In this study, we aim to classify personal mobility (PM)-related traffic crash data into four categories: PM-to-vehicle, PM-to-pedestrian, PM-single, and vehicle-to-PM crashes, and analyze the factors influencing the severity of each crash type. To overcome the limitations of existing studies in explaining the impact of independent variables on ordinal dependent variables, a random forest model was combined with the Shapley additive explanation technique. This approach visualizes the influence of independent variables on a dependent variable, providing clearer insights and enhancing interpretability. The analysis of PM traffic accidents, categorized into at-fault, single-vehicle, and victim accidents, revealed distinct key factors for each type. The main contributors to the severity of crashes caused by PM are traffic violations by teenagers and collisions with elderly pedestrians. Single-vehicle accidents were predominantly caused by overturn incidents, with inadequate driving skills among PM users aged 40 years and older, and significantly increasing severity. Victim accidents primarily occur at intersections, where the behavior of the at-fault driver and age of the PM user are critical factors influencing the severity. We identified various factors influencing the severity of PM crashes by type, highlighting the need for tailored policy measures. Proposed policies include physically separating bicycle–pedestrian shared spaces and strictly regulating illegal PM sidewalk riding, introducing PM licenses for teenagers to ensure compliance with traffic rules, and implementing regular safety education programs for all age groups. Although this study applied a new analytical technique, it relied on limited crash data, thus limiting the results to estimates.

This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the severity of taxi traffic accidents at intersections in Busan and propose measures to improve traffic safety. This study collected data on taxi traffic accidents that occurred at intersections in the Metropolitan City of Busan during the past 3 years (2020–2022) from Traffic Accident Analysis System(TAAS) and road views, and analyzed factors affecting their severity by employing an ordered probit model. The severity of taxi traffic accidents worsened with violations of (among others) traffic signals and pedestrian protection during January, April, and September. In addition, when a major street was operated with a permissive left turn, the severity of taxi traffic accidents worsened. Measures to improve traffic safety suggested in this study included safety education that focused on particular violations for taxi drivers, mandatory education for transport employees in an experiential format, support of video storage devices for driving records, policy establishment for the promotion and certification of good and bad driving videos, time adjustment of joint safety management inspection, and left-turn signal operation with an unprotected system and P-turn guidance.

지난 5년 동안 해양안전심판원 재결서의 충돌사고 원인에 대한 통계나 사고 원인을 보면, 해상에서 발생하는 충돌사고의 직접적인 원인 중 약 70～80% 이 상이 경계 소홀이다. 경계 소홀을 초래하는 간접요인으로는 인적, 기계적, 환경 적, 구조적 요인이 있으며, 대표적인 인적 요인은 당직자가 자리를 비워 경계 를 하지 않았거나 당직 중 다른 일을 하거나 초기 상대 선박 인지 후 움직임을 지속적으로 관찰하지 않아서 발생하였다는 연구 결과들이 있다. 어선은 어업 종류에 따라서 선수 갑판에 기중기, 양망기, 집어등, 데릭 등 여 러 가지 어로 설비를 설치하여 운영하고 있으며, 설치된 대형 어로 설비나 갑 판에 적재된 부피가 큰 어구들로 인해 조종자의 시야를 제한하는 환경적, 구조 적 맹목 구간으로 작용할 수 있다. 조종자의 시야 확보는 선박의 사고 예방과 안전 항해에 있어서 아주 기본적 이면서도 가장 중요한 사항으로, 당직자가 전방 경계를 할 수 없거나 경계를 방해하는 환경적 또는 구조적 문제에 의해 발생하는 충돌사고는 시야를 가리는 환경이나 구조물을 근본적으로 제거하는 것이 사고를 줄이는 가장 좋은 방법이다. 따라서 충돌사고의 가장 큰 원인인 당직자의 경계 소홀을 초래하는 여러 가 지 요인 중에서 선체의 구조물이나 어로 설비, 적재 어구 등에 의해 조종자의 시야를 방해할 수 있는 외부적 문제점들을 찾아서 개선방안을 모색하였다.

