Fatal Crashes Research Articles

Reduce Speed Limits to Minimize Potential Harm and Maximize the Health Benefits of Street Trees

Urban greening is threatened by the concern that street trees increase traffic-related injury/death. Associations between all serious and fatal traffic crashes and street tree percentages were examined in Sydney, Australia. Associations were adjusted for confounding factors relating to driver behavior (speeding, fatigue, and use of alcohol) and road infrastructure, including alignment (e.g., straight, curved), surface condition (e.g., dry, wet, ice), type (e.g., freeway, roundabout), and speed limit. Models indicated that 10% more street trees were associated with 3% and 20% higher odds of serious or fatal injuries and 20% tree collisions on roads of any speed, respectively. However, further analysis stratified by speed limit revealed contrasting results. Along roads of 70 km/h or greater, 10% more street trees were associated with 8% higher odds of serious or fatal injury and 25% higher odds of death. Comparable associations were not found between street trees and serious or fatal injuries along roads below 70 km/h. Reducing speed limits below 70 km/h saves lives and may mitigate risks of serious or fatal traffic accidents associated with street trees, enabling greener, cooler, healthier cities.

Case–control study of fatal bicycle crashes in peri-urban areas of Delhi

ObjectivesThere is a lack of evidence on interventions to improve the safety of cycling use in low- and middle-income countries. We investigated the impact of road design and traffic characteristics...

Spatial Cluster Analysis of the Social Determinants of Health and Fatal Crashes Involving US Geriatric and Non-Geriatric Road Users

Spatial Cluster Analysis of the Social Determinants of Health and Fatal Crashes Involving US Geriatric and Non-Geriatric Road Users

Traffic Congestion and Safety: Mixed Effects on Total and Fatal Crashes

This paper examines the effects of traffic congestion on total crashes, fatal or serious injury (FSI) crashes, and fatal-only crashes in peak periods using a zone-level safety analysis in Greater Melbourne. Bayesian mixed-effect negative binomial models are employed to investigate the relationship between a congestion index and the frequency of total and FSI crashes. In addition, Bayesian mixed-effect binary logistic models are adopted to explore the association between the congestion index and the likelihood of having fatal crashes in Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) zones. Modelling results indicate that traffic congestion tends to increase total crashes in both the AM and PM peak periods and FSI crashes in the AM peak period. In contrast, traffic congestion tends to decrease the likelihood of having fatal crashes at both the AM and PM peaks. These findings suggest that many policies to reduce traffic congestion may also enhance road safety by lowering the overall number of crashes. However, it is crucial to incorporate careful speed management within these policies to reduce the risk of fatal crashes effectively.

Toxic marriage – Boeing and McDonnell Douglas

Research methodology Public data such as news reports, interviews and memos were used to craft the case. In addition, the technical reports released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), along with secondary data in the form of expert accounts and congressional hearings were used to round out the synopsis of the case study. Case overview/synopsis This case explores the Boeing–McDonnell Douglas merger and its impact on Boeing’s corporate culture, ethics and strategic decision-making. After the merger, Boeing shifted from a culture focused on engineering excellence to one emphasizing cost-cutting and shareholder value. This cultural shift contributed to the development failures and ethical lapses that resulted in the 737 MAX crisis, which involved two fatal crashes. The case is designed for courses in Strategic Management or Organizational Behavior. Complexity academic level Strategic Management or Organizational Behavior

Evaluation of SSF, Roof Crush Test as an Alternative to Dynamic Rollover Test using Numerical Approach

