Innovative spatial analysis techniques for traffic safety

The project “Innovative spatial analysis techniques for traffic safety” consists of three interrelated subprojects, linked into a multidisciplinary thematic network. The objective of this research was to improve the explanatory model for traffic safety, in order to clarify the interactions between safety factors, and progress in an explanatory model for traffic safety. In order to reach the objective, this project explored the potential of new data sources and analysis techniques. The following approaches were used by the research partners: Three innovative approaches were explored: • Remote sensing analysis of very high resolution satellite images (KUL): The potential of very high resolution satellite imagery for identification of land use, infrastructure and traffic characteristics was explored. • Spatial statistics (KUL) This part of the research included the analysis of statistically significant risk zones, and spatial regression of socio-economic characteristics of neighbourhoods, which might be related to accident concentrations • Model-based clustering of accidents (LUC) The accident data consisted of a database of all the accidents with casualties occurred in Belgium in the period 1991-1999. Per accident, about 100 attributes are recorded. Clustering techniques were used to structure, and to find patterns and relations in this large dataset. • Association rules (LUC) Association rules were used to identify the relevance of data, and to identify typical characteristics and circumstances of accidents in black zones. • Analysis of time-space variations in the spatial distribution of accidents (UCL) The stability and the spatio-temporal variations of black zones in a peri-urban environment were examined. • Multi-level analysis (UCL) Explanatory factors of traffic (un)safety appear to be very scale-dependent. Rather than developing an explanatory model for different scales, recent developments through multilevel frameworks provide the opportunity of examining interactions at different levels and of integrating interactions between scale levels.Scientific report.nrpages: 141status: publishe