Characteristics and Contributory Causes Related to Large Truck Crashes

Characteristics and Contributory Causes Related to Large Truck Crashes PDF Author: Siddhartha Kotikalapudi
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
In order to improve safety of the overall surface transportation system, each of the critical areas needs to be addressed separately with more focused attention. Statistics clearly show that large-truck crashes contribute significantly to an increased percentage of high-severity crashes. It is therefore important for the highway safety community to identify characteristics and contributory causes related to large-truck crashes. During the first phase of this study, fatal crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database were studied to achieve that objective. In this second phase, truck-crashes of all severity levels were analyzed with the intention of understanding characteristics and contributory causes, and identifying factors contributing to increased severity of truck-crashes, which could not be achieved by analyzing fatal crashes alone. Various statistical methodologies such as cross-classification analysis and severity models were developed using Kansas crash data. Various driver-, road-, environment- and vehicle- related characteristics were identified and contributory causes were analyzed. From the cross-classification analysis, severity of truck-crashes was found to be related with variables such as road surface (type, character and condition), accident class, collision type, driver- and environment-related contributory causes, traffic-control type, truck-maneuver, crash location, speed limit, light and weather conditions, time of day, functional class, lane class, and Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT). Other variables such as age of truck driver, day of the week, gender of truck-driver, pedestrian- and truck-related contributory causes were found to have no relationship with crash severity of large trucks. Furthermore, driver-related contributory causes were found to be more common than any other type of contributory cause for the occurrence of truck-crashes. Failing to give time and attention, being too fast for existing conditions, and failing to yield right of way were the most dominant truck-driver-related contributory causes, among many others. Through the severity modeling, factors such as truck-driver-related contributory cause, accident class, manner of collision, truck-driver under the influence of alcohol, truck maneuver, traffic control device, surface condition, truck-driver being too fast for existing conditions, truck-driver being trapped, damage to the truck, light conditions, etc. were found to be significantly related with increased severity of truck-crashes. Truck-driver being trapped had the highest odds of contributing to a more severe crash with a value of 82.81 followed by the collision resulting in damage to the truck, which had 3.05 times higher odds of increasing the severity of truck-crashes. Truck-driver under the influence of alcohol had 2.66 times higher odds of contributing to a more severe crash. Besides traditional practices like providing adequate traffic signs, ensuring proper lane markings, provision of rumble strips and elevated medians, use of technology to develop and implement intelligent countermeasures were recommended. These include Automated Truck Rollover Warning System to mitigate truck-crashes involving rollovers, Lane Drift Warning Systems (LDWS) to prevent run-off-road collisions, Speed Limiters (SLs) to control the speed of the truck, connecting vehicle technologies like Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) integration system to prevent head-on collisions etc., among many others. Proper development and implementation of these countermeasures in a cost effective manner will help mitigate the number and severity of truck-crashes, thereby improving the overall safety of the transportation system.

