Accident Hotspot Detection of Exclusive Bus Transit Lanes (Case Study: City of Rasht)

Abstract

Detecting and improving traffic accident hotspots have always been considered significantly important to ensure public transport safety. Additionally, the identification of accident-prone segments and hotspots can also assist in determining the most optimal station locations for rescue teams and emergency responses to reduce the overall casualties in urban public transport-related accidents. This article analyses the various effects of exclusive bus lanes in traffic accident hotspots in Rasht, the capital of Guilan province. The research included eight distinguished road networks with bus exclusive transit lanes, and the appointed traffic accident hotspots have been identified using IG (intensity index), EPDO (equivalent property damage only), and SI (severity index) criteria. Moreover, the obtained results of the current article indicate a higher frequency of accident-prone areas before 2015 (when the exclusive bus lanes were initially established) compared to the following years, concluding that the establishment of exclusive bus lanes can potentially reduce the overall traffic accident-prone segments.