Crash Involvement Research Articles

Driving impairment due to psychoactive substances and attention deficit disorder: A pilot study

ObjectiveAttention disorder and substance use disorder are linked to driving impairment and increased road crash involvement. This study explores attention deficits in a population of drivers found driving under the influence (DUI) of psychoactive substances. MethodsA case-control study was conducted comparing subjects with a previous DUI episode (cases) to subjects who were negative for DUI offenses (controls). Personal, socio-demographic, and DUI data were collected for both groups. All subjects were administered the Continuous Performance Test–third edition (CPT-3), which measures dimensions of attention, including inattentiveness, impulsivity, sustained attention, and vigilance. Possible associations with a previous DUI episode, the use of illicit substances or excessive alcohol use, and road crash involvement were analyzed statistically. ResultsOverall, the study included 147 subjects (100 cases, 47 controls). The parameter distributions of detectability, probability of ADHD, and inattentiveness indicated statistical differences between the two groups. No attention deficits predicted substance use disorder or excessive alcohol consumption. Inattentiveness was an independent risk factor for previous road collision involvement. ConclusionsThe results suggest that alterations exist in some attention dimensions in a population of DUI subjects who were users of alcohol or other psychoactive substances and involved in road traffic crashes. The CPT-3 had successfully distinguished between the two study groups, and after validation, it could be useful in the process of reinstating a driver's license. Future research should expand the study sample to better understand the relevance of the proposed methodological approach in terms of prevention, rehabilitation, and the monitoring of subjects evaluated for driving eligibility requirements.

Driving Behaviour, Road Crash Involvement, Working Commute (MyDRIVE) Questionnaire: Testing Data Quality, Scaling Assumptions, Reliability and Validity Among Malaysian Medical Doctors

Introduction: The Driving Behaviour, Road Crash Involvement, Working Commute (MyDRIVE) questionnaire was developed to assess medical doctors’ experience with road crash involvement. The objective of this research was to validate the driving behavioural component of MyDRIVE for medical practitioners in Malaysia. Method: This was a multi-stage study involving item specification, domain specification and domain assessment. Following item pools among the experts, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) members and their contacts who are partially or fully registered with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) were surveyed via an online questionnaire between April 2020 and May 2021. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was done with 150 participants and 824 participants, respectively on separate analysis to ensure the factor validity. We examined the standardized loadings, AVE and CR to determine the convergent validity. The discriminant validity was tested through the Fornell-Larcker matrix. Reliability analysis was performed through Cronbach alpha and composite reliability. Results: EFA resulted in reduction of items from 44 items to 23 items with six constructs. Composite reliability (CR) revealed all domains have a CR of above 0.7, except for Driving Under Alcohol Influence (DAI) (0.605). The remaining factors are Distracted Mind & Negative Emotion (DMNE) (0.843), Safe Driving Habit (SDH) (0.862), Fatigue Driving (FD) (0.903), Recreational & Prescribed Driving (RPD) (0.748), and Driving Under Influence of Caffeine (DCI) (0.836). For discriminant validity the square root of AVE for all constructs were greater than its correlations with other latent constructs. Conclusion: Our study finds the driving behavioural component of the MyDRIVE questionnaire among the Malaysian medical doctors to have good reliability and validity. Future studies should consider using MyDRIVE’s driving behaviour component to assess driving behaviour among doctors.

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder traits in healthy adults associated with brain volumetric data identify precuneus involvement in traffic crashes

This large-scale study including 2548 healthy adults with no clinical attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis intended to clarify the complex relationships between cerebral grey matter volumes (GMVs), ADHD traits, and driving safety behaviours. Path analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results and questionnaires about ADHD traits and traffic crashes over the past decade revealed significant correlations of ADHD traits with different brain regions relevant to different cognitive functions. The left precuneus responsible for visuospatial cognition was the sole region correlated with all ADHD trait categories, suggesting it plays an important role in understanding driving safety and traffic crashes. For the first time, a strong relationship was found among regional GMVs, ADHD traits, and real-life traffic crashes. These insights into the complex interplay may inform the development of an effective intervention with MRI examination to prevent traffic crashes. Large-scale brain volumetric data may further open social applications of behaviour science and neuroimaging.