Characteristics and Contributory Causes Related to Large Truck Crashes

Characteristics and Contributory Causes Related to Large Truck Crashes PDF Author: Siddhartha Kotikalapudi
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
In order to improve safety of the overall surface transportation system, each of the critical areas needs to be addressed separately with more focused attention. Statistics clearly show that large-truck crashes contribute significantly to an increased percentage of high-severity crashes. It is therefore important for the highway safety community to identify characteristics and contributory causes related to large-truck crashes. During the first phase of this study, fatal crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database were studied to achieve that objective. In this second phase, truck-crashes of all severity levels were analyzed with the intention of understanding characteristics and contributory causes, and identifying factors contributing to increased severity of truck-crashes, which could not be achieved by analyzing fatal crashes alone. Various statistical methodologies such as cross-classification analysis and severity models were developed using Kansas crash data. Various driver-, road-, environment- and vehicle- related characteristics were identified and contributory causes were analyzed. From the cross-classification analysis, severity of truck-crashes was found to be related with variables such as road surface (type, character and condition), accident class, collision type, driver- and environment-related contributory causes, traffic-control type, truck-maneuver, crash location, speed limit, light and weather conditions, time of day, functional class, lane class, and Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT). Other variables such as age of truck driver, day of the week, gender of truck-driver, pedestrian- and truck-related contributory causes were found to have no relationship with crash severity of large trucks. Furthermore, driver-related contributory causes were found to be more common than any other type of contributory cause for the occurrence of truck-crashes. Failing to give time and attention, being too fast for existing conditions, and failing to yield right of way were the most dominant truck-driver-related contributory causes, among many others. Through the severity modeling, factors such as truck-driver-related contributory cause, accident class, manner of collision, truck-driver under the influence of alcohol, truck maneuver, traffic control device, surface condition, truck-driver being too fast for existing conditions, truck-driver being trapped, damage to the truck, light conditions, etc. were found to be significantly related with increased severity of truck-crashes. Truck-driver being trapped had the highest odds of contributing to a more severe crash with a value of 82.81 followed by the collision resulting in damage to the truck, which had 3.05 times higher odds of increasing the severity of truck-crashes. Truck-driver under the influence of alcohol had 2.66 times higher odds of contributing to a more severe crash. Besides traditional practices like providing adequate traffic signs, ensuring proper lane markings, provision of rumble strips and elevated medians, use of technology to develop and implement intelligent countermeasures were recommended. These include Automated Truck Rollover Warning System to mitigate truck-crashes involving rollovers, Lane Drift Warning Systems (LDWS) to prevent run-off-road collisions, Speed Limiters (SLs) to control the speed of the truck, connecting vehicle technologies like Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) integration system to prevent head-on collisions etc., among many others. Proper development and implementation of these countermeasures in a cost effective manner will help mitigate the number and severity of truck-crashes, thereby improving the overall safety of the transportation system.

Characteristics and Contributory Causes Related to Large Truck Crashes (phase I)

Characteristics and Contributory Causes Related to Large Truck Crashes (phase I) PDF Author: Sunanda Dissanayake
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Traffic fatalities
Languages : en
Pages : 77

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Book Description


Characteristics and Contributory Causes Associated with Fatal Large Truck Crashes

Characteristics and Contributory Causes Associated with Fatal Large Truck Crashes PDF Author: Nishitha Naveen Kumar Bezwada
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
One-ninth of all traffic fatalities in the United States (U.S.) in the past five years have involved large trucks, although large trucks contributed to only 3% of registered vehicles and 7% of vehicle miles traveled. This crash overrepresentation indicates that truck crashes in general tend to be more severe than other crashes, though they constitute a smaller portion of vehicles on the road. To study this issue, fatal crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) was used to analyze characteristics and factors contributing to truck-involved crashes. Driver, vehicle, and crash-related contributory causes were identified, and as an extension, the likelihood of occurrence of these contributory causes in truck-involved crashes (with respect to non-truck crashes) was evaluated using the Bayesian Statistical approach. Likelihood ratios indicated that factors such as stopped or unattended vehicles and improper following have greater probability of occurrence in truck crashes than in non-truck crashes. Also, Multinomial Logistic Regression was used to model the type of fatal crash (truck vs. non-truck) to compare the relative significance of various factors in truck and non-truck crashes. Factors such as cellular phone usage, failure to yield right of way, inattentiveness, and failure to obey traffic rules also have a greater probability in fatal truck crashes. Among several other factors, inadequate warning signs and poor shoulder conditions were also found to have greater predominance in contributing to truck crashes than non-truck crashes. By addressing these factors through the implementation of appropriate remedial measures, the truck safety experience could be improved, which would eventually help in improving overall safety of the transportation system.