Rollover accidents are classified into various scenarios, and with the increasing prevalence of high-centre-of-gravity (CG) vehicles in Southeast Asia (SEA) particularly in Malaysia, such as SUVs, MPVs and pickup trucks; assessing vehicle rollover risk has become critical. Even though rollover incident recorded low number of cases compared to other crash types in Malaysia, it had the highest casualty index for killed or seriously injured (KSI) and the situation induces worries because majority of the fatalities in rollover crashes among passenger vehicle occupants goes to high CG vehicle type. There are several limitations from the SEA nations to enforce costly dynamic rollover test as safety specification for SEA market requirement. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate Static Stability Factor (SSF), and roof resistance test (FMVSS 216), as an alternative to the dolly rollover test (FMVSS 208) using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). A correlated Chevrolet Silverado MY 2014 model is employed, with different SSF values representing varying levels of vehicle stability. The study evaluates peak force, peak energy absorption, and maximum intrusion during rollover simulations according to FMVSS 208 for vehicle models with different SSF values. Results indicated that vehicles with lower SSF values lead to higher energy absorption and intrusion, signifying increased rollover impact. Additionally, the article suggests that FMVSS 216 Roof Resistance Test is more severe than FMVSS 208 and vehicle rating system based on SSF value is vital for market awareness. Understanding the vehicle structural integration in rollover scenarios is essential for improving safety measures and vehicle design, especially for high-centre-of-gravity vehicles prevalent in the market.

Factors Affecting Single and Multivehicle Motorcycle Crashes: Insights from Day and Night Analysis Using XGBoost-SHAP Algorithm

This study aimed to identify and compare the risk factors associated with motorcycle crash severity during both daytime and nighttime, for single and multivehicle incidents in Thailand using 2021–2024 data. The research employed the XGBoost (Extreme Gradient Boosting) method for statistical analysis and extensively examined the temporal instability of risk factors. The results highlight the importance of features impacting the injury severity of roadway collisions across various conditions. For single motorcycle crashes, the key risk factors included speeding, early morning incidents, off-road events, and long holidays. In multivehicle crashes, rear-end collisions, interactions with large vehicles, and collisions involving other motorcycles or passenger cars were linked to increased injury severity. The findings indicate that the important factors associated with motorcyclist injury severity in roadway crashes vary depending on the type of crash and time of day. These insights are valuable for policymakers and relevant authorities in developing targeted interventions to enhance road safety and mitigate the incidence of severe and fatal motorcycle crashes.

Understanding the role of the COVID-19 pandemic on risky driving behavior and injury severity of drivers: Embracing heterogeneity in means and variances

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered global mobility patterns, leading to a marked decrease in travel activities worldwide. In the United States, travel demand fell notably, contributing to a 22% reduction in overall crashes in 2020 compared to the prior year. In Oregon, vehicle miles traveled dropped by 10.8%, and crashes decreased by 23.9%, yet fatalities increased by 2.63%. This rise in fatal crashes is linked to altered driving behaviors, including aggressive, distracted, and impaired driving.This study investigates factors related to risky driving behavior-induced crashes in Oregon during the pandemic. Utilizing a random parameters multinomial logit model that accommodates heterogeneity, we found significant correlations between reckless behaviors—such as driving without a license, speeding, and neglecting to use restraints—and the severity of injuries. Our findings indicate temporal instability in factors contributing to injury severity. In 2019, severe injuries were more common in crashes involving drug use, drivers aged 45–54, and in speed zones of 45–55 mph. In 2020, young drivers under 25 and night-time crashes on lit streets were more likely to result in severe injuries. This research sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 on driver behavior and injury severity, particularly concerning aggressive driving. The identified risk factors are crucial for state and federal agencies to enhance road safety measures and ensure safer environments for all road users.

Endogeneity of pedestrian survival time and emergency medical service response time: Variations across disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged communities