A surrogate safety analysis at sharp gore areas of diverging freeway ramps using micro simulation under congested traffic conditions

Safety at the gore areas near diverging ramps is very crucial during planning and implementation of highway safety improvement programs. Limited research has been conducted on safety at the gore areas on arterial roads. This study aims at investigating the impact of improving a sharp gore area in Lincoln, Nebraska by performing a micro simulation before-and-after study with respect to its underlying state of safety and congestion. Data on travel times and traffic volumes for peak hours are incorporated after successful calibration to find out how a geometric intervention can decrease mobility issues as well as the likelihood of crash involvement. This study has utilized VISSIM software package to run the simulation however, to perform safety analysis, Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) is used which is developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). During the model calibration, custom driving behaviors are created to represent driving tendencies of familiar drivers. The simulation results indicated that by adding an auxiliary lane near the gore area, the mobility issues such as bottle necks, lane changing dilemmas and queue lengths are substantially decreased. However, geometric interventions such as provision of a separate lane, increasing ramp spacing, nose spacing, deceleration area and queue storage area considerably reduced the likelihood of rear-end and lane changing crashes. Surrogate safety assessment in diverging ramps, particularly for sharp gores, has not previously been studied, and this study can serve as a primary footmark for future research on ramp-gores safety.

Effects of insomnia on risky driving behavior among bus drivers: The mediating effect of mental health

Crashes caused by problems with bus drivers’ physical and mental health have increased in frequency in recent years. Insomnia, a common type of sleep problem, has significant positive relationships with both crash risk and mental health problems, especially anxiety and depression, which are themselves associated with driving behavior. However, few studies have conducted analysis on sleep-related problems and mental health exclusively on bus drivers, nor on how these problems influence driving performance. Thus, this study explored the effect of insomnia and mental health on bus drivers’ risky driving behavior and evaluated the interaction of four variables: insomnia, anxiety, depression, and risky driving behavior. The survey-based investigation was conducted in a bus company in Suzhou, China, with 1,295 bus drivers participating. Insomnia, anxiety, and depression were self-reported based on professional mental health scales and risky driving behaviors were measured by the Driver Behavior Questionnaire. Two mediation models and a chain mediation model were developed to examine relationships among the bus drivers’ insomnia, anxiety, depression, and risky driving behavior. Results revealed that (a) bus drivers less than 31 years old, drivers with more than 11 years’ experience driving buses, and those with crash and violation involvement within three years demonstrated more severe degrees of insomnia, anxiety, depression, and risky driving behavior; (b) there were significant positive correlations and interactions among the four variables. Results specifically related to the interaction among variables include findings that (a) anxiety mediated between insomnia and risky driving behavior; (b) depression mediated between insomnia and risky driving behavior; and (c) anxiety affected bus drivers' risky driving behavior primarily though depression. The findings in this study indicate the importance of regular physical and mental health examination of bus drivers and suggest that interventions focused on insomnia and mental health problems may be helpful to reduce risky driving behaviors of bus drivers both directly and indirectly.

Assessing the effectiveness of autism spectrum disorder roadway warning signs: A case study in New Jersey

In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the prevalence rate for children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in New Jersey is 1 in 35 children, the second highest rate of ASD diagnosis in the country. Children with autism face numerous obstacles, including learning road safety and interacting with road elements that could raise the risk of their traffic crash involvement. Many agencies across the nation have used disability warning signs as a tool to eliminate such risks. However, the effectiveness of these signs has not been explored yet. This study assesses the effectiveness of specific disability warning signs for autism at multiple locations in New Jersey using video and speed data. To investigate all drivers' responses to the ASD warning signs, the study defined two proxies of following the speed limit and applying brakes to show caution, where the events that did not correspond with the defined proxies were recorded as non-compliance events. Additionally, the Mann-Whitney U test was employed to evaluate the effectiveness during the presence and absence of ASD sign. Study results showed a high rate of non-compliance events for both proxies, and no significant difference in the driving speed was observed during the presence and absence of ASD sign. Additionally, the estimated relative risk/rate ratio revealed that the drivers that did not follow the speed limit were 1.5 times more likely not to apply brakes than the drivers who followed the speed limit, representing careless driving behavior in the area with ASD individuals.

The Relative Risk of Alcohol-Involved Crashes as a Function of Time of Day.

