Exploring contributing factors to improper driving actions in single-vehicle work zone crashes: A mixed logit analysis considering heterogeneity in means and variances, and temporal instability

A work-zone introduces unexpected conditions for road users and may cause severe safety issues. This study aims to understand drivers’ pre-crash improper actions, which are the major contributing factor to the crash occurrence and outcomes severity in single-vehicle (SV) work-zone crashes. A mixed logit model with heterogeneity in mean and variance was developed using Florida’s seven-year work-zone crash data. The estimated models investigated five pre-crash improper actions (no contributing action, careless driving, speeding, swerving lanes, and other pre-crash actions) in SV work-zone crashes. Year-paired likelihood ratio tests identified temporal instability existing in the dataset over the study period and suggested yearly model estimation to capture the temporal instability. The model results identified a wide range of variables that impact drivers’ pre-crash improper actions, such as driver and weather conditions, work-zone type, and temporal and lighting characteristics. The findings of this study imply that driving psychology plays a critical role in safety-related driving behaviors in work-zone areas. Engineering or education countermeasures that could increase driver alertness of potential hazards are suggested to reduce improper actions by drivers and improve work-zone safety.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1080/19439962.2023.2253748
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/19439962
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2023 Publisher & Univ. of Tenn. Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 2023. Abstract reprinted with permission of Taylor & Francis.
• Authors:
  • Rangaswamy, Rakesh
  • Alnawmasi, Nawaf
  • Wang, Zhenyu
  • Lin, Pei-Sung
• Publication Date: 2024-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 768-797
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transportation Safety & Security
  • Volume: 16
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 1943-9962
  • EISSN: 1943-9970
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/utss20#.U2qTJPldWCm

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Crash causes; Driver performance; Precrash phase; Single vehicle crashes; Work zone safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01925878
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 29 2024 4:27PM