title: Traffic accidents involving fatigue driving and their extent of casualties.
abstract: The rapid progress of motorization has increased the number of traffic-related casualties. Although fatigue driving is a major cause of traffic accidents, the public remains not rather aware of its potential harmfulness. Fatigue driving has been termed as a "silent killer." Thus, a thorough study of traffic accidents and the risk factors associated with fatigue-related casualties is of utmost importance. In this study, we analyze traffic accident data for the period 2006-2010 in Guangdong Province, China. The study data were extracted from the traffic accident database of China's Public Security Department. A logistic regression model is used to assess the effect of driver characteristics, type of vehicles, road conditions, and environmental factors on fatigue-related traffic accident occurrence and severity. On the one hand, male drivers, trucks, driving during midnight to dawn, and morning rush hours are identified as risk factors of fatigue-related crashes but do not necessarily result in severe casualties. Driving at night without street-lights contributes to fatigue-related crashes and severe casualties. On the other hand, while factors such as less experienced drivers, unsafe vehicle status, slippery roads, driving at night with street-lights, and weekends do not have significant effect on fatigue-related crashes, yet accidents associated with these factors are likely to have severe casualties. The empirical results of the present study have important policy implications on the reduction of fatigue-related crashes as well as their severity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Studies of Hong Kong, Macao and Pearl River Delta, Sun Yat-Sen University, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: sysuzgn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Guangnan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Management Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Electronic address: mskyau@cityu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Kelvin K W
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.affiliation: School of Statistics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; China Center for Economic Research, National School of Development, Peking University, Yiheyuan Road, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center for Studies of Hong Kong, Macao and Pearl River Delta, Sun Yat-Sen University, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003624:Darkness; D004779:Environment Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Fatigue driving; Road safety; Traffic accident