Analysis of FARS data on state highways in Oklahoma.

Details

• Creators:
  Comer, Jonathan C. ; Bombom, Leonard S. ; Rose, Nicholas J.
• Corporate Creators:
  Oklahoma State University. Dept. of Geography
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Dept. of Transportation. Research and Innovative Technology Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Accident Causes Accident Data Fatalities Geometric Segments Highway Design Highways Poisson Distributions Rural Areas Traffic Accidents
• Publication/ Report Number:
  OTCREOS11.1-12-F
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Oklahoma
• Corporate Publisher:
  Oklahoma Transportation Center
• Abstract:
  Analysis of fatality automobile accident data can be challenging in rural areas where a relatively small number of
  
  such accidents occurs on specific sections of highways. Combining crash data for 1998 to 2011 from the Fatality
  
  Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and highway networks and design specifications from the Oklahoma
  
  Department of Transportation (ODOT), this project employs Poisson regression analysis to determine what
  
  roadway characteristics (e.g., grade, geometry, and design) are most associated with fatal crashes on
  
  predominantly rural segments of highways in Oklahoma.
  
  A state-wide model found that median width and type, terrain type, surface type and thickness, grade, and outside
  
  shoulder width were all significant predictors of fatality crashes. Vertical grade was the most significant variable in
  
  the state model, with uphill grades contributing to significantly more fatal crashes while flat roads modestly reduce
  
  the risk. Terrain type was also very significant, both flat and rolling terrain categories having higher contributions to
  
  fatality crash rates than baseline levels in residential areas. Outside shoulder width significantly negatively
  
  correlated with fatalities, as wider shoulders mean more room for drivers to recover or at least shed speed.
  
  Median width was also significant with the expected negative sign as wider medians result in fewer fatalities.
  
  Surprisingly, median type was only moderately significant, though as expected most other median types did
  
  contribute to higher crash rates compared to cable barriers.
  
  The results provide information about what combinations of highway design traits have contributed most to past
  
  crashes and therefore can identify potentially dangerous road segments system-wide. This information will help
  
  transportation engineers evaluate current construction practice and seek ways to address design issues that are
  
  shown to contribute significantly to serious crashes.
  
  
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  DTRT06-G-0016
• Collection(s):
  University Transportation Centers US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:56c47e8ee19faafbedd68d039bf0f61e82106d70b77a818f53aaed76561758bf
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/27074/dot_27074_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.62 MB ]