Influence of Land Use, Population, Employment, and Economic Activity on Accidents

In this study, the relationships between land use, population, employment by sector, economic output, and motor vehicle accidents are explored. Through the use of comprehensive data from the largest county in Hawaii, the relationships are modeled in a uniform 0.1-mi2 (0.259-km2) grid structure and with various linear regression models. This method has an advantage over other approaches that have typically used unevenly sized and shaped traffic analysis zones, census tracts, or block groups. Positive, statistically significant relationships among population, job counts, economic output, and accidents are identified. After some of the general effects are sorted through, a negative binomial (NB) model is used to look at the absolute and relative effects of these factors on the number of pedestrian, bicycle, vehicle-to-vehicle, and total accidents. With a multivariate model, the different effects can be compared and the specific nature of the relationships between zonal characteristics and accidents can be id...