Epidemiological research has repeatedly found that alcohol-impaired driving is associated with elevated risk of crash involvement in a dose-response fashion. Although experimental studies show that alcohol impairment of cognitive and psychomotor driving skills is exacerbated by sleep deprivation, there is less evidence that the combination of drowsiness and alcohol predicts actual motor vehicle crashes. We explored this by reanalyzing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Drug and Alcohol Crash Risk Study, constructing separate risk curves for daytime and nighttime hours. Controlling for driver demographics and driving exposure, and excluding other impairing drugs, we observed significantly greater risk of crash during the night versus the day at blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) between approximately .04 and .12 g/dl. Based on fitted point estimates, at .08 g/dl, the risk of crash at night was three times the risk of crash during the day. The association between BACs and crash risk was markedly different during daytime versus nighttime hours. Increased daytime risk was not observed until BACs exceeded the .08 g/dl per se legal limit. Results are interpreted as emphasizing the sedating role of alcohol. Implications are discussed.

1 Benefits of Speed of Processing Training in Older Adults

Objective:Physical, sensory, and cognitive function are all related to successful aging, quality of life, and independence in older age. Decline in cognitive function, in particular, can create difficulty in many Instrumental Activities of Daily Living such as driving and other aspects of everyday function. Loss of driving competence can subsequently lead to depression, isolation, loss of independence and reduced quality of life. Results from a large randomized controlled trial investigating the long-term impact of Speed of Processing Training will be presented demonstrating the impact of such training on cognitive and everyday function. Speed of Processing Training is an adaptive cognitive intervention administered on a computer that improves visual attention, and has been shown to enhance the connections needed for visual attention using task-driven and resting state fMRI.Participants and Methods:The ACTIVE clinical trial recruited a volunteer sample of 2,832 community dwelling older adults between the ages of 65 and 94 years at six different field sites in six different states. This study evaluated the impact of three cognitive interventions targeted at improving cognitive and everyday function which served as contract control conditions for each other. Participants were randomly assigned to speed of processing training, reasoning training, memory training, or a no-contact control group. Follow-up testing was collected in person for ten years, and at twenty years final archival data was collected from the Departments of Motor Vehicles at each of the six field sites, as well as the Medicare/Medicaid data across the twenty years since enrollment. Outcomes included measures of cognitive function, measures of IADL (including crash involvement and driving cessation), and secondary outcomes of mobility (falls, driving habits, life space), quality of life, mortality and health conditions (from Medicare Records).Results:Results will be presented with respect to everyday function including several longitudinal measures of mobility: number of miles driven per year and driving difficulty, rates of driving cessation, and crash involvement. Random effects modelling, cox proportional hazards, and rate ratios will be presented illustrating the positive impact of cognitive training on these outcome measures. In particular, Speed of Processing Training was found to sustain driving competence with respect to continued driving relative to other types of training, and to reduce the risk of crash involvement over ten years. Furthermore, decline in Speed of Processing was the only cognitive measure predictive of crash involvement longitudinally in the no-contact control group. Positive benefits were also observed for Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and depression.Conclusions:The ACTIVE clinical trial, among other studies, has demonstrated that cognitive training can have long-term positive benefit on the everyday abilities, quality of life, and continued independence of older adults.

The adoption and application of Intelligent Speed Assistance by private motorists: User and non-user perspectives

Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) is an in-car system that can help drivers to avoid speeding and therefore reduce crash frequency and severity. ISA systems that intervene to reduce vehicle speeds are increasingly available in new cars. Their efficacy in crash reduction will depend on the extent to which they are adopted and used by motorists. Increasing ISA use is therefore a promising new target for behaviour-change interventions seeking to reduce crash involvement. To provide context for intervention development, this study explored the beliefs and attitudes of 20 car drivers who have intervening ISA systems and 20 that do not. Thematic analysis of interview scripts generated five superordinate themes across both sets of drivers relating to: (1) safety, (2) driver control, (3) choice and enforcement, (4) driver identity and behaviour, and (5) enabling roll-out. ISA acceptability was generally high as long as driver choice around turning off and overriding the system was maintained. Drivers described a number of information needs relating to ISA: increased general awareness of ISA, provision of system-specific information for new ISA drivers and reassurances around non-ISA driver concerns (e.g., the responsiveness of the override and the speed control process). Many drivers indicated that ISA adoption would be facilitated by emphasising personal benefits (e.g., protecting driver licences, reduced insurance premiums, improved fuel efficiency, more relaxed driving) as well as safety advantages.

Substance use and pre-hospital crash injury severity among U.S. older adults: A five-year national cross-sectional study.

