Deogratias Eustace

Identification of Risk Factors Associated with Motorcycle-Related Fatalities in Ohio

Ohio crash data for 2003–2007 were used to investigate the odds of a motorcyclist being fatally injured in a crash and the risk factors involved. The results show that risk factors for fatality/severe injury significantly increase when the following circumstances apply: the motorcyclist is a female, being the motorcycle rider, use of excessive speeding, use of alcohol and/or drugs, riding without a helmet, being involved in a single-vehicle crash or at a nonintersection location, crashing on horizontal curves or on graded segments, and on major roadways. To reduce the number of fatal crashes, this study indicates that the dangers of excessive speed and operating a motorcycle while intoxicated must be fully stressed to the public and both require an elevated enforcement. The enactment of an Ohio universal helmet law is particularly recommended.

The Role of Driver Age and Gender in Motor Vehicle Fatal Crashes

This study compares the age and gender of at-fault drivers who were involved in fatal crashes and the corresponding driving errors that contributed to these crashes. This comparison provides insights that may help traffic engineers devise countermeasures to lessen the number of these unnecessary deaths. Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for the years 2001 through 2003 were used in this study. The analysis included passenger vehicles (automobiles, utility vehicles, minivans, and pickup trucks) involved in either single- or two-vehicle crashes. The driver responsible in each crash was identified through the driver error variable codes as listed in the FARS databases. Younger drivers (16 through 19 years of age) and the elderly (those 75 and older) were responsible for a disproportionate amount of fatality-related crashes. When combined these two groups accounted for only 6.4% of the total miles driven in 2001, but they were responsible for 83.1% of the fatal crashes attributed to driver-related errors. Driver operating error was listed as the contributing factor in 73% of fatal motor vehicle crashes when the driver was male and 83% of the crashes when the driver was female. The youngest drivers tended to be carrying the highest number of passengers when they were involved in fatal crashes. Failing to stay in the proper lane and driving too fast for road conditions were the two most frequent driver operating errors contributing to fatal crashes for male and female drivers.

Incorporating Robustness Analysis into Urban Transportation Planning Process

When developing a regional transportation plan (RTP), growth assumptions are made for socioeconomic factors such as population, housing, and employment for a future planning horizon. In turn, these factors become the basis of projecting future transportation networks, streets, highways, transit loadings, and the resulting traffic flows. Like any future forecasting, these assumptions are bound to contain some errors.