Spatial analysis of Honolulu motor vehicle crashes: I. Spatial patterns

Accid Anal Prev. 1995 Oct;27(5):663-74. doi: 10.1016/0001-4575(95)00017-t.

Abstract

This study describes spatial patterns in Honolulu motor vehicle accidents for 1990. A method for geo-coding accident locations is utilized with approximately 98% of the crash locations being identified. Spatial software tools are developed for describing the degree of spatial concentration. The spatial patterns of different types of accidents and accidents for every hour of the day, weekdays and weekends separately, are analyzed. Accidents spatially fluctuate dynamically, as a response to changing traffic patterns and volume. Generally, most accidents are closer to employment centers than to residential areas. In the suburban and rural areas, however, accidents are more likely to involve fatalities or serious injuries and be related to night-time driving and alcohol. It is shown that these conditions spatially correlate with single-vehicle crashes and crashes with opposite direction vehicles. The spatial patterns point to the limits of "blackspot" analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic / prevention & control
  • Accidents, Traffic / statistics & numerical data*
  • Alcoholic Intoxication / epidemiology
  • Alcoholic Intoxication / prevention & control
  • Causality
  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Hawaii / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Mathematical Computing
  • Models, Statistical
  • Social Environment
  • Urban Population / statistics & numerical data*
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology
  • Wounds and Injuries / prevention & control