Vehicle-pedestrian Accidents Research Articles

Is Elastic Stable Intramedullary Nailing a Viable Treatment Option for Diaphyseal Fractures of the Humerus in Adults? A 29-case Series Prospective Study.

Humerus shaft fractures are common in orthopaedic practice. The emphasis in treatment has shifted from prolonged immobilisation to early mobilisation and internal fixation when needed for a quicker return to normal function. Internal fixation methods include plate osteosynthesis and intramedullary nailing. This study specifically evaluated the effectiveness of flexible intramedullary nails in treating diaphyseal humeral fractures. Between April 2007 and January 2010, Alexandria University Hospital treated 29 patients (21 males, 8 females) with diaphyseal humeral fractures. Treatment involved closed reduction and percutaneous fixation using two flexible nails. Patients, aged 17 to 65 with a mean age of 32, were included if they did not have pathological fractures, were above 16 years old, and were medically suitable. Causes included pedestrian vehicle accidents (17 cases) and falls or sports-related activities (12 cases). Surgical intervention occurred 1 to 8 days after the injury. Between April 2007 and January 2010, Alexandria University Hospital treated 29 patients (21 males, 8 females) for diaphyseal humeral fractures using closed reduction and percutaneous fixation with two flexible nails. Patients, aged 17 to 65, were monitored for an average of 18 months. Radiographic assessments showed complete union in nineteen fractures within 13 to 21 weeks. One patient experienced non-union but was successfully treated with bone grafting and plating. There were no significant intraoperative complications. Notably, four patients with preoperative radial nerve injuries recovered within 6 to 8 weeks. Evaluation using the Stewart and Hundley Scoring technique showed excellent outcomes for 60% of patients, good outcomes for 30%, fair outcomes for 5%, and poor outcomes for 5%. 1.The Elastic Stable Intramedullary Nailing (ESIN) technique shows promise in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. 2. However, the success of treatment may depend on various factors, including patient age, fracture characteristics, and the presence of complications such as open fractures and radial nerve palsy. 3. Careful consideration of these factors is necessary when selecting a treatment approach for humeral shaft fractures.

OUTCOMES OF OPEN TIBIA FRACTURES IN CHILDREN

Open tibia fractures are common injuries in our paediatric population and are often associated with high-energy trauma such as pedestrian-vehicle accidents. At our institution, these injuries are routinely treated with debridement and mono-lateral external fixation. The purpose of this study was to determine the outcome of open tibia fractures treated according to this protocol, as well as the complication rate and factors contributing to the development of complications.We performed a retrospective folder review of all patients with open tibia fractures that were treated according to our protocol from 2015–2019. Patients treated by other means, who received primary treatment elsewhere, and with insufficient data, were excluded. Data was collected on presenting demographics, injury characteristics, management, and clinical course. Complications were defined as pin tract infections, delayed- or non-union, malunion, growth arrest, and neurovascular injury. Appropriate statistical analysis was performed.One-hundred-and-fifteen fractures in 114 children (82 males) with a median age of 7 years (IQR 6–9) were included in the analysis. Pedestrian vehicle accidents (PVA's) accounted for 101 (88%) of fractures, and the tibial diaphysis was affected in 74 cases (64%). Fracture severity was equally distributed among the Gustillo-Anderson grades. The median Abbreviated Injury Score was 4 (IQR 4;5). Ninety-five fractures (83%) progressed to uneventful union within 7 weeks. Twenty patients (17%) developed complications, with delayed union and fracture site infections being the most common complications. Gustillo-Anderson Grade 3 fractures, an increased Abbreviated Injury Score, and the need for advanced wound closure techniques were risk factors for developing complications.Surgical debridement and external fixation in a simple mono-lateral frame is an effective treatment for open tibia fractures in children and good outcomes were seen in 83% of patients. More severe injuries requiring advanced wound closure were associated with the development of complications.