PURPOSES : This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the severity of traffic crashes caused by personal mobility (PM) devices compared with those involving victims. METHODS : Traffic crashes involving PM devices were used to build a non-parametric statistical model using a classification tree. Based on the results, the factors influencing both at-fault and victim-related crashes caused by PM devices were analyzed. The factors affecting accident severity were also compared. RESULTS : Common factors affecting the severity of traffic crashes involving both perpetrators and victims using PM devices include occurrences at intersections, crosswalks at intersections, single roads, and inside tunnels. Traffic law violations by PM device users (perpetrators) influence the severity of crashes. Meanwhile, factors such as the behavior of perpetrators using other modes of transportation, rear-end collisions, road geometry, and weather conditions affect the severity of crashes where PM device users are the victims. CONCLUSIONS : To reduce the severity of traffic crashes involving PM devices, it is essential to extend the length of physically separated shared paths for cyclists and pedestrians, actively enforce laws to prevent violations by PM device users, and provide systematic and regular educational programs to ensure safe driving practices among PM device users.

PURPOSES : This study empirically examines the determinants of traffic accidents by focusing on the transport culture index. METHODS : Two-stage least-squares estimation using an instrumental variable is used as the identification strategy. As the instrumental variable of the transport culture index, its past values, particularly before the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2018 are used. RESULTS : The empirical results, considering the potential endogeneity of the transport culture index, show that areas with higher values of the index are likely to have fewer traffic accident casualties. Local governments of regions with relatively frequent traffic accidents can run campaigns for residents to fasten their seatbelts, causing reverse causation. Ignoring this type of endogeneity underestimates the importance of the index as a key determinant of traffic accidents. CONCLUSIONS : Several traffic accidents occur in Korea, e.g., 203,130 accidents with 291,608 injuries and 5,392 deaths. As traffic accidents cause social costs, such as delays in traffic flow and damage to traffic facilities, public interventions are required to reduce them. However, the first step in public intervention is to accurately understand the relationship between the degree of damage in traffic accidents and the transport-related attributes of the areas where the accidents occurred. Although the transport culture index appears to be an appropriate indicator for predicting local traffic accidents, its limitations as a comprehensive index need to be addressed in the future.

This study aimed to quantitatively analyze the risk using data from 329 safety accidents that occurred in aquaculture fisheries management vessels over the recent five years (2018-2022). For quantitative risk analysis, the Bayesian network proposed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was used to analyze the risk level according to the fishing process and cause of safety accidents. Among the work processes, the fishing process was analyzed to have the highest risk, being 12.5 times that of the navigation, 2.7 times that of the maintenance, and 8.8 times that of the loading and unloading. Among the causes of accidents, the hull and working environment showed the highest risk, being 1.7 times that of fishing gear and equipment, 4.7 times that of machinery and equipment, and 9.4 times that of external environment. By quantitatively analyzing the safety accident risks for 64 combinations of these four work processes and four accident causes, this study provided fundamental data to reduce safety accidents occurring in aquaculture fisheries management vessels.

PURPOSES : This study aims to identify the thresholds at which various factors affecting traffic crashes lead to actual traffic crashes METHODS : To verify the thresholds, we created scenarios and ran simulations with a combination of factors that affect traffic crashes. Lateral offset and minimum TTC were used to evaluate whether an incident occurred. RESULTS : In the first scenario, the most significant factor affecting traffic crashes is curvature, and it was found that the smaller the curvature(200 meters or less), the greater the deviation from the lane. And in the second scenario, especially the passenger car scenario, no accidents occurred when the curvature was greater than 90 meters and the speed was 40 km/h or less. The smaller the curvature and the higher the speed, the more accidents occurred. Similarly, in the bus scenario, no accidents occurred when the curvature was 120 meters or more and the speed was 30 km/h or less. Also, accidents tended to occur when the curvature was smaller and the speed was higher. CONCLUSIONS : Through this study, we derived the thresholds of factors that influence traffic crashes. The results are expected to help design and operate roads in the future and contribute to reducing traffic crashes.

