Analysing the Impact of Human Error on the Severity of Truck Accidents through HFACS and Bayesian Network Models

Abstract

Truck accidents are a prevalent global issue resulting in substantial economic losses and human lives. One of the principal contributing factors to these accidents is driver error. While analysing human error, it is important to thoroughly examine the truck’s condition, the drivers, external circumstances, the trucking company, and regulatory factors. Therefore, this study aimed to illustrate the application of HFACS (Human Factor Classification System) to examine the causal factors behind the unsafe behaviors of drivers and the resulting accident consequences. Bayesian Network (BN) analysis was adopted to discern the relationships between failure modes within the HFACS framework. The result showed that driver violations had the most significant influence on fatalities and multiple-vehicle accidents. Furthermore, the backward inference with BN showed that the mechanical system malfunction significantly impacts driver operating error. The result of this analysis is valuable for regulators and trucking companies striving to mitigate the occurrence of truck accidents proactively.