Alcohol and drug use (substance use) is a risk factor for crash involvement. To assess the association between substance use and crash injury severity among older adults and how the relationship differs by rurality/urbanicity. We pooled 2017-2021 cross-sectional data from the United States National Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Information System. We measured injury severity (low acuity, emergent, critical, and fatal) predicted by substance use, defined as self-reported or officer-reported alcohol and/or drug use. We controlled for age, sex, race/ethnicity, road user type, anatomical injured region, roadway crash, rurality/urbanicity, time of the day, and EMS response time. We performed a partial proportional ordinal logistic regression and reported the odds of worse injury outcomes (emergent, critical, and fatal injuries) compared to low acuity injuries, and the predicted probabilities by rurality/urbanicity. Our sample consisted of 252,790 older adults (65 years and older) road users. Approximately 67%, 25%, 6%, and 1% sustained low acuity, emergent, critical, and fatal injuries, respectively. Substance use was reported in approximately 3% of the population, and this proportion did not significantly differ by rurality/urbanicity. After controlling for patient, crash, and injury characteristics, substance use was associated with 36% increased odds of worse injury severity. Compared to urban areas, the predicted probabilities of emergent, critical, and fatal injuries were higher in rural and suburban areas. Substance use is associated with worse older adult crash injury severity and the injury severity is higher in rural and suburban areas compared to urban areas.

Do Dynamic speed feedback signs impact drivers differently based on speeding tendencies? Insights from applications at select critical roadway contexts

The effects of a traffic control devices on drivers at different speed percentiles, particularly on the faster drivers, are of specific interest due to their higher likelihood of crash involvement. A study was designed to evaluate how the dynamic speed feedback signs (DSFS) affect drivers while transitioning from a high-speed to a low-speed environment. A total of 5 sites were selected, which included a freeway exit ramp, two speed transition zones, and two high-speed rural highway curves. Vehicle speed profiles approaching and entering these critical locations were collected before and after installing the DSFS. Based on the tracked speed of the free-flowing vehicles before the influence area, drivers were categorized as slower drivers, average drivers, and faster drivers using the 15th and 85th percentile speed at each site. Overall, installing the DSFS resulted in a significant reduction in speed across all locations for all sites. Drivers were found to reduce their speed while approaching the curve, traversing through the speed transition zones, and entering the curves or reduced speed limit areas. Results showed that faster drivers tend to reduce speed more than the average or slower drivers at every location. The faster drivers also reacted to the sign earlier compared to the slower or average drivers. The overall results are encouraging as they indicate that DSFS impact faster drivers more, which can ultimately reduce speeding-related crashes when transitioning from a high-speed environment. Based on the findings, the continued use of DSFS as a speed reduction strategy is recommended.

Drivers' reported crash history, sensitivity to reward and punishment, personality, and demographics: A case study in Iran

Although numerous studies have been carried out on driving behaviors and people's distinguishing qualities and traits, the association between people's sensitivity to reward/punishment and crash involvement has been ignored. Therefore, this study explores the role of such factors as personality traits (introversion/extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism), driver's risky behavior, driver's attitude, sensitivity to reward/punishment, and demographic characteristics of drivers involved in road traffic crashes. 425 Iranian motorists completed a comprehensive questionnaire package which included the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Sensitivity to Punishment and Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ), Manchester Driving Behavior Questionnaire (MDBQ), and items on safety attitude, and drivers’ demographic characteristics. Structural equation model results indicated that introversion, sensitivity to punishment, (safe) attitudes towards safety, (safe) driving behavior, age, and driving experience correlate with lower crash frequency (lower reported crash history). In contrast, extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism, and sensitivity to reward were factors related to higher reported crash history. This study further informs our understanding of the factors that contribute to higher crash risk among Iranian drivers, and may therefore assist the development of interventions to reduce road crashes.

An exploratory investigation into the influence of risk factors on driver injury severity in angle crashes: A random parameter bivariate ordered probit model approach