PURPOSES : This study aims to analyze the causes of pedestrian traffic accidents on community roads. METHODS : This study collected variables affecting pedestrian traffic accidents on community roads based on field surveys and analyzed them using negative binomial regression and zero-inflated negative binomial regression models. RESULTS : Model analysis results showed that the negative binomial regression model is more suitable than the zero-inflation negative binomial regression model. Additionally, the segment length (m), pedestrian volume (persons/15 min), traffic volume (numbers/15 min.), the extent of illegal parking, pedestrian-vehicle conflict ratio, and one-way traffic (one: residential, two: commercial) were found to influence pedestrian traffic accidents on community roads. Model fitness indicators, comparing actual values with predicted values, showed an MPB of 1.54, MAD of 2.57, and RMSE of 7.03. CONCLUSIONS : This study quantified the factors contributing to pedestrian traffic accidents on community roads by considering both static and dynamic elements. Instead of uniformly implementing measures, such as pedestrian priority zones and facility improvements on community roads, developing diverse strategies that consider various dynamic factors should be considered.

PURPOSES : This study investigates the factors affecting extra-long tunnel accidents by integrating data on tunnel geometry, traffic flow, and traffic accidents and derives the underlying implications to mitigate the severity of accidents. METHODS : Two processes centered on three key data points (tunnel geometry, traffic flow, and traffic accidents) were used in this study. The first is to analyze the spatial characteristics of extra-long tunnel traffic accidents and categorize them from multiple perspectives. The other was to investigate the factors affecting extra-long tunnel traffic accidents using the equivalent property-damage-only (EPDO) of individual accidents and the aforementioned data as the dependent and independent variables, respectively, by employing an ordered logistic regression model. RESULTS : Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Gangwon-do are three metropolitan municipalities that have a significant number of extra-long tunnel accidents; Busan and Seoul have the most extra-long tunnel accidents, accounting for 23.2% (422 accidents) and 18.6% (339 accidents) of the 1,821 accidents that occurred from 2007 to 2020, respectively. In addition, approximately 70% of extra-long tunnel traffic accidents occurred along tunnels with lengths of less than 2 km, and Seoul and Busan accounted for over 60% of the top 20 extra-long tunnels with accidents. Most importantly, the Hwangryeong (down) tunnel in Busan experienced the most extra-long tunnel traffic accidents, with 77 accidents occurring during the same period. As a result of the ordered logistic regression modeling with EPDO and multiple independent variables, the significant factors affecting the severity of extra-long tunnel traffic accidents were determined to be road type (freeway, local route, and metropolitan city road), traffic flow (speed), accident time (year, summer, weekend, and afternoon), accident type (rear end), traffic law violations (safe distance violation and center line violation), and offending vehicles (van, sedan, and truck). CONCLUSIONS : Based on these results, the following measures and implications for mitigating the severity of extra-long tunnel traffic accidents must be considered: upgrading the emergency response level of all road types to that of freeways and actively promoting techniques for regulating high-speed vehicles approaching and traversing within extra-long tunnels are necessary. In addition, the emergency response and preparation system should be reinforced, particularly when the damage from extra-long tunnel traffic accidents is more serious, such as during the summer, weekends, and afternoons. Finally, traffic law violations such as safe distance and centerline violations in extra-long tunnels should be prohibited.

The construction industry stands out for its higher incidence of accidents in comparison to other sectors. A causal analysis of the accidents is necessary for effective prevention. In this study, we propose a data-driven causal analysis to find significant factors of fatal construction accidents. We collected 14,318 cases of structured and text data of construction accidents from the Construction Safety Management Integrated Information (CSI). For the variables in the collected dataset, we first analyze their patterns and correlations with fatal construction accidents by statistical analysis. In addition, machine learning algorithms are employed to develop a classification model for fatal accidents. The integration of SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) allows for the identification of root causes driving fatal incidents. As a result, the outcome reveals the significant factors and keywords wielding notable influence over fatal accidents within construction contexts.

