Research Papers (2009 – 2013)

Abstract

The Road Safety team at École Polytechnique de Montréal conducted an in-depth study of contributory factors to all fatal road collisions and fatalities that occurred on the Island of Montreal in 2008 and 2009. The aim of the work was to develop more knowledge about causal and contributory factors to these collisions, both within road user’s behaviour, vehicle safety and road conditions, and to propose countermeasures in order to prevent similar collisions. In-depth investigations were conducted on a total of seventy-three (73) fatal motor vehicle traffic collisions resulting in 75 fatalities in order to specifically identify what went wrong and the key actions and failures that led directly to the actual impact. Up to four contributory factors, chosen from a list of 79, were recorded for each collision. The 32 factors used, out of the 79 considered, were also organised in the following main groups: conditions related to the road user behaviour, conditions related to the vehicle, and conditions related to the road and the road traffic system. Single-vehicle crash fatalities (which includes collisions with vulnerable road users and fixed objects) were the most prevalent (87%) and improper lookout or failed to look properly was the most frequently reported contributory factor and was involved in 42% of all fatal crashes. Other frequently reported factors were alcohol impairment (18%) and improper manoeuvre (18%). Non-accident or suicide attempt was recorded as the cause of five fatalities. Males were particularly overrepresented in crashes where alcohol impairment appears as a contributory factor and for suicide attempts. On the basis of the analysis, several safety countermeasures are proposed.

Michel Gou, Salvator Birikundavyi, Érick Abraham, Julien Dufort, Laurent Fortier