Objective Angle crashes have been acknowledged as a concerning issue in the traffic safety field, though there is limited understanding of the contributions of risk factors to injury severity. This article aims to examine the impact of risk factors and unobserved heterogeneity on the severity of driver injuries in angle collisions by utilizing angle crash data in the United States from 2016 to 2021. Methods The relationship between risk factors and driver injury severities in angle crashes was investigated using a random parameter bivariate ordered probit model (RPBOP) with 4 categories of injury severity classified as outcome variables, including no injury, possible injury, minor injury, and serious jury. Risk factors were considered as explanatory variables, classified as driver characteristics, vehicle characteristics, road characteristics, environmental characteristics, time characteristics, and crash characteristics. Bayesian inference was used to assess the unobserved heterogeneity in risk factors, and marginal effects were computed to analyze the effect of each factor on injury outcomes. Results The findings demonstrate that risk factors have varying effects on driver involvement in angle crashes. Certain factors exhibited unobserved heterogeneity, including young drivers (ages 25–44), older drivers (over age 59), road grade, and collision point orientation. On the other hand, other factors, such as female gender, motorcycles, intersections, speed limit (>50 mph), poor lighting conditions, adverse weather, urban areas, and workdays, were shown to significantly increase the likelihood of driver injury in angle collisions, as well as increase susceptibility to fatal injury. Conclusions This article offers new insights into reducing driver injuries in angle crashes and has the potential to inform policy development aimed at preventing such incidents. Further research could utilize multisource data fusion and investigate the spatiotemporal stability of risk factors to enhance the generalizability of angle collision prevention strategies.

Seeing through eyes of Drivers: Space consideration in investigating visibility of Vulnerable road users involved in crashes from Driver’s perspective

Vulnerable Road User’s (VRUs) invisibility by vehicle drivers hasn’t been well explored despite having a substantial influence on crash involvement and resulting severity level. Additionally, obtaining comparison crashes for analysis of the VRU invisibility has been a challenge. For that reason, this study used crashes that occurred between 2017 and 2022 in Ohio to understand VRU invisibility from the driver’s perspective. The study further proposes the comparison of crashes as those that occurred within 250 feet of the crashes involving drivers not seeing the VRU. Two logistic regression models, one for the entire dataset (full model) and the second for only crashes that occurred within 250 feet (space-constrained model), were developed. It was found that the results from the full model and space-constrained model differ significantly in terms of the magnitude and the direction of the effect. Using the space-constrained model, the topmost key factors associated with the highest likelihood of VRU invisibility are lighting conditions, pre-action of the driver, and senior VRU involvement. Further, text network analysis was performed to understand the key reasons for VRU invisibility. The text network revealed that the VRU invisibility related to left turning pre-action was due to the driver’s failure to yield at an intersection’s pedestrian crossing. Further, the most invisible VRUs in the dark conditions were on the side of the roadway. Additionally, drivers backing up were more likely to report that they did not see pedestrians walking behind them. Lastly, senior-related crashes were associated with crossing in front of turning vehicles. The findings can be utilized to enhance VRU visibility at various locations to improve safety.

Non-fatal traffic crashes among food delivery riders in Vietnam: What is the problem?

Objective The rapid development of information technologies and the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in the proliferation of online food shopping and food delivery motorcyclists. In contrast to the relatively ample literature on factors influencing fatalities and risky riding behaviors of food delivery motorcyclists, little is known about the determinants of non-fatal crashes involving online food delivery riders. The present study examines the prevalence and factors of non-fatal crashes among food delivery riders. Methods The self-reported data of 393 online food delivery riders were collected in Hanoi and Hochiminh city, Vietnam. Binary logit regression was used to investigate the factors associated with non-fatal crashes. Results The findings showed that more than half of riders (54%) reported being involved in at least one crash in the last 12 months. The most common risky riding behaviors associated with the crashes included using a mobile phone while riding, neglecting turn signals, red-light running, riding when tired/sleepy, and speeding. The riders who were national migrants, married, and worked on planned delivery routes mainly alone were more likely to experience crashes. At the same time, adequate perceived rewards for their work prevent crash involvement. Perceived risk was not a significant predictor of self-reported crashes. Conclusions Ensuring road safety for delivery riders requires a systemic effort involving multiple stakeholders, and the private sector plays a crucial role in discouraging risky riding behaviors. It is imperative for the government and regulatory bodies to redefine the delivery job to alleviate the strain on riders and provide resources such as rewards. Specifically, riders should be considered employees rather than partners. Furthermore, it is crucial for the police to take a more active role in preventing dangerous behaviors among delivery riders, such as running red lights. At the same time, supporting financial strategies should be implemented for delivery riders, particularly for those who are migrants or married and may face additional challenges.

Exploring the factors affecting electric bicycle riders' working conditions and crash involvement in Ningbo, China

Exploring the factors affecting electric bicycle riders' working conditions and crash involvement in Ningbo, China

Associations between vision impairment and vision-related interventions on crash risk and driving cessation: systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivesTo systematically investigate the associations between vision impairment and risk of motor vehicle crash (MVC) involvement, and evaluate vision-related interventions to reduce MVCs.DesignMedline (Ovid), EMBASE and Global Health electronic databases...

