Accident prediction models with random corridor parameters

Recent research advocates the use of count models with random parameters as an alternative method for analyzing accident frequencies. In this paper a dataset composed of urban arterials in Vancouver, British Columbia, is considered where the 392 segments were clustered into 58 corridors. The main objective is to assess the corridor effects with alternate specifications. The proposed models were estimated in a Full Bayes context via Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation and were compared in terms of their goodness of fit and inference. A variety of covariates were found to significantly influence accident frequencies. However, these covariates resulted in random parameters and thereby their effects on accident frequency were found to vary significantly across corridors. Further, a Poisson-lognormal (PLN) model with random parameters for each corridor provided the best fit. Apart from the improvement in goodness of fit, such an approach is useful in gaining new insights into how accident frequencies are influenced by the covariates, and in accounting for heterogeneity due to unobserved road geometrics, traffic characteristics, environmental factors and driver behavior. The inclusion of corridor effects in the mean function could also explain enough variation that some of the model covariates would be rendered non-significant and thereby affecting model inference. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.