Journal of Transportation Research

Journal of Transportation Research

Identifying Safety Issues of Vulnerable Road Users in Urban Streets and Optimizing Countermeasures through the Integration of Association Rule Mining and Mathematical Programming Methods

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Alireza Zare 1
Nnavid Nadimi 2
Seyed Saber Naser Alavi 3
Vahid Khalifeh 4
1 M.Sc., Student, Civil Engineering Department, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
3 Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
4 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Sirjan University of Technology, Sirjan, Iran.
10.22034/tri.2025.485094.3293
Abstract
This paper focuses on determining optimal countermeasures to enhance the safety of vulnerable road users in urban streets of Tehran. Vulnerable road users include motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians. To achieve this, data from Tehran, the most populous city in Iran with a high rate of fatal and injury-causing crashes involving vulnerable users, is utilized. The data covers two levels of crash severity: injury-related crashes for the year 2020 and fatal crashes for the years 2018 to 2020. The objective of this research is to improve the safety of vulnerable road users by identifying an optimal pattern for determining appropriate countermeasures, which includes identifying risk factors, implementing countermeasures, and continuously evaluating and improving them. The research follows two main steps. In the first step, data mining techniques are used to identify factors and parameters influencing injury and fatal crashes and to extract specific patterns and rules related to these crashes. In the second step, mathematical programming is employed to use the results from the previous phase to develop a model for determining optimal countermeasures for enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users in each urban area. The results of association rule mining indicate that weather conditions, such as rainfall and humidity, significantly affect vehicle control and driver behavior, with fatal crashes occurring more frequently on non-working days and during rainy conditions. Additionally, adherence to traffic regulations and avoidance of alcohol consumption are key factors in reducing the risk of crashes. Improving traffic infrastructure and managing weather conditions, along with promoting safer driving behaviors, are essential actions for reducing crashes. Mathematical programming results highlight the positive impact of educational and promotional countermeasures in reducing crashes involving vulnerable road users. Specifically, improving street lighting and enhancing drainage systems during rainy conditions are critical countermeasures for increasing traffic safety.
Keywords
Vulnerable Road Users (Vrus)
Crashes
Safety
Optimal Countermeasures
Urban Streets
Subjects
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