Applying Data Mining Techniques to Analyze the Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes at the Macroscopic Level

This paper presents different data mining techniques to analyze the vulnerable road user (i.e., pedestrian and bicycle) crashes by developing crash prediction models at macro-level. In this study, the authors developed data mining approach (i.e., decision tree regression (DTR) models) for both pedestrian and bicycle crash counts. To author knowledge, this is the first application of DTR models in the growing traffic safety literature at macro-level. The empirical analysis is based on the Statewide Traffic Analysis Zones (STAZ) level crash count data for both pedestrian and bicycle from the state of Florida for the year of 2010 to 2012. The model results highlight the most significant predictor variables for pedestrian and bicycle crash count in terms of three broad categories: traffic, roadway, and socio demographic characteristics. Furthermore, spatial predictor variables of neighboring STAZ were utilized along with the targeted STAZ variables in order to improve the prediction accuracy of both DTR models. The DTR model considering spatial predictor variables (spatial DTR model) were compared without considering spatial predictor variables (aspatial DTR model) and the models comparison results clearly found that spatial DTR model is superior model compared to aspatial DTR model in terms of prediction accuracy. Finally, this study contributed to the safety literature by applying three ensemble techniques (Bagging, Random Forest, and Boosting) in order to improve the prediction accuracy of weak learner (DTR models) for macro-level crash count. The model’s estimation result revealed that all the ensemble technique performed better than the DTR model and the gradient boosting technique outperformed other competing ensemble technique in macro-level crash prediction model.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANB20 Standing Committee on Safety Data, Analysis and Evaluation.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Rahman, Md Sharikur
  • Abdel-Aty, Mohamed
  • Hasan, Samiul
  • Cai, Qing
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 98th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2019-1-13 to 2019-1-17
• Date: 2019

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 7p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bicycle crashes; Data mining; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Traffic analysis zones; Vulnerable road users
• Geographic Terms: Florida
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01697901
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 19-00055
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 1 2019 3:51PM