Risk factors associated with crash severity on low-volume rural roads in Denmark

The current study analyzes the risk factors associated with crash severity on low-volume rural roads, including crash characteristics, driver attributes and behavior, vehicle type, road features, environmental conditions and zone attributes. The data consist of a comprehensive set of crashes occurred on low-volume rural roads in Denmark between 2007 and 2011. The modeling approach entails a generalized ordered logit model due to its advantage in accommodating the ordered-response nature of severity while relaxing the proportional odds assumption. Crash involvement rates show that 20% of the drivers involved are intoxicated and 40% fail to use seatbelts. Moreover, about 25% of the crashes involve vulnerable road users, while 18% involve heavy vehicles. Model estimates and pseudo-elasticities show that aggravated crash severity is significantly and positively associated with (i) alcohol and failure to wear seatbelts, (ii) involvement of vulnerable road users, (iii) involvement of heavy vehicles, (iv) speed limits of 80-90 km/h, (v) longer distance to the nearest hospital, and (vi) socio-economically vulnerable rural regions