Spatiotemporal characteristics of traffic accidents in China, 2016–2019

Abstract

This study analyzed in-depth investigation reports for 418 traffic accidents with at least five deaths (TALFDs) in China from 2016 to 2019. Statistical analysis methods including hierarchical cluster analysis were employed to examine the distribution characteristics of these accidents. Accidents were found to be concentrated in July and August, and the distribution over the seven days of the week was relatively uniform; only Sunday had a higher number of accidents and deaths. In terms of 24-hour distribution, the one-hour periods with the most accidents and deaths were 8:00–9:00, 10:00–11:00, 14:00–15:00, and 18:00–19:00. Tibet, Qinghai, and Ningxia had the highest death rates per 10,000 vehicles as well as the highest death rates per 100,000 inhabitants in TALFDs. In addition, the provinces with the most accidents and deaths were Sichuan, Henan, and Yunnan. Accidents on ordinary highways accounted for approximately 70% of the total, with the death toll on those roads accounting for approximately 64% of total deaths. Accidents on expressways accounted for approximately a quarter of all traffic accidents while the number of deaths accounted for more than 30% of the total. These results can guide traffic management departments to adopt better planning and management strategies to help reduce the number of traffic accidents and deaths.