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PATTERN OF ORTHOPAEDIC INJURIES CAUSED BY DELIVERY MOTORBIKE ACCIDENTS (DMBA) AT A SOUTH AFRICAN TERTIARY HOSPITAL

Trauma patients present with different injuries and some of them require emergency surgical procedures. Orthopaedic department at Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH) have seen an increasing number of patients presenting with serious orthopaedic injuries due to Delivery Motorbike Accidents (DMBA). The aim of the study was to establish the epidemiology and pattern of orthopaedic injuries sustained following Delivery Motorbike Accident.Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) administration office at SBAH in emergency department was approached for patients registers used between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022. There patients were registered as Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA), Motorbike Accident (MBA) and Pedestrian Vehicle Accident (PVA) by the administration office. The details of patients classified as MBA were collected and used to obtain clinical data from medical and radiological records in the form of patient's files and PACS respectively.Approximately 240 patients presented to Emergency department with orthopaedic injuries following a motorbike accident. About 78 files could not be retrieved from the patient's records department. About 74patients had their occupation recorded as unknown or unemployed. Approximately 70 patients had their occupation indicated in the file by the Clinicians or Administration Clerks. About 40 patients had their occupation as delivery man or working for a delivery company. 16 patients did not have images on the PACS system. Most of the patients were males, presented after hours and sustained multiple injuries that were managed surgically. Very few patients had their helmet status indicated in the file.The study suggests that accidents due to delivery motorbikes are prevalent at SBAH and result in orthopaedic injuries. Almost 50% of patients who had their occupation indicated in the file were delivery employees. A follow up prospective study is recommended to ensure complete collection of data from patients at presentation to ED.

PRP Therapy for the Treatment of Sacral Fracture and Coccydynia: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has shown promising results in promoting healing and reducing inflammation in musculoskeletal injuries. This case report highlights the successful use of PRP injection therapy in a 37-year-old woman pedestrian with a sacral fracture and coccydynia from a pedestrian-vehicle accident. CASE REPORT: The patient underwent traversing sacral S3 anterior cortex vertebral fracture and sacrococcygeal PRP injection under fluoroscopic guidance. PRP injection therapy led to significant improvement in tailbone pain, and subsequent injection led to further improvement in residual symptoms. Follow-up evaluations showed complete healing of the S3 fracture with good bony fusion and alignment. CONCLUSIONS: PRP injection therapy can be a safe and effective treatment option for bone fractures and injuries, especially those that may be difficult to manage with traditional approaches. As more clinical studies and case reports are conducted, the full potential of PRP in bone healing and regeneration may be further elucidated. KEY WORDS: Platelet-rich plasma, sacral fracture, coccydynia, case report, minimally invasive

Developing A New Model for Assessment of Heavy Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions

The treatment and analysis of accidents involving heavy transport vehicles and pedestrians include the identification and treatment of a certain number of factors that may differ from the cases of passenger vehicle-pedestrian accidents. The aim of this paper is to develop a new model with better performance for speed estimation and reconstruction of accidents involving heavy vehicles and pedestrians. In a large number of cases during the research, it was observed that the experts used the same models for passenger vehicles as for transport vehicles. Likewise, a number of factors that have an impact on heavy vehicle accidents with pedestrians are not included as factors that have an impact on other accidents. The newly developed model, which has better performance than other models, can help experts in the case of analysis, speed determination, and reconstruction of accidents involving heavy vehicles and pedestrians. The model describes more than 94% of the most influential factors in the model (R2 = 0.945). This model will provide a novel way to examine crashes involving heavy vehicles and pedestrians, generating highly precise results for speed calculation which can be used to recreate the technical aspects of the accident. Additionally, it will help specialists in the field when preparing their expert opinion, specifically when heavy vehicles and pedestrians are involved, by providing a model which is different from the standard approach and yields more reliable outcomes.

Severity Predictions for Intercity Bus Crashes on Highway Using a Random Parameter Ordered Probit Model

As intercity buses are a mode that moves large-scale occupancy between regions, it accounts for the mode share-means for mid- to long-distance movement in South Korea. However, the study of intercity bus safety needs to be more extensive, and safety policies are carried out based on traditional probability models without considering the data characteristics of bus accidents. Therefore, in this study, the Random Parameter Ordered Logit model was applied to derive fixed parameter factors that have the same effect on the severity of intercity bus accidents and Random Parameters that consider the heterogeneity of unique attributes by accident. It also analyzed the marginal effect of intercity bus accident severity. As a result of this study, the influencing factors that reflect heterogeneity with random parameters were driver’s condition: drowsiness, vehicle size: medium, crash type: vehicle–pedestrian accident, road condition: wet pavement, and log form of AADT. The random parameter ordered logit model was traditionally found to be more suitable than the ordinal logit model, which only reflects fixed factors and more reliable predictions considering the heterogeneity of accident characteristics for each observation.