The expression of driving anger in a sample of Italian drivers

This study examined the factor structure and the psychometric properties of the Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX) in a large sample of Italian drivers. After removing several items and allowing six error pairs to correlate, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (n = 1007) supported a four-factor solution that broadly confirmed the four original factors, and this was confirmed in a second group (N = 1047) of drivers. The three aggressive factors (physical aggressive expression, use of a vehicle and verbal aggressive expression) were positively related, while the adaptive/constructive subscale was negatively related to measures of trait anger and aggressive driving. In addition, younger drivers reported engaging in the aggressive forms of expression more frequently, while older drivers reported more frequently engaging in the adaptive/constructive form of expression. Finally, those who had crashed in the past three years reported more frequently engaging in the three aggressive forms of expression, while those that had not crashed reported more frequently engaging in the adaptive/constructive form of expression. Although the DAX factors showed moderate correlations with social desirability, the associations between the different forms of driving anger expression, aggressive driving and crash involvement remained significant when controlling for socially desirable responding.

A comprehensive study of child pedestrian crash outcomes in Ghana

Pedestrians are considered as one of the vulnerable road user groups. Among pedestrians of all ages, children are the most at risk. Previous studies have shown that children have inadequate knowledge of road safety and are unable to identify risks on road. Despite these limitations associated with children, society places the burden on them to protect themselves. However, to be able to adequately address child pedestrian safety issues there is the need to understand the factors that influence their crash involvement and severity of injury they sustain. To address this gap, this study performed a comprehensive analysis of historical crash data in Ghana to find holistic countermeasures for these crashes. The study used five years of child pedestrian (below 10 years) crash records obtained from the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI) in Ghana. A temporal analysis of the data revealed that the highest number of the crashes coincide with when school-going children go to and close from school. A random parameter multinomial logit model was developed to identify crash variables that are significantly associated with child pedestrian crash outcomes. The estimation results revealed that children are likely to be killed in crashes when the driver is speeding and inattentive. Also, it was found that children walking along the road, crossing the road, and those in urban areas are more susceptible to incapacitating injury crashes. Male drivers accounted for 95.8% of child pedestrian crashes, and crashes involving male drivers are 7.8% more likely to be fatal.The findings from this study provide a deeper, data-driven understanding of child pedestrian crashes and how temporal characteristics, vehicle type, location of pedestrian, traffic operation, and environmental and human factors affect crash outcomes. These findings will help in developing countermeasures like providing conspicuous pedestrian crossings, footbridges on multi-lane high-speed roadways, and the use of school buses to convey students to help mitigate the number and severity of child pedestrian crashes in Ghana, and by extension other countries in the sub-region.

Analysis of duration between crashes using a hazard-based duration approach with heterogeneity in means and variances: Some new evidence

This paper provides new evidence for the factors underlying crash involvement by modeling the time duration between crashes for drivers involved in one or more crashes between 2016 and 2020. Several random parameter hazard-based duration models with heterogeneous means and variances are presented. Among this study’s other findings, the results show that male drivers had a higher risk of being involved in one crash than female drivers (among drivers involved in only one crash). Female drivers were more likely to be involved in higher-order crashes however. Among female drivers involved in only one crash, millennials had the highest crash risk. However, baby boomers and Gen Z drivers had a greater risk of being involved in a crash than millennials or Gen X drivers, whether male or female. The analysis presents evidence for distinct crash risk patterns in men and women and among different age groups. The lagged duration dependence indicates that the longer the time from a previous crash, the sooner the driver will be involved in their next crash. In addition, the lagged duration dependence suggests two types of dependencies. The first is profound dependency. Drivers with this type of dependency tended to be tier-three male millennials, tier-three Gen X drivers, tier-three Gen Z drivers, or tier-four male millennials. The second is shallow dependency. Drivers with this type of dependency tended to be tier-three female millennials, tier-four male Gen X drivers, and tier-five male millennials. The likelihood of a crash was almost independent of the time that had transpired without a crash for those involved in more than one crash. Estimation results also revealed that crash survivors showed different subsequent behavior. Surviving a severe crash and experiencing crashes involving multiple vehicles may lead to hazardous habituation among male millennials. Moreover, many drivers seemed to alter their behavior after the first crash, particularly male and female drivers involved in one crash only. Other drivers did not show any behavioral changes, including tier-three female millennials, tier-four male Gen X, and tier-five male millennials, who had a shallow lagged dependency, and their likelihood of a crash was almost independent of the time that transpired without a crash.