Traffic and Geometric Characteristics Affecting the Involvement of Large Trucks in Accidents

Traffic and Geometric Characteristics Affecting the Involvement of Large Trucks in Accidents PDF Author: Nicholas J. Garber
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Roads
Languages : en
Pages : 76

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Book Description
Recent trends indicate that vehicle miles traveled for large trucks is increasing at a higher rate than for other vehicles. The resulting competition between large trucks and other vehicles for highway space can be expected to result in more multi-vehicle collisions involving large trucks. The likelihood of these collisions causing severe injuries to vehicle occupants will also increase with the trend towards the use of smaller automobiles and heavier and larger trucks. In order to develop countermeasures that will alleviate this problem, it is first necessary to identify the characteristics of large-truck accidents and the role of traffic and geometric variables in such accidents ents. The major factors associated with large-truck accidents including the effect of highway facility type and highway geometry are investigated. Changes in large-truck accidents for periods before and after 1982 are evaluated by a comparison of pre- and post-1982 accident involvement rates. Factors that might have affected large-truck travel and accident rates include the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA), the improvement of the nation's economy, and deregulation of the trucking industry. The results indicate that fatal crashes involving large trucks have been increasing in contrast to all other vehicles, for which the fatality rates are constant for the same period. Driver-related factors are associated with 75 percent of all accidents involving trucks, and driver error is associated with SO percent of all fatal truck accidents. A significant correlation is also observed between driver error and highway alignment in accidents involving trucks. The risk of a fatality in a multi-vehicle accident involving a truck and another vehicle is found LO be highest on two-way undivided facilities. On divided, limited access facilities, this risk is reduced by 50 percent. An unexpected increase in tractor trailer accident involvement rates for non-STAA primary routes is observed and is attributed to incompatibilities between large-truck characteristics and the non-STAA highway environment. This interim report presents the results of the first part of a study, which also involves the development of models relating accident occurrence with geometric and traffic characteristics. The development of these models is now in progress. These models and the information given in this interim report will facilitate the formulation of countermeasures that will reduce accidents involving large trucks in Virginia.

Characteristics of Large-Truck Accidents as Represenated in Texas Accident Data at HSRI

Characteristics of Large-Truck Accidents as Represenated in Texas Accident Data at HSRI PDF Author: John A. Green
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 68

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Large-truck Crash Causation Study

Large-truck Crash Causation Study PDF Author: Marc Starnes
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 60

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Spatial and Temporal Effects of Large Truck-Involved Crash Injury Severities

Spatial and Temporal Effects of Large Truck-Involved Crash Injury Severities PDF Author: Jasmine Pahukula
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ISBN:
Category : Crash injuries
Languages : en
Pages : 84