The Contact Phase in Vehicle–Pedestrian Accident Reconstruction

The need for continuous research to refine the models used in forensic accident reconstruction appears with the development of new car models that satisfy consumer complaints. This paper analyzed a sub-sequence of car and pedestrian accidents from the perspective of the distance traveled by them in the contact phase with the aim of improving the information regarding the reconstruction of road accidents. This research included the analysis of some real tests with pedestrian dummies, as well as simulations of the impact between different classes of vehicles and pedestrians in two different walking positions. Specialized software was used with complex multibody models of pedestrians, modifying the speed and deceleration parameters of the car at the time of the collision. For pedestrian characteristics, the friction coefficients of the ground, car and its mass were modified. The research results highlight the differences between the bilinear models used in accident reconstruction and the proposed study. They can also be used to determine the distance traveled by the vehicle in the first phase of a collision with pedestrians.

Comparative analysis of influencing factors on pedestrian road accidents

Road accident data includes detailed information about incidents that occurred, such as where they happened, the severity of the accident, and the number of people on the road at the time. Such information is useful in determining the causes of accidents and developing potential countermeasures. This research aims to determine the factors that contribute to pedestrian fatalities and injuries in traffic accidents. This study examined 150 pedestrian-vehicle accidents that took place between 1990 and 2021 in forty countries. Eleven factors have been identified as the major causes of accidents. The categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) technique is used to reduce the number of dimensions and identify the elements that contribute to accidents. The eleven variables are classified into three groups: human factors, roadway environment, and vehicle attributes. The study found that car speed, weather, lighting, traffic conditions, area types, accident locations, and road conditions all had a significant impact on pedestrian accidents and fatalities. The findings show that a pedestrian's state (walking, running) and intention significantly increase the risk of serious injuries and death. The analysis of the driver's status suggests that the driver's intentions may also play a role in car accidents.

Analysis of orthopaedic injuries in CT pan scans of polytrauma patients at a quaternary academic hospital

BACKGROUND: In South Africa, doctors commonly treat patients suffering major trauma, often with multiple injuries, which necessitates the demand for a rapid diagnostic assessment. Whole body computed tomography (CT pan scan) allows for a rapid multisystem injury diagnosis. There is a scarcity of literature evaluating the extent of orthopaedic injuries in CT pan scan of polytrauma patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the local epidemiology of orthopaedic injuries in polytrauma patients who underwent a CT pan scan. METHODS: A retrospective, observational analysis, based at an academic hospital, was done of polytrauma patients who underwent a CT pan scan during a two-year period. A database was compiled by accessing the picture archiving and communication system. RESULTS: A total of 296 polytrauma patients had a reported CT pan scan; 85% were male and 15% were female with a median age of 33 years. The most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle accidents (33.1%). A total of 1 012 injuries were identified; 196 were spinal fractures (mostly cervical), 137 were pelvic/sacral fractures, and 101 were long bone fractures of the upper and lower limbs. The most frequent non-orthopaedic injury sustained was a chest injury. In a pedestrian-vehicle accident, the most common combination of injuries was a chest injury with an associated pelvic/sacral injury. Interpersonal and intentional injuries were significantly associated with a higher risk of thoracic spine fractures (relative risk [RR] 1.8, CI 1.1-2.9), whereas road traffic accidents were significantly associated with a higher risk of scapula/clavicula fractures (RR 2.0, CI 1.2-3.5) and a higher risk of tibia/fibula fractures (RR 3.5, CI 1.2-10.3). CONCLUSION: The majority of polytrauma patients were young males involved in road traffic accidents. A patient involved in a road traffic accident is 3.5 times more likely to sustain a tibia/fibula fracture as opposed to any other fracture. One in four patients who sustained a chest injury had an associated cervical spine injury, and one in three patients had a pelvic/sacral injury, and similarly with head injuries. The findings of this study highlight injury patterns that should be anticipated in polytrauma patients. Level of evidence: Level 3

An example of a vehicle-pedestrian accident reconstruction by Mathematical and Software Model

An example of a vehicle-pedestrian accident reconstruction by Mathematical and Software Model

Upright trunk and lateral or slight anterior rotation of the pelvis cause the highest proximal femur forces during sideways falls.

