Causal Factors for Accidents on Southeastern Low-Volume Rural Roads

Low-volume roads comprise a significant portion of the rural roadway network. Because of documented higher crash frequencies and more severe injuries on such roads, it is necessary to further examine causal factors of these crashes and to determine if crash characteristics follow the patterns of other highways. The quasi-induced exposure technique is used to analyze the relationship of driver, roadway, and environmental factors involved in crashes on low-volume roads. Crashes from Kentucky and North Carolina for 1993–1995 are used. The results show that (a) low-volume roads present similar crash trends as those observed on other roads; (b) drivers under the age of 25 and drivers over the age of 65 have higher crash propensities than middle-aged drivers; (c) female drivers are safer on average than male drivers; (d) young drivers (under the age of 25) experience more single-vehicle crashes and drivers over 65 are more likely to be involved in two-vehicle crashes; (e) drivers of older vehicles have higher two-vehicle crash propensities on low-volume roads than drivers of newer vehicles; (f) in single-vehicle crashes, drivers of older vehicles are more likely to have a serious injury than drivers of newer vehicles; and (g) large trucks have the highest two-vehicle crash propensity on low-volume roads, followed by sedans, pick-up trucks, vans, and station wagons.