Investigating the effect of road condition and vacation on crash severity using machine learning algorithms

Investigating the contributing factors to traffic crash severity is a demanding topic in research focusing on traffic safety and policies. This research investigates the impact of 16 roadway condition features and vacations (along with the spatial and temporal factors and road geometry) on crash severity for major intra-city roads in Saudi Arabia. We used a crash dataset that covers four years (Oct. 2016 - Feb. 2021) with more than 59,000 crashes. Machine learning algorithms were utilized to predict the crash severity outcome (non-fatal/fatal) for three types of roads: single, multilane, and freeway. Furthermore, features that have a strong impact on crash severity were examined. Results show that only 4 out of 16 road condition variables were found to be contributing to crash severity, namely: paints, cat eyes, fence side, and metal cable. Additionally, vacation was found to be a contributing factor to crash severity, meaning crashes that occur on vacation are more severe than non-vacation days.