Whole-body models are historically developed for traffic injury prevention, and they are positioned accordingly in the standing or sitting configuration representing pedestrian or occupant postures. Those configurations are appropriate for vehicle accidents or pedestrian-vehicle accidents; however, they are uncommon body posture during a fall accident to the ground. This study aims to investigate the influence of trunk and pelvis angles on the proximal femur forces during sideways falls. For this purpose, a previously developed whole-body model was positioned into different fall configurations varying the trunk and pelvis angles. The trunk angle was varied in steps of 10° from 10 to 80°, and the pelvis rotation was changed every 5° from -20° (rotation toward posterior) to +20° (rotation toward anterior). The simulations were performed on a medium-size male (177cm, 76kg) and a small-size female (156cm, 55kg), representative for elderly men and women, respectively. The results demonstrated that the highest proximal femur force measured on the femoral head was reached when either male or female model had a 10-degree trunk angle and +10° anterior pelvis rotation.

Studying the effect of built environment on traffic safety with random parameter and generalized ordered logit models

This work tried to better understand the factors behind severe and fatal injuries in pedestrian and vehicle accidents while giving a special attention to built environment parameters. Statistical models were applied on the traffic accident data reported by the traffic police in the emirate of Abu Dhabi over a period of 5 and a half years, between 2008 and 2013. A review of the literature on traffic accidents and injury levels showed that Random Parameter Logit models are well suited for pedestrian-vehicle accidents, while Generalized Ordered Logit models prove a good fit for vehicle-vehicle accidents. The models were completed using statistical analysis software STATA from Statacorp. The results of the modelling showed that overall pedestrians above 51 were at a higher risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries, and that driver and pedestrian distraction was number one reason for pedestrian-vehicle accidents with around 64% of the total. Additionally, bad lighting condition was found to be directly correlated with higher injury levels among pedestrians. Meanwhile, it was observed that on motor ways accidents due to distracted driving were more probable than those in one-way streets, and pavements covered with sand had a negative impact on driver distraction. To better understand the driver behaviour among people in Kuwait, an online survey was conducted, and a total of 625 participants most of whom were females (399) completed it. The completed responses were inputted into SPSS, the statistical software from IBM, in order to look for correlations between the responses. The results showed that being a male and being a younger driver is strongly correlated with taking risks, violating traffic rules as well as driving aggressively. Therefore, to improve road safety in Kuwait, it is important to implement concepts similar to those found in the Abu Dhabi Urban Street Design Manual, followed by strict traffic law enforcement. In addition, conducting awareness campaigns at Universities and secondary school is needed to tackle the younger generation who will soon obtain their driving licenses.

Multiobjective optimization algorithm for accurate MADYMO reconstruction of vehicle-pedestrian accidents.

In vehicle-pedestrian accidents, the preimpact conditions of pedestrians and vehicles are frequently uncertain. The incident data for a crash, such as vehicle deformation, injury of the victim, distance of initial position and rest position of accident participants, are useful for verification in MAthematical DYnamic MOdels (MADYMO) simulations. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of an improved optimization algorithm combined with MADYMO multibody simulations and crash data to conduct accurate reconstructions of vehicle-pedestrian accidents. The objective function of the optimization problem was defined as the Euclidean distance between the known vehicle, human and ground contact points, and multiobjective optimization algorithms were employed to obtain the local minima of the objective function. Three common multiobjective optimization algorithms-nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II), neighbourhood cultivation genetic algorithm (NCGA), and multiobjective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO)-were compared. The effect of the number of objective functions, the choice of different objective functions and the optimal number of iterations were also considered. The final reconstructed results were compared with the process of a real accident. Based on the results of the reconstruction of a real-world accident, the present study indicated that NSGA-II had better convergence and generated more noninferior solutions and better final solutions than NCGA and MOPSO. In addition, when all vehicle-pedestrian-ground contacts were considered, the results showed a better match in terms of kinematic response. NSGA-II converged within 100 generations. This study indicated that multibody simulations coupled with optimization algorithms can be used to accurately reconstruct vehicle-pedestrian collisions.

