Modeling Wrong-way Driving (WWD) crash severity on arterials in Florida

Area of Science:

• Traffic Safety
• Transportation Engineering
• Accident Analysis

Background:

• Wrong-way driving (WWD) studies traditionally focus on limited-access highways.
• WWD crashes on arterial corridors are frequent and severe, necessitating specific research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors influencing the severity of wrong-way driving crashes on arterial roads.
• To inform the development of targeted mitigation strategies for WWD on arterials.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 1,890 wrong-way driving crashes on Florida arterial corridors (2012-2016).
• Utilized a Bayesian partial proportional odds (PPO) model to assess crash severity factors.
• Included driver attributes, temporal factors, and roadway characteristics in the analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant factors influencing WWD crash severity include: day of the week, lighting, work zones, crash location, driver age/gender, airbag deployment, alcohol use, speed limit, speed ratio, and collision type.
• The Bayesian Credible Interval (BCI) at 90% was used to determine variable significance.

Conclusions:

• Driver behavior (e.g., alcohol use, speeding) and environmental conditions are critical in WWD crash severity on arterials.
• Recommendations include targeted Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Emergency response strategies.
• Proposes Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O) for WWD detection systems on arterials.