Fatal crashes involving vehicles with driver warning systems: Identifying risk factors using a correlated random...

Recent advancements in vehicular technology are expected to enhance traffic safety by either warning the drivers or by automating the tasks related to driving to reduce the human driver's involvement. The driver warning systems (DWSs) are designed to warn drivers in unsafe situations such as forward collision, lane departure, or when changing lanes with vehicles in blind spot areas. Although these features are designed to enhance safety, recent crash data shows vehicles with these features are still getting involved in crashes, making it necessary to identify the contributing factors. Further, it also requires research to quantify the benefits of vehicles with one or multiple DWS in terms of safety during multivehicle crashes. This study presents a methodological framework to compare factors affecting fatal crashes involving vehicles with no, one and two DWSs. A three-step method is proposed to incorporate unobserved heterogeneity while modeling. Fixed parameter and correlated random parameter order logit models are employed. The results shows that correlated random parameters ordered logit model outperforms traditional fixed parameter ordered logit model. Vehicles equipped with DWSs are safer than vehicles without DWSs during wet or snowy road conditions, when the vehicle skids laterally or longitudinally, and at intersections. Vehicles with one or both DWSs can reduce drink-and-drive and speeding-related crash involvement than vehicles without DWSs. Female and elderly drivers are at a higher risk while driving a vehicle with one or both DWSs compared to driving a vehicle without DWSs, demanding vehicular modifications.