1. Nick Stamatiadis, Ph.D., P.E. Dept. of Civil Engineering
CRASH TRENDS
Nick Stamatiadis, Ph.D., P.E.
Dept. of Civil Engineering

2. Some terms Crash Accident Statistics Data
Motor vehicle Car, trucks, bicycle
Cause (s) Variables
Exposure Risk
Random Poison distribution

3. Crash Trends
Traffic Safety Facts 2006, NHTSA

4. Vehicle Type Other Hv. Truck 1.7% 4.1% Lt. Truck 38.2% Pass Car 56.1%
Traffic Safety Facts 2006, NHTSA

5. When--Month
Traffic Safety Facts 2006, NHTSA

6. MI vs KY --1997 Multi-vehicle

7. MI vs KY --1997 Single vehicle

8. When--Day
Traffic Safety Facts 2006, NHTSA

9. When--Time
Traffic Safety Facts 2006, NHTSA

10. When--Weather Snow 4.1% Other 1.3% Rain 9.5% Normal 85.1%
Traffic Safety Facts 2006, NHTSA

11. WHERE--Road Type One-way 4.5% Divided 25.3% Non-divided 70.3%
Traffic Safety Facts 2006, NHTSA

12. Crash Types Angle 15.4% Rear End 27.4% Sideswipe 9.5% Head On 1.1%
With Fixed Object 18.0%
With Other Object 6.0%
Single-vehicle %
KY data 2006

13. Why? Inattention 39% Fail yield ROW 20% Too fast 10% Reckless 9%
DUI %
Fail signal/sign 4%
Sleepy 3%
Improper turn %
Other %
KY data 2006

14. Driver Gender
Highway Statistics, FHWA

15. Crash trends & Gender
Traffic Safety Facts, NHTSA

16. Temporal changes Driver aging Driver cohorts
Driver attitudes and behavior
Driving environment
Automobile dependence

17. Licensed Drivers
Highway Statistics, FHWA

18. Effects of driver age Reduced visual and cognitive abilities
Increased reaction times
Compromised roadway behavior

19. Driver cohort
A driver cohort is associated with the learned behavior of the driver and is affected by
the traffic environment
the vehicle
the roadway types
reliance on automobile

20. Driver attitudes and behavioral changes
Reduced alcohol use
Drivers are more safety conscious
Views about “value of life” have changed

21. Driving environment Improved automobile safety Improved roadway design
Increased numbers of vehicles and drivers
Increased levels of congestion