Analysis of Traffic Accident Occurrence at Hazardous Road Locations: A Case Study in Tunisia

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of factors linked to the geometric, roadway and traffic flow characteristics on traffic accident occurrence at Hazardous Road Locations (HRL) in the region of Sousse, Tunisia using longitudinal data of 52 HRLs for an 11-year monitoring period from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2014. The results of estimation of Negative Binomial model and the Random Effects Negative Binomial model reported that the different variables representing the presence of rural segment, the curved alignment, the visibility, the average daily traffic volume, the presence of public lighting, the number of lane, the presence of vertical/horizontal sign, the presence of drainage system, the presence of paved shoulder, the roadway surface condition, and the presence of major road were the main significant variables influencing accident occurrences. Therefore, the results could be useful for deciders in the transport sector in order to implement effective measures to improve road safety by adopting proper sound use practices, establishing efficient transportation systems and formulating appropriate traffic policies and legislation. Contribution/Originality: This is one of the few studies which have investigated the occurrence of traffic accidents at Hazardous Road Locations in the region of Sousse (Tunisia) as a function of various explanatory factors linked to the geometric characteristics, roadway characteristics and traffic flow characteristics. 1443 persons were killed in 2016 and 11035 were injured in traffic-related crashes on the roads (National