Factors influencing the outcomes of patients with severe traumatic brain injury following road traffic crashes

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in South Africa. Road traffic crashes (RTCs) are among the commonest aetiology of TBI in South Africa. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing the outcomes in patients with severe TBI following RTCs. A retrospective study was conducted of patients who were admitted to the neurosurgery department at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital between January 2013 and December 2017 with TBI following RTCs and with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 9. Demographic, clinical, and radiological information was obtained. The outcome at discharge was categorised into favourable and unfavourable, using the Glasgow outcome score. Statistical analysis was performed to determine factors contributing to the outcome. The study population consisted of 100 patients. The mean age was 29.5 ± 14.1 years old (range 3-81 years). The majority of patients (85%) were males. Pedestrian vehicle accidents accounted for 46%, compared to motor vehicle collisions (54%). The mean hospital stay duration was 14.2 ± 8.8 days (range 1-43 days). The median postresuscitation GCS was 6 (range 3-8), (p = 0.52). Fifty-two patients had an unfavourable outcome compared to 48 who had a favourable outcome. Eleven patients presented with pupillary abnormalities (p = 0.88), which included unilateral dilated non-reactive (DNR) pupil in seven patients, whilst four patients had bilateral. Five patients developed refractory intracranial hypertension (RIC-HTN), all these patients had unfavourable outcomes, (p = 0.03). Thirty-eight patients developed systemic hypotension (SBP < 90 mmHg), 32 out of these patients had unfavourable outcomes (p < 0.001). In female patients, 80% had unfavourable outcomes compared to 47% of male patients (p = 0.02). Extracranial injuries were diagnosed in 50 patients, and 24 patients had unfavourable outcomes (p = 0.42). The outcomes in patients with severe TBI following road traffic crashes are influenced by hypotension (SBP <90 mmHg), RIC-HTN and female gender, which have a negative influence on outcomes.

Uncertainty analysis of vehicle-pedestrian accident reconstruction based on unscented transformation

In order to investigate the sensitivity of parameters and analyze the uncertainty of reconstructed results in traffic accident, the impact of correlations between parameters on accident reconstruction results was taken into account using uncertainty analysis. Based on unscented transformation (UT), a parameter sensitivity analysis method and an efficient uncertainty analysis method in accident reconstruction were proposed. Sensitivity analysis was performed through the sigma point sets generated by the UT method. A first-order response surface model was constructed to analyze the sensitivity of accident reconstruction parameters combined with regression analysis, which is more flexible and controllable than the general experimental design. For the uncertainty analysis of the reconstructed results, the other methods have been used to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method, including the first second-order method of moments (FOSM), the uncertainty theory, and the Monte Carlo (MC) methods, through analyzing the numerical and real-world cases. The results show that the presented method has high accuracy, significantly reduces the computational burden, and does not depend on the distribution type of variables. When considering the effect of the correlation between parameters of the vehicle-pedestrian crash on accident reconstruction results, the results show that the correlation coefficient between random variables had a much more significant impact on the standard deviation of vehicle speed than on the mean value of vehicle speed. Regardless of negative or positive correlations, the relative error of standard deviation of vehicle speed increased continuously as the correlation increased, reaching 52%. The proposed method is effective and reliable for vehicle collision accident reconstruction under uncertainty and correlation, which can provide more comprehensive information in accident reconstruction.

Clinical evaluation and outcomes in children ≤10 years old involved in road traffic accidents, presenting to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Background. Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a leading cause of injury and death globally, particularly among children. Pedestrians are most often injured, especially in middle- and low-income countries. The epidemiology, patterns and severity of injuries in children involved in RTAs in our community are hard to obtain.Objectives. To evaluate the aetiological spectrum, injury characteristics and treatment outcomes of paediatric patients involved in RTAs, who presented to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), a tertiary hospital in Soweto, South Africa.&#x0D; Methods. Patients ≤10 years old, who were involved in RTAs and seen at CHBAH, were included in the study.Results. The study was conducted from 20 August 2017 to 31 March 2018, and included the data of 156 patients. Their ages ranged from 13 days to 10 years (65% were boys). Pedestrian vehicle accidents accounted for 78.8% of the injuries, with 60.8% of the children being unaccompanied by an adult. Motor vehicle accidents accounted for 19.2% of the injuries, with 92% of the children being unrestrained in the vehicle. Of the patients, 73.2% (n=112/153) underwent radiography and 44.4% required computed tomography (CT) scans, the majority being CT scans of the brain for suspected head injuries. Soft-tissue injuries accounted for 78.9% of cases, followed mainly by head (39.7%) and limb (16%) injuries. Only 12% of patients required surgical intervention, with 42% of the operations being for orthopaedic injuries.Conclusion. The abovementioned data demonstrate that there is a lack of use of child restraints for children travelling as passengers in vehicles, and inadequate supervision of children on and around roads. This study supports other evidence, as it suggests that the paediatric population involved in RTAs is largely injured as pedestrians, and that males tend to be involved in more RTAs than females. The majority of injuries sustained involved the soft tissues, followed by head injuries.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Development and Validation of an Active Muscle Simplified Finite Element Human Body Model in a Standing Posture.

