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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: Violation of traffic rules is a major contributing factor of both crashes and fatalities in the United States. This study aims at quantifying risk drivers pose to themselves and other drivers by violating traffic rules.
METHOD: The crash data from 2010 to 2013 was gathered for the state of North Carolina. Descriptive analysis was carried out to identify frequent traffic violations and who were committing the traffic violations that resulted in crashes. Multinomial logit model was then developed to examine the relation between different traffic violations and driver injury severity. Additionally, odds ratio was estimated to identify the likelihood (probability) of severe or moderate injury to the driver and other drivers due to a driver violating a traffic rule that led to a crash.
RESULTS: Exceeding speed limit is more likely to result in severe injury to themselves when compared to their own injury due to disregarding traffic signals. However, going wrong way is more likely to result in severe injury to other drivers when compared to any other traffic violation. Driving under the influence of alcohol is two times more likely to result in severe injury to themselves than driving under the influence of drugs. These two traffic violations by a driver are, almost, equally likely to result in severe injury to other drivers.
CONCLUSIONS: Often times, drivers perceive that violating traffic rules does not result in a crash or severe injury. However, the results from this study show that a majority of the traffic violations lead to severe injury to themselves as well as to other drivers. The findings from this study serve as documented evidence to educate drivers about the risk they pose to themselves and to other drivers by violating traffic rules and encourage the adaptation of safe driving behavior in order to contribute towards reaching the "zero traffic deaths" vision. They also help make policy changes pertaining to penalty points and fine amount for violating a traffic rule.
Language: en |