Citation

Khasnabis S, Reddy TR. Transp. Res. Rec. 1983; 910: 36-43.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1983, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The development and testing of a methodology for assessing the involvement rate of trucks in highway accidents are described. Existing procedures for incorporating exposure factors in truck accident analysis have been reviewed and their merits and demerits are discussed. Three alternative approaches for analyzing truck accidents are discussed, and approach 3 is identified as the most logical one based on its ability to incorporate exposure factors for arriving at appropriate measures. In the suggested methodology, a set of three vehicle-accident categories are identified: truck-only accident (TOA), passenger-car-only accident (POA), and combined accident (CA). A procedure for developing rates (accidents per vehicle mile of travel) for each category is defined that incorporates appropriate exposure factors. To check the validity of the proposed approach, Michigan accident data for a 10-year period (1970-1979) have been used as a case study. Standard statistical techniques (ANOVA and t-test) were applied. A comparison of accident data among TOAs, CAs, and POAs indicated that there is a significant difference in fatal, personal-injury, and property-damage accident rates when the three vehicle categories are considered together. When a comparison is made between TOAs and POAs, TOA rates are significantly higher for fatal and property-damage accidents. In addition, the CA category, which comprises a significant number of trucks, has generally a higher accident rate compared with others. Overall, trucks appear to have experienced a higher accident rate.

Language: en

Keywords

MOTOR TRUCK TRANSPORTATION; HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS