An Analysis of Motorcyclist's Injury Severity in Florida Work Zones: a Random Parameter Approach with Heterogeneity in Means and Variances

• Activity Number: 403 - SPAAC Poster Competition
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, July 30, 2019 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Physical and Engineering Sciences
• Author(s): Rahul Deshmukh* and Mouyid Islam*
• Companies: Center for Urban Transportation Research
• Keywords: Motorcycle crashes; Work zone; Injury severity; Mixed Logit; Heterogenity; Strategic Highway Safety Plan

Abstract

Workzone related crashes in Florida are increasing steadily in recent years. As such, workzone is recognized in Florida Strategic Highway Safety Plan. This study uncovers the contributing factors leading to motorcycle crashes in workzones, which has not been conducted to date. Using the Crash Analysis Reporting (CAR) systems, this study suggests the fatality risk of a motorcyclist at night is as high as a passenger car driver. However, the motorcyclist fatality risk is higher at night in workzones relative to non workzones. This is particularly critical for motorcyclists below 30 years as they experienced the highest fatality risk among other age groups. In addition, this study investigated motorcyclists’ injury severity applying mixed logit with the heterogeneity in means and variance of the random parameters. The model result indicates a complex relationship between lighting condition, age of motorcyclist, endorsement status, roadway alignment, shoulder width, ejection, roadway functional class, location inside workzone. With the findings from this study, more insights for the engineering and policy countermeasures can be considered to improve motorcycle safety in Florida.