What factors results in having a severe crash? a closer look on distraction-related factors

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive literature review to summarize all contributing factors and the logit-based models that were used to predict the severity of crashes. Using the General Estimates Systems (GES) dataset, as a subset and a branch of the National Automotive Sampling System in the US, a Generalized Ordered Logit (GLM) model is developed to predict the crash severity. The developed severity model detects the most important parameters based on characteristics of the driver, the environment, the vehicle, the road, and the type of crash. This study aims to take a more in-depth look into the distraction-related factors as one of the most important groups of contributing factors to traffic crashes. Distraction-related factors are categorized into five groups based on the generating source, including cellular phone, cognitive, passenger, outside events, and in-vehicle activities. Moreover, the effect of distraction on crashes in the presence of other factors is studied. Analyzing the severity of crashes revealed that cell phone usage and distraction caused by in-vehicle activities increase the severity of crashes, whereas other factors of distraction decrease the severity.

Keywords

• distracted driving
• crash injury
• severity
• distraction-related factors
• national automotive sampling system (nass)
• generalized ordered logit