Factors Contributing to Crashes on Low-Volume Unpaved Roads

Abstract

Unpaved roads have different characteristics to paved roads. A key way of investigating potential risk factors is to analyze traffic crashes that have occurred on unpaved roads. The objective of this study was to estimate the influence of different factors on crash occurrence on unpaved roads. Five years (2016–2020) of traffic crash data from Kansas were collected and analyzed by applying binary logistic regression. Results showed that 23 factors were statistically significant among the 25 factors analyzed, which were categorized according to driver, road, and crash characteristics. Factors resulting in a higher likelihood of occurrence included the presence of farm equipment, the vicinity of yards and fields, and railroad crossings. Several factors were found to result in a low likelihood of occurrence, for example, roads with more than two lanes, interchanges, ramps, existence of a median, and low volume of traffic. However, widening the road may not guarantee crash reduction on unpaved roads. An effective step to reduce the likelihood of crashes could be proper educational programs targeting teen drivers to make them aware of the dangers of driving on unpaved roads. It is also recommended that traffic control devices should be situated at railroad crossings and locations with nearby access to farms and agricultural land. In addition, a further study could be conducted to estimate the site-specific road width and speed limits.