PURPOSES : This study aims to conduct a sensitivity analysis to determine the major factors affecting traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians. METHODS : In this study, a regression tree model was built based on a non-parametric statistical model using data on traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians. Using this model, we analyzed the degree of change in the probability of pedestrian fatalities. RESULTS : Results of the model analysis show that the first major factor combination affecting traffic accidents involving elderly pedestrians is speeding, night time, and road markers. The second combination is night time and arterial roads (national and local highways). The last combination that may lead to such accidents is heavy vehicles and federally funded local highways. CONCLUSIONS : Preventive measures, such as speed control, proper lighting, median strips, designation of pedestrian protection zones, and guidance of detours, are necessary to manage high-risk combinations causing accidents of the elderly.

PURPOSES : This study empirically analyzes the determinants of fatal accidents based on raw data on traffic accidents occurring in Chungnam in 2020. METHODS : Regression models based on theoretical arguments for fatal traffic accidents are estimated using a binomial logit model. RESULTS : The prediction model for fatal accidents is affected by the degree of urbanization of the region, month and day of the accident, type of accident, and type of law violation. In addition, speeding or illegal U-turns among law violations appear more likely to result in fatal accidents. The road surface conditions at the time of the accident do not show a significant difference in the probability of fatality among traffic accidents. However, the probability of a fatal accident is rather lower in case of a snowy road; this is plausible, as drivers tend to drive more carefully in bad weather conditions. CONCLUSIONS : Among traffic accidents, fatal accidents appear to be affected by the time and place of the accident, type of accident, and weather conditions at the time of the accident. These analysis results suggest policy implications for reducing fatal accidents and can be used as a basis for establishing related policies.

This paper attempted to analyze the correlation between the risk image of the evacuees in the tunnel and the variables that affect the evacuation behavior due to the closed feeling. As to whether there is a difference in the level of recognizing the tunnel risk image according to the distribution of jobs, the null hypothesis was rejected at the significance probability of 0.002, so it can be said that the level of recognition of the tunnel risk image varies depending on the job group. In the distribution difference between gender and tunnel risk image recognition level, the significance probability was 0.012, indicating that the null hypothesis was rejected, indicating that the tunnel risk recognition distribution according to gender was different. As a result of analyzing the distribution difference between the tunnel's closed feeling and the tunnel risk perception level, the significance probability was 0.001, and the null hypothesis was rejected, indicating that there was a difference in the tunnel risk image level.

PURPOSES : The primary purpose of this study is to establish a crash probability model based on a statistical method that explains the relationship between regressor and explanatory variables using both fixed and random effects to control the heterogeneous characteristics of the observed data. In addition, an attempt was made to discover the leading cause of crashes by vehicle type, including passenger car, bus, truck, and trailer. METHODS : The levels of each route and day of the week are grouped using raw expressway crash data for 10 years from 2012 to 2021, and a multilevel mixed-effect logit model is constructed for each vehicle type assuming that the error terms are derived from the hierarchical structure of the group to which they belong. RESULTS : Speeding and obstacles on the road are significant factors that increase the probability of passenger car crashes, and bus crashes have a high rate at toll gates on weekdays. CONCLUSIONS : The multilevel mixed-effect logit model derived in the study has higher accuracy than the general logit model, confirming that mixed-effect analysis is plausible.

PURPOSES : In this study, the main factors affecting the severity of traffic accidents among elderly drivers were reviewed, and accident factors with a high accident risk were analyzed. This provided basic data for preparing a traffic safety system for elderly drivers and establishing policies. METHODS : Based on machine learning, the major factors influencing accident severity (from the analysis of traffic accident data for elderly drivers) were analyzed and compared with existing statistical analysis results. The machine learning algorithm used the Scikit-learn library and Python 3.8. A hyperparameter optimization process was performed to improve the safety and accuracy of the model. To establish the optimal state of the model, the hyperparameters were set (K = 5) using K-fold cross-validation. The hyperparameter search applied the most widely utilized grid search method, and the performance evaluation derived the optimal hyperparameter value using neutral squared error indicators. RESULTS : The traffic laws, road sections of traffic accidents, and time zones of accidents were analyzed for accidents involving elderly drivers in Daejeon Metropolitan City, and the importance of the variables was examined. For the analysis, a linear regression model, machine learning-based decision tree, and random forest model were used, and based on the root mean square error, the random forest accuracy performance was found to be the best. Ultimately, 18 variables were analyzed, including traffic violations, accident time zones, and road types. The variables influencing the accident severity were the speed, signal violation, intersection section, late-night driving, and pedestrian protection violation, with the relative importance of the variables in the order of speed (0.3490966), signal violation (0.285967), and late-night driving (0.173108). These can be seen as variables related to the expansion of life damage owing to physical aging and reduced judgment abilities arising from decreases in cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS : Restricting the driving of the elderly on the expressway and at night is reasonable, but specific standards for driving restrictions should be prepared based on individual driving capabilities.