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Book Description
Large truck-involved crashes have a significant impact on both the economy and society. They are associated with high injury severities, high crash costs and contribute to congestion in urban areas. Past studies have investigated the contributing factors of large truck-involved crashes, however a study isolating the spatial and temporal effects is lacking. This thesis aims to bridge that gap as well as provide practical applications to improve safety from a large truck perspective through two new frameworks. This thesis contains two standalone documents, each detailing the spatial and temporal transferability framework, separately. These frameworks provide additional information that can be utilized in the development of planning tools to ultimately improve safety. Random parameters logit models (i.e. mixed logit models) were utilized to help identify the contributing factors of large truck-involved crashes. One advantage of the mixed logit model is that it can account for the unobserved heterogeneity in the model which relaxes the independence of irrelevant alternatives (IIA) property. A series of log likelihood ratio tests were utilized to determine if transferability, spatial or temporal, was warranted. The first document details the spatial transferability framework which is demonstrated through a case study on large truck-involved crashes in urban areas in Oregon and Texas. Strict regulations imposed on the trucking industry limits the variability of heavy-vehicle configurations and enhance the standards for truck drivers (as opposed to passenger vehicle drivers). Encouraging consistency between large trucks is one way to improve safety and has also lead to the investigation of commonalities between large truck-involved crashes in two spatially distributed regions. The results of the log-likelihood ratio tests indicate that spatial transferability is not warranted between Oregon and Texas. Key differences were non-driver or 'uncontrollable' characteristics (e.g. weather, light conditions and time of day) while driver related characteristics (e.g. gender, age and restraint use) had similar impacts. Since the major differences include non-driver characteristics, perhaps a regional model with similar 'uncontrollable' characteristics is warranted. The second document illustrates the temporal transferability framework which is applied to large truck-involved crashes in urban areas in Texas. Traffic patterns, light conditions and driver behavior vary throughout the day and consequently can have a varied impact on large truck-involved crashes. The results of the log likelihood ratio tests indicate that temporal transferability is warranted and the database was divided into five time periods to be analyzed separately. Traffic flow, light conditions, surface conditions, month and percentage of trucks on the road were among the significant differences between the crash factors of each time period. The two proposed transferability frameworks, spatial and temporal, provide new information that can be integrated into safety planning tools and more sharply guide decision-makers. For example, the results of this thesis can help to pinpoint temporal or spatial-related countermeasures. In addition the results of this thesis can help in the allocation of limited resources (i.e. help prioritize projects), minimize economic loss and help decision makers improve safety from a large truck perspective (e.g. modify trucking regulations). Finally, this thesis provides a foundation for future research. As indicated in Chapter 2, a future study to evaluate the feasibility of a regional large truck-involved crash model between neighboring regions and the development of a national crash data reporting standard are potential ideas for future research. Chapter 3 stressed the importance of time of day on large truck-involved crashes which can serve as the basis to study the safety and economic impacts of time of day shifts of truck freight movements to off-peak periods. In summary, this thesis involves original research that expands the literature and provides a new foundation to analyze large truck-involved crashes.

Traffic and Geometric Characteristics Affecting the Involvement of Large Trucks in Accidents: Accident characteristics and fault tree analysis

Traffic and Geometric Characteristics Affecting the Involvement of Large Trucks in Accidents: Accident characteristics and fault tree analysis PDF Author: Nicholas J. Garber
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Roads
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Recent trends indicate that vehicle miles traveled for large trucks is increasing at a higher rate than for other vehicles. The resulting competition between large trucks and other vehicles for highway space can be expected to result in more multi-vehicle collisions involving large trucks. The likelihood of these collisions causing severe injuries to vehicle occupants will also increase with the trend towards the use of smaller automobiles and heavier and larger trucks. In order to develop countermeasures that will alleviate this problem, it is first necessary to identify the characteristics of large-truck accidents and the role of traffic and geometric variables in such accidents. This study investigated the major factors associated with large truck accidents including the effect of highway facility type and highway geometry, and the development of mathematical models relating the factors with accident rates and probability of occurrence. This first volume documents the methodology of the study, the results of a statistical analysis of large-trucks historical accident data, the results of a fault tree analysis. This second volume gives a detailed description of the development of the regression and logistic models.

Large Truck Accident Causation. Final Report

Large Truck Accident Causation. Final Report PDF Author: J. P. Eicher
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 226

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Heavy Vehicle Crashes in Urban Areas

Heavy Vehicle Crashes in Urban Areas PDF Author: P. F. Sweatman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bus accidents
Languages : en
Pages : 204

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Book Description
Research into the types, severity and causes of crashes involving heavy vehicles in urban Australia was carried out and countermeasures were recommended to reduce the incidence and severity of such crashes. The project included literature review, mass data analysis, detailed post crashes analysis of fatal crashes, analysis of accident black spots and in depth investigation. The study found significant deficiencies in driver, rider and pedestrian behaviour which directly relate to the causation of severe crashes. The critical importance of the traffic engineering design of controlled and uncontrolled intersections has been highlighted. The design of heavy vehicles for operation in urban areas also needs improvement and measures to reduce heavy vehicle aggresivity and to redress deficiencies in the driver's field of view are needed. Road accidents. Injuries. Motorcyclists. Pedestrians. Cyclist. Roads. Accident Black Spots. Trucks. Vehicle design. Urban areas. Countermeasures. Buses.