Abstract
Unobserved heterogeneity has been recognized as a critical issue in traffic safety research that has not been completely addressed or often overlooked, and can lead to biased estimates and incorrect inferences if inappropriate methods are used. This paper uses a latent class approach to investigate the factors that affect crash severity outcomes in single-vehicle motorcycle crashes. Motorcycle crash data from 2001 to 2008 in Iowa were collected with a total of 3644 single-vehicle motorcycle crashes occurring during that time period. A latent class multinomial logit model is estimated that addresses unobserved heterogeneity by identifying two distinct crash data classes with homogeneous attributes. The estimation results show a significant relationship between severe crash injury outcomes and crash-specific factors (such as speeding, run-off road, collision with fixed object and overturn/rollover), riding on high-speed roads, riding on rural roads, riding on dry road surface, riding without a helmet, age (riders older than 25 years old) and impaired riding (riders under the influence of drug, alcohol or medication). The model fit and estimation results underline the need for segmentation of crashes, and suggest that the latent class approach can be a promising tool for modeling motorcycle crash severity outcomes.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.