The Vision Zero-Safe Systems Approach prioritizes fast access to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to improve the survivability of road users in transportation crashes, especially concerning the recent increase in pedestrian-involved crashes. Pedestrian crashes resulting in immediate or early death are considerably more severe than those taking longer. The time gap between injury and fatality is known as survival time, and it heavily relies on EMS response time. The characteristics of the crash location may be associated with EMS response and survival time. A US Department of Transportation initiative identifies communities often facing challenges. Six disadvantaged community (DAC) indicators, including economy, environment, equity, health, resilience, and transportation access, enable an analysis of how survival and EMS response times vary across DACs and non-DACs. To this end, this study created a unique and comprehensive database by linking DACs data with 2017–2021 pedestrian-involved fatal crashes. This study utilizes two-stage residual inclusion models with segmentation for DACs and non-DACs accounting for the endogenous relationship between EMS response and pedestrian survival time. The results indicate that EMS response time is higher and pedestrian survival time is lower in DACs than in non-DACs. A delayed EMS response time is associated with a greater reduction in survival time in DACs compared to non-DACs. Factors, e.g., nighttime and interstate crashes, contribute to higher EMS response time, while pedestrian drugs, driver speeding, and hit-and-run behaviors are associated with a greater reduction in survival time in DACs than non-DACs. The implications of the findings are discussed in the paper.

Potential of heavy goods vehicle countermeasures to reduce the number of fatalities in crashes with vulnerable road users in Sweden

Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) are involved in a large share of all serious and fatal collisions. Among these, about 30% are collisions involving Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential of Heavy Goods Vehicle countermeasures to prevent fatalities with vulnerable road users in Sweden. Both the General Safety Regulation (GSR) and coming Euro NCAP test program were taken into account. Furthermore, elaboration on existing passive HGV safety systems were used to investigate any additive benefit. The Swedish Transport Administration carry out in-depth studies of all road fatalities. All in-depth studies for the period 2015–2020 were analysed retrospectively by a consensus group of three analysts, to assess the effectiveness of 22 active and passive safety systems. For each technology, target populations and boundary conditions were defined in order to facilitate the assessment. In total, 63 fatal crashes were found, compiled of 28 pedestrians, 13 bicyclists and 22 Powered Two Wheelers (PTWs, i.e. motorcyclists and moped riders). Overall, it was found that active and passive safety technologies could prevent up to 59% (37/63) of the included fatalities. For pedestrians, the potential of improved HGV driver vision, both with a surround view system and an improved direct vision, would have the larger potential to save lives. For bicyclists where the turn-right scenario is overrepresented, the implementation of Advanced Emergency Braking in junctions and Blind Spot Information Systems had the highest potential to save lives. For passive safety systems, HGV wheel protection had a potential to save many bicyclists by preventing them from being run over. Crash scenarios involving a PTW are the most challenging to address with HGV safety systems, mostly due to high PTW speed. Nevertheless, wheel protection on the HGV could save the lives of PTW drivers, by preventing them from being overrun. The present study showed that the included active and passive safety technologies for Heavy Goods Vehicles could prevent 59% of fatalities among vulnerable road users in Sweden. The fatalities not targeted by the HGV safety technologies included in the study would need other countermeasures such as connected safety technology (e.g. V2V or V2I), infrastructure, or education.

Role of the Built Environment, Roadway Characteristics, and Socioeconomic Factors in Keeping Teen Drivers Safe: An Investigation of the Factors Most Related to Teen Driver Fatalities

The role of engineering, through infrastructure design, is known to influence safe driving behavior generally, yet the areas of possible intervention that could improve safe outcomes for teens are less understood. It is critical to identify interventions specific to teens, as they have different driving risk factors than more seasoned drivers, and motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death among teens in the United States. We examined 5,210 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2019 in Ohio using Fatality Analysis Reporting System data. We employed multinomial logistic regression to associate the likelihood of fatal crashes involving younger teens (16 to 17 years old) or older teens (18 to 19 years old) relative to adults (20 years and older) with built environment, socioeconomic, and roadway characteristics at crash locations. Separating crashes into the two groups of teens allowed us to distinguish the possible impact of training, as younger teens are mandated to undergo driving education and behind-the-wheel training under Ohio’s graduated driver licensing laws. We found that compared with neighborhood socioeconomics, built environment factors were more significant predictors of the likelihood of fatal crashes involving younger teens compared with adults. Specifically, fatal crashes at locations with lower road density and more diverse land use were more likely to involve younger teens. Although these results could be related to a mix of younger teen driver behavior and exposure factors, the finding highlights that improving the safety of local roads in urban and rural settings could help stem teen driving fatalities.

