Using GIS Application to Control the Recording of Traffic Accidents in the Large AL-Najaf City

Abstract

Recently, the number of accidents in Iraq increases sharply after 2003 as the number of vehicles increases rapidly. The absence of adequate documentation system leads to unclear picture of the cause of these accidents. Therefore, this study tries to put the first step toward recoding the accurate details of the accidents. The GIS technique has been adopted as a knowledge base for the accidents recording along different types of roads within Al-Najaf city as study case. Reference points have been suggested on roads using electrical columns which already were installed along these roads. To link these referencing points together with GIS, there is a need for new accident form. This form will includes, in addition to the types of accidents, the causes of accidents and the name of roads, the referencing point which is close to the accident location. This system has been built according to field data collecting from miscellaneous resources. The developed model is able to indicate the black spot location (i.e. the location with high frequency of accidents) by change the color of points or segments relating to black spot. The developed system now is ready to be used by the authority of traffic.