PURPOSES : In this study, the factors affecting the severity of traffic accidents in highway tunnel sections were analyzed. The main lines of the highway and tunnel sections were compared, and factors affecting the severity of accidents were derived for each tunnel section, such as the tunnel access zone and tunnel inner zone. METHODS : An ordered probit model (OPM) was employed to estimate the factors affecting accident severity. The accident grade, which indicates the severity of highway traffic accidents, was set as the dependent variable. In addition, human, environmental, road condition, accident, and tunnel factors were collected and set as independent variables of the model. Marginal effects were examined to analyze how the derived influential factors affected the severity of each accident. RESULTS : As a result of the OPM analysis, accident factors were found to be influential in increasing the seriousness of the accident in all sections. Environmental factors, road conditions, and accident factors were identified as the main influential factors in the tunnel access zone. In contrast, accident and tunnel factors in the tunnel inner zone were found to be the influencing factors. In particular, it was found that serious accidents (A, B) occurred in all sections when a rollover accident occurred. CONCLUSIONS : This study confirmed that the influencing factors and the probability of accident occurrence differed between the tunnel access zone and inner zone. Most importantly, when the vehicle was overturned after the accident occurred, the results of the influencing factors were different. Therefore, the results can be used as a reference for establishing safety management strategies for tunnels or underground roads.

PURPOSES : This study analyzed explanatory variables, such as dangerous driving behaviors, in a negative binomial regression model, using the Digital Tachograph data of commercial vehicles, to assess the factors associated with freeway accidents. METHODS : Fixed parameter and random parameter negative binomial regression models were constructed using freeway accident data of commercial vehicles from January 2007 to July 2018 on the Gyeongbu Expressway from West Ulsan Interchange to Gimcheon Junction. RESULTS : Six explanatory variables (logarithm of average annual daily traffic, sunny, rainy, and snowy weather conditions, road curvature, and driving behaviors that included sudden stops) were found to impact the occurrence of freeway accidents significantly. Two of these variables (snowy weather conditions and sudden stops among dangerous driving behaviors) were analyzed as random parameters. These variables were shown as probabilistic variables that do not have a fixed impact on traffic accidents CONCLUSIONS : The variables analyzed as random parameters should be carefully considered when the freeway operating authorities plan an improvement project for highway safety.

PURPOSES : This study was purposed to identify the relationships between route characteristics and accident characteristics using the data of 124 routes collected from 78 of the 136 Seoul Neighborhood bus companies. METHODS : A structural equation modeling technique was employed for the analysis. The following four factors that were determined to influence the characteristics of Neighborhood bus accidents were implemented: driver characteristics, route characteristics, driver working conditions, and the management conditions of each company. Additionally, the two dependent variables were set as vehicle to vehicle accidents and vehicle to pedestrian accidents. RESULTS : The results of factor analysis revealed that the management conditions of each company had a negative effect on the working conditions, and that driver characteristics had a negative influence on accident characteristics in the three models. The effects of three major factors such as route characteristics, management conditions of the company, and working conditions on vehicle-to-vehicle accidents were likely to be opposite to the influences on vehicle-to-pedestrian accidents. CONCLUSIONS : Through the analysis of these results, we identified the characteristic causes of Neighborhood bus accidents. Specifically, a driver with more experience is less likely to be involved in a Neighborhood bus accident, and a narrower road is associated with higher accident risk. These results can be used as a reference to improve route and safety management for Neighborhood buses. Furthermore, this study is expected to contribute to the establishment of improved strategies to effectively reduce the number of Neighborhood bus accidents.