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 342-353
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transportation Engineering
  • Volume: 129
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0733-947X
  • Serial URL: https://ascelibrary.org/journal/jtepbs

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash causes; Freeways; Highway safety; Lighting; Multivariate analysis; Traffic crashes; Traffic flow; Traffic relationships; Traffic speed; Urban highways; Visibility
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00960547
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 7 2003 12:00AM