Road traffic safety evaluation index system based on complex system-entropy theory

Abstract

Road traffic system is a complex dynamic system composed by various elements which interrelate and interact on each other. Based on complex system theory, complexity of road traffic safety was analyzed. According to the interrelation and interaction of the main influence factors and sub factors affecting the road traffic safety, a complex evaluation index system was established. Regarded as an information processing system, the complexity of road traffic safety evaluation index system was explored from three dimensions of informational, functional and structural complexity. Moreover, as the best ruler of measuring uncertainty, entropy theory was used to measure the complexity of the evaluation indexes quantitatively and calculate the average amount of information of each basic evaluation element contributing to the whole complexity of road safety evaluation index system. © 2011 IEEE.