Identifying the reciprocal causation between hit-and-run behavior and crash injury severity

Objective Hit-and-run behavior is believed to exacerbate the injury severity of traffic crashes due to the delayed emergency response for the victims. However, several previous studies indicated the opposite finding that hit-and-run crashes were associated with less severe injuries. The relevant studies mainly identified the statistical associations between hit-and-run behavior and injury severity without revealing causation between them. To this end, the study aims to explore the reciprocal causation between the two variables. Method The two-stage probit model with endogenous regressors is employed to identify the reciprocal causation between hit-and-run behavior and crash injury severity for single- and two-vehicle crashes, respectively, with the use of crash data extracted from the Crash Report Sampling System and Fatality Analysis Reporting System (2016-2019). Results The results indicate that 1) for both single- and two-vehicle crashes, the fleeing behavior can significantly increase the injury severity of the victims in the crashes while the severe injury of the victims has a negative impact on the propensity of such behavior, 2) the propensity of hit-and-run behavior is influenced by various instrumental variables such as driver age, gender, alcohol involvement, weekday, area type, and light condition, and 3) crash injury severity is significantly related to the victim age, gender, and vehicle damage. Conclusions There is a reciprocal causation between hit-and-run behavior and injury severity in traffic crashes. The analytical results can provide a reasonable explanation for the counterintuitive finding on hit-an-run crashes and help mitigate the injury severity.

Effect of ESC (electronic stability control) on tree and pole impacts with focus on rear impacts

ObjectiveThe effect of ESC (Electronic Stability Control) was investigated for the rate of crash exposure, serious injury and fatality in pole and tree impacts. Field data was analyzed by crash type (front, side, rear and rollover) and model year (MY) before, during and after the implementation of ESC. MethodsThe number of pole and tree impacts was determined for four groups of vehicle model years (MY): 1981–1989 MY and 1990–2002 MY before the introduction of ESC, 2003–2009 during the phase-in of ESC and 2010–2020 MY after essentially all vehicles were equipped with ESC. Collisions were grouped by front, side, rear and rollover. Three databases were analyzed: 1990–2020 FARS, 1990–2015 NASS-CDS and 2017–2020 CISS. Vehicle registration was obtained from IHS Markit to determine the rate of pole and tree impacts per 100,000 registered vehicles. The same vehicle selection criteria was used for vehicle registration and crash data. ResultsFatalities dropped 65.2 % (95 % CI, 63.0–67.4 %), z = 43.7, p < 0.001 into poles and 60.3 % (95 % CI, 59.0–61.5 %), z = 72.4, p < 0.001 into trees in vehicles equipped with ESC comparing 1990–2002 MY to 2010–2020 MY vehicles. Seriously injured occupants in crashes with poles dropped 75.9 % (95 % CI, 75.0–76.9 %), z = 116, p < 0.001 between 1990 and 2002 MY and 2010–2020 MY vehicles. There was a 65.2 % (95 % CI, 64.4–65.9 %), z = 141, p < 0.001 reduction in tree impacts. The crash exposure to pole impacts dropped 36.0 % (95 % CI, 35.8–36.3 %), z = 252, p < 0.001 from 80.77/100,000 registered vehicles in 1990–2002 MY vehicles to 51.69/100,000 in 2010–2020 MY vehicles. There was a 61.0 % (95 % CI, 60.8–61.2 %), z = 434, p < 0.001 reduction in tree impacts. For rear impacts, fatalities dropped 82.9 % (95 % CI, 71.3–94.4 %), z = 9.37, p < 0.001 into poles and 74.8 % (95 % CI, 67.8–81.9 %), z = 14.8, p < 0.001 into trees. Serious-injury in rear impacts with poles and trees were essentially eliminated in 2010–2020 MY vehicle crashes. There were significant drops in fatalities in side and frontals impacts and rollovers in vehicles equipped with ESC. ConclusionESC helps the driver maintain vehicle heading and significantly reduced the rate of serious injury and fatality in off-road impacts with poles and trees. The benefits of ESC may not be realized with impairments when the driver does not appropriately steer the vehicle.

