Ranking of Factors Influencing Injury and Death by Accident Using Analytical Approach: A Case Study of Ilam Province Roads

Abstract

Background: Every year many people are killed or injured in road accidents. The first step in planning to reduce accidents is to identify the causes of accidents. This study aimed to investigate and identify the causes and factors affecting the incidence and the severity of road accidents as a major issue in Ilam Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This research is a descriptive study with an analytical approach. Descriptive and inferential statistics indices were used for statistical analysis. A researcher-made questionnaire as fieldwork was used to investigate the factors affecting accidents. Friedman test was used in the analytical study of the data obtained from the questionnaires. The study population included all drivers of the public suburban fleet, including taxis, minibusses, and buses on the Ilam Province. Out of 190 drivers, a sample size of 127 was selected using a Cochran formula. Results: From the drivers’ point of view, the main causes of public fleet accidents on the roads of Ilam Province are the quality and technical issues of the roads. Interviewees believed that dangerous turns, low width, poor road quality, and inadequate traffic signs are the main causes of accidents. After that, human factors are in the second place, including high speed and overturning, left-sway, and unmanageable rush, emphasizing the two factors of high speed and overtaking. The technical and qualitative factors of the vessels are in third place. Finally, the environmental and natural factors are in fourth place. Conclusion: Because the drivers consider the quality and technical issues of the roads as the main causes of traffic accidents in the transportation axes of Ilam Province, it is necessary to review and repair these transportation axes.