Drivers' liability-based comparative severity analysis of motorized two-wheeler crashes

Area of Science:

• Traffic Safety Research
• Accident Analysis
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Motorized two-wheeler (MTW) crashes pose a significant public health challenge, particularly in developing countries.
• Understanding factors influencing MTW crash severity is crucial for developing effective safety interventions.
• Police-reported crash data provides valuable insights into accident dynamics and contributing factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comparative severity analysis of motorized two-wheeler (MTW) crashes based on driver liability.
• To identify key factors contributing to the severity of MTW injuries in Dehradun using police-reported data from 2016-2020.
• To differentiate crash severity based on whether the MTW rider is accountable (first-party) or a victim (second-party).

Main Methods:

• Utilized police-reported crash data from 2016 to 2020 for analysis.
• Employed an ordinal logistic regression approach to analyze crash severity levels due to their inherent ordering.
• Distinguished between first-party crashes (MTW rider accountable) and second-party crashes (MTW rider victim).

Main Results:

• Age, pillion passenger presence, collision type, road network, and impacting vehicle were found to increase crash severity in both first-party and second-party scenarios.
• Crash day, crash time, and light conditions were significant factors in second-party crashes.
• Crash seriousness generally decreased in first-party crashes but increased in second-party crashes.

Conclusions:

• Findings provide a better understanding of MTW fatal accidents in developing nations, correlating with past studies.
• The research aids in developing targeted mitigation strategies to improve MTW user safety.
• Identified specific factors influencing crash severity based on driver liability, informing future research directions.