Drivers’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Towards Traffic Rules and Regulations

Research frequently reports that the majority of crashes (up to 80%), are the fault of drivers. Further, the WHO reports that most fatal crashes occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). In LMIC, including Pakistan, most drivers have low levels of knowledge about traffic rules and regulations, have negative attitudes towards rules and regulations and often violate road safety rules. This study used a structured survey of drivers in Karachi, Pakistan (n=260). Most respondents were aware that helmet use for motorbike riders is compulsory (74.6%), agreed it was important to follow road signs (74.2%) and wear a seat belt (64.6%). However, over half did not know the speed limit in residential areas (54.6%) and almost half considered drug use when driving was not dangerous or were against the penalty or fine for violation of traffic laws (45.4%). In addition, 45.8% of all drivers thought driving licenses were unnecessary. This study suggests there may be low levels of driver knowledge of certain road rules (e.g. speed limit), negative attitudes about certain safe driving practices (drug driving), and low levels of value placed on driving license in Karachi, Pakistan. Analysis suggest that knowledge and attitude affect driver practices in Karachi, Pakistan. Strengthening enforcement and related public communication measures about traffic rules and greater penalties that are sufficiently deterring for the violators of the traffic rules is needed. There must also be a formal mechanism to issue the driving licence after a proper test of the knowledge of road rules and driving following those rules.

Circumstances and Pathological Findings in Civilian Helicopter-Related Fatalities.

Helicopters are used worldwide in a range of commercial and private industries and are particularly useful in northern Australia due to the sparse population scattered over large distances with remote regions difficult to access by any other means of transport. Nine civilian helicopter-related fatalities were reported to the Northern Territory coroner between January 2004 and December 2023. The victims were all male (age range, 34-74 years; mean, 52 years). All fatal crashes occurred in remote areas, the majority on cattle stations. Pilots were the sole occupants in 5/9 incidents; in 4 incidents, there were injured survivors. All fatal incidents involved Robinson piston engine helicopters (Robinson R44 models in 2 incidents and Robinson R22 models in the remaining 7). Scene investigations, postmortem examinations, and ancillary investigations were frequently hampered by decomposition of the remains, resulting from difficult search operations and delayed location, retrieval, and storage. Head injuries were present in all cases with chest and spinal injuries in more than half. Integrated assessment of injuries with toxicological and aviation investigations facilitated understanding of the crash dynamics.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of three different interventions on older driver safety over a 12-month period: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionThe growing population of older drivers presents challenges for road safety attributed to age-related declines and increased crash fatality rates. However, enabling older people to maintain their health and independence...

The Impact of Climate Change on Road Traffic Crashes in Ghana.

Despite the substantial injuries and fatalities from Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs), evidence of climate change's impact on RTCs in Ghana is lacking. This study assessed the impact of climate change on RTCs in Ghana by combining quantitative (Mann-Kendall trend tests, Continuous Wavelet Transform analysis, causal inference analysis) and qualitative (15 key stakeholder interviews) methods. The quantitative analysis employed monthly rainfall and temperature data (1991-2021) alongside RTC data (1998-2021) across 10 regions. While rainfall trends varied regionally, the wet season (April through mid-October) showed a strong link to crash severity for all regions across Ghana. Wavelet analysis showed higher crash severity in the wet season within every 2-8 months period in a particular annual year during the study period. Causal inference analysis revealed rainfall's stronger influence (3.59%) on fatal crashes during the wet season compared to temperature (0.04%). Key stakeholder interviews highlighted perceived changes in temperature and intense rainfall patterns affecting RTCs, especially during rainy seasons suggesting an association between increased rainfall and crash severity. These findings emphasize the multifaceted role of climate change on road safety and the need to address weather-specific risks.