Active muscles play an important role in postural stabilization, and muscle-induced joint stiffening can alter the kinematic response of the human body, particularly that of the lower extremities, under dynamic loading conditions. There are few full-body human body finite element models with active muscles in a standing posture. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop and validate the M50-PS+Active model, an average-male simplified human body model in a standing posture with active musculature. The M50-PS+Active model was developed by incorporating 116 skeletal muscles, as one-dimensional beam elements with a Hill-type material model and closed-loop Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller muscle activation strategy, into the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) simplified pedestrian model M50-PS. The M50-PS+Active model was first validated in a gravity standing test, showing the effectiveness of the active muscles in maintaining a standing posture under gravitational loading. The knee kinematics of the model were compared against volunteer kinematics in unsuited and suited step-down tests from NASA's active response gravity offload system (ARGOS) laboratory. The M50-PS+Active model showed good biofidelity with volunteer kinematics with an overall CORA score of 0.80, as compared to 0.64 (fair) in the passive M50-PS model. The M50-PS+Active model will serve as a useful tool to study the biomechanics of the human body in vehicle-pedestrian accidents, public transportation braking, and space missions piloted in a standing posture.

Analysis of Vehicle-Pedestrian Accident Risk Based on Simulation Experiments

Vehicle-pedestrian accidents are one of the main types of road traffic accidents in China because of their mixed traffic features. By analyzing the characteristics of vehicle-pedestrian accidents, the head injury criterion (HIC) was selected as a quantitative index of pedestrian head injury risk, and vehicle-pedestrian collision simulation tests were carried out using PC-Crash. From the collected test data, the multivariate relationship models between the HIC, vehicle speed, and collision angle were fitted for different vehicle types. A risk assessment method for vehicle-pedestrian accidents based on the HIC was proposed by the Fisher optimal segmentation algorithm. Finally, a new index for evaluating the accuracy of accident risk classification, the degree of error classification, was proposed to verify the validity of the accident risk assessment method. The results show that vehicle speed, collision angle, and vehicle type play a key role in pedestrian injury. Flat-headed vehicles are more likely to cause head injuries to pedestrians than high-headed and low-headed vehicles. Rear-end collisions cause more injuries to pedestrians than side collisions. The research results can provide guidance and a basis for accident liability determination, speed limit management, vehicle safety design, and human injury mechanism analysis.

Analysis of Pedestrian-Vehicle Accidents While Crossing : Focusing on the Approaching Direction

Analysis of Pedestrian-Vehicle Accidents While Crossing : Focusing on the Approaching Direction

GIS-based assessment of pedestrian-vehicle accidents in terms of safety with four different ML models

In this study, both micro and macro level evaluation of pedestrian-vehicle crashes were conducted. Macro-level findings were obtained with GIS-based density analyzes, and critical road segments were determined. The data on road characteristics, traffic characteristics, built environment and land use were collected in 70 critical urban road segments. While conducting micro-level research, commonly used multilayer perceptron and C4.5 decision tree, as well as innovative converted fuzzy-decision model and revised fuzzy-decision model, which significantly reduces the expert judgements on fuzzy models, were used. Significant rules were extracted, and were evaluated from safety perspective. Information gain ratio was used to deal with the black-box structure of machine learning models and to examine independent factors in-depth. The best performance was achieved in revised fuzzy decision model with 68.57% accuracy. The results revealed that land use, parking and peak hour volume have high effect, as well as public transport, speed and road type factors have the greatest effect on pedestrian safety. In the light of the results, various managerial implications such as controlling the density of public transport on main arterials, preventing stop-and-go effects, and monitoring vehicle speeds especially during peak hours were suggested to improve pedestrian safety.