Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data Research Articles

Assessment of Deer–Vehicle Crash Mitigation Structures on the US 33 Nelsonville, Ohio, Bypass

The US 33 Nelsonville Bypass project involved construction of a new four-lane divided highway through the Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio, an area high in species diversity and home to several threatened and endangered species. The project included three wildlife underpass structures to promote habitat connectivity, 16 jump out structures to allow wildlife to exit the highway right-of-way (ROW), and 2.44-m (8-feet) tall exclusion fencing along the ROW boundary to discourage entry. This paper reports the results of a comprehensive research study undertaken to determine if these features were effective at reducing collisions between vehicles and wildlife (specifically, white-tailed deer). A multi-season camera-based monitoring plan was deployed to track the movement of animals within and around the highway ROW. The results of the analysis showed that the crossing structures were heavily used and that the tall fencing was effective at excluding deer from the highway area. Approximately 43% of deer that approached the jump out structures used them to successfully exit the ROW. Analysis of traffic crash data from six years after the opening of the highway suggests that the prevalence of deer crashes on the highway is lower than other highways in the region, indicating that the mitigation features appear to be successful at reducing such collisions. Considering the additional costs of constructing the mitigation features and the economic benefits of the associated deer crash reductions, the incremental cost-benefit ratio of the complete installation is estimated to be 1.65, indicating a net positive benefit realized by the mitigation plan. The results of this study suggest that wildlife mitigation structures can be effective in supporting highway development in wildlife-sensitive areas, particularly if the placement of the structures relates to existing wildlife patterns and the features are maintained post-construction.

Method of Assessing Bus Stops Safety Based on Three Groups of Criteria

Bus stops are an essential element of the public transport system and affect its users’ safety level. They are where the passengers gather who want to use bus transport, and where vehicles stop to exchange passenger flows. Most studies devoted to assessing bus stops’ safety focus on two evaluation methods: (1) statistical analysis of traffic crash data and (2) traffic conflict analysis. However, there is a need to develop a methodology to define priorities and scope for the improvement of increasing bus stops’ safety. For this reason, the aim of the article is to present a method of assessing bus stops’ safety, which is dedicated to the process of auditing and designing point infrastructure in the city. The use of the proposed method of evaluating bus stops is aimed not only at determining the current status, but above all at assigning priorities to actions aimed at increasing safety and improving the quality of life of residents. The article presents in detail the algorithm of the research procedure consisting of the proposed method and its implementation for the evaluation of stops in a selected city. In total, 151 bus stops serving all fast lines in the studied agglomeration were assessed. As part of the results, the ratings obtained by individual stops were presented. The level of fulfilment of individual evaluation criteria, divided into conducted classification procedures, was also analysed. The implementation of the method in the real system allowed us to assess the correctness of the procedure and the usefulness of the obtained results. The obtained results of the evaluation of bus stops and the fulfilment of individual criteria should constitute the basis for the created schedules of the required ongoing works related to the improvement of public transport passenger safety, but also the creation of long-term plans related to the improvement of the bus stop infrastructure and its adaptation to changing safety requirements and passengers’ expectations.

Association of helmet use with death in motorcycle crashes: a matched-pair cohort study.

The association of helmet use with death in a motorcycle crash can be estimated using matched-pair cohort methods. By estimating effects among naturally matched pairs on the same motorcycle, one can account for potential confounding by motorcycle characteristics, crash characteristics, and other factors that may influence the outcome. The authors used Fatality Analysis Reporting System data, from 1980 through 1998, for motorcycles that crashed with two riders and either the driver or the passenger, or both, died. For their main analysis, the authors estimated the relative risk of death using conditional Poisson regression. The relative risk of death, accounting for the matching on motorcycle and adjusted for age, sex, and seat position, for a helmeted rider compared with an unhelmeted rider was 0.61 (95% confidence interval: 0.54, 0.70). The authors suggest that conditional Poisson regression is useful for the analysis of traffic crash data, where occupants are naturally matched in a vehicle and where crash-related confounders may be difficult or impossible to measure.