Pedestrian and Car Occupant Crash Casualties Over a 9-Year Span of Vision Zero in New York City

Vision Zero has been increasingly embraced by jurisdictions across the United States. Existing research primarily focuses on the theoretical principles and effectiveness of specific engineering measures. However, there is limited understanding of the holistic effects of Vision Zero treatments, in the context of street type and urban environment. We developed a street typology framework to categorize street segments using four design and operational features: street width, traffic direction (one- versus two-way), number of travel lanes, and presence of on-street parking. We applied a sample-based partitioning around medoids algorithm to classify 90,327 street segments in New York City. This process results in six distinctive types of street segment. To integrate neighborhood-level factors (e.g., land use variables and sociodemographics), we aggregated street segments of a given street type for each neighborhood. Negative binomial regression models were developed for pedestrian and car occupant crash injuries and fatalities separately for three periods: 2014 to 2016, 2017 to 2019, and 2020 to 2022. Our findings showed that street-segment groups with narrower, two-way sections and greater tree canopy coverage were significantly associated with a lower risk of casualties for both pedestrians and motorized users. Street-segment groups located in neighborhoods with a larger percentage of African American and Hispanic American residents experienced a significantly greater risk of casualties. Vision Zero treatments had mixed effects on safety outcomes. Streets treated with leading pedestrian intervals showed a lower risk of casualties. Neighborhood- and arterial slow zones were associated with a lower risk of car occupant casualties.

Identification of Risk Factors for Severe Younger and Older Driver Crashes in Massachusetts

Systemic safety analysis is a comprehensive and proactive approach to identifying and addressing high-risk roadway features and crash types that contribute to severe crashes. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation identified 14 emphasis areas for systemic improvement, including younger and older driver crashes. Research was undertaken to conduct separate comprehensive analyses of fatal and serious injury crashes involving younger and older drivers, using a systemic safety approach to develop risk factors and identify critical locations within the state. The study utilized crash, roadway, driver’s license, citation, healthy aging, and environmental justice data from various sources. Negative binomial regression models were developed to relate crash frequency with town-specific traffic, behavior, and site characteristics, considering exposure and spatial variance. The findings highlighted the significance of multiple risk factors contributing to severe crash frequency. For younger drivers, the presence of young drivers in the town, risk-taking behaviors such as unbelted and impaired driving, and infrastructure characteristics, particularly high-speed facilities and historically underinvested infrastructure, were key contributors to crash frequency. Older drivers’ crash frequency was influenced by the presence of older drivers, healthy aging indicators, risk-taking behaviors, and high-speed facilities. Based on the model results, risk scores were developed for each variable in the model and applied to each town. Towns were ranked using percentile ranking to classify them into primary and secondary risk categories. The towns identified in the primary risk category (18 towns in the top 5 percentiles) captured approximately 13.5% of severe younger driver crashes and 14.5% of severe older driver crashes.

Uncovering pedestrian midblock crash severity patterns using association rules mining

The current study investigated the contributing factors and temporal variation in pedestrian crashes at midblock, with a particular focus on the severity levels: fatal/severe, moderate injury, and minor/no injury. It used association rules mining to uncover patterns between crash-contributing factors. By generating, evaluating, and visualising association rules for each severity level within each cluster, significant findings were discovered. Significant associations are observed between fatal crashes on weekdays and factors such as alcohol or drug impairment and nighttime. Similarly, factors including one-way roadway type, summer, and 25 MPH posted speed limit have a strong association with moderate injury crashes during weekdays. On weekends, nighttime crashes with non-motorised vehicles have the strongest association with fatal/severe injury crashes. Moreover, the generated rules for nighttime pedestrian fatal/severe injury crashes highlighted physical or drug-impaired pedestrians as the predominant attribute. The findings can enhance pedestrian safety at midblocks through targeted interventions.