Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             1
ACCIDENT PREDICTION MODELS FOR ROAD NETWORKS 
 Gianluca Dell Acqua 
Assistant Professor, Ph.D., P.Eng. 
Department of Transportation Engineering  Luigi Tocchetti  
University of Naples  Federico II  
Via Claudio 21, I-80125 Naples, Italy 
Phone: +39 0817683934 
Fax: +39 0817683946 
E-mail: gianluca.dellacqua@unina.it  
Francesca Russo (Corresponding Author) 
Ph.D., P.Eng. 
Department of Transportation Engineering  Luigi Tocchetti  
University of Naples  Federico II  
Via Claudio 21, I-80125 Naples, Italy 
Phone: +39 0817683372 
Fax: +39 0817683946 
E-mail: francesca.russo2@unina.it   
0BABSTRACT 
This paper illustrates road safety statistical models to predict injury accidents. Since 2003 the 
Department of Transportation Engineering at the University of Naples has been conducting a large    
scale research programbased on the accident data collection in Southern Italy. The Italian analyzed 
roadways in the Salerno Province are composed of multilane roadways for 242 kilometers and Major 
and Minor two-lane rural roads for 3,101 kilometers.  
Two accident prediction models were calibrated: one is associated with two-lane rural roads 
and the other with multilane roadways. Explanatory  variables were used including traffic  flow, lane 
width, vertical slope, curvature change rate, roadway segments length. 
Several  procedures  exist  in  the  scientific  literature  to  predict  the  number  of  accidents  per 
kilometer per year, and a lot of relationships between accidents and explanatory variables exist basing 
on the multiple-variable non linear regression analyses. The accident data, presented in this manuscript, 
were analyzed using this procedure based on least squares method. The predicted values obtained by 
calibration  procedure  were  then  compared to several  models  presented  in  the  scientific  literature  to 
analyze the residuals by using the t-test.                  
Keywords: road safety analysis, calibration and validation injurious accidents prediction models   
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             2  
INTRODUCTION 
Data published by the World Health Organization and the European Union demonstrated that the main 
cause of death is attributed to roadway accidents which numbered 1.2 million fatalities per year round 
the world. 
To  examine  the  phenomenon,  and  to  restrict  its  consequences,  national  and  international 
research on road safety is being conducted to assess the relationship between vehicles, users and the 
environment 
Regression equations in the scientific literature we had studied attempt to predict the number 
of accidents per year per kilometer and particularly significant employed variables were chosen. These 
were the Average Daily Traffic (ADT) and roadway length.  
The accident prediction models presented here were subsequently validated using the data set 
which  had  not  been  included  in  the  calibration  phase.  In  fact  prior  to  calibration,  10%  of  the total 
number  of  accidents  leading  to  injury  were  excluded  fromthe  sample  data  in  order  to  validate  the 
procedure at the end.      
LITERATURE REVIEW 
The first crash prediction model for multilane roads was defined by Persaud and Dzbik (1). 
The model presented relationships between the number of accidents and the traffic flow expressed as 
average daily traffic (ADT) and hourly volume. The analysis was based on generalized linear models. 
The results demonstrate that the accident rate increases with traffic flow. 
Knuiman et al. (2) examined the effect of the mean value of roadway width for four-lane roads 
on accident prediction models. A negative binominal function was used for data distribution. The results 
indicated that the accident rate decreases when roadway width increases, reaching minimal crash-rate 
values when the cross-section dimensions are high.  
Fridstrm et al. (3) correlated the number of crashes with four variables: traffic flow, speed 
limits, weather and light conditions. 
Hadi et al. (4) put forward numerous crash prediction models for multilane roads and rural or 
urban two-laneroads. 
Persaud et al. (5) presented accident prediction models which developed different regression 
equations for circular curves and tangent elements. All the analyses were then completely focused on 
two-lane roads. Crash frequency was predicted by using traffic flow and roadway features. 
Persaud and Lord (6) applied the generalized regression equation (GEE) to accident data from 
the state of Toronto (Canada) 
Some models in the scientific literature (7) can be considered as a source for other accident 
regression equations. To predict crash frequency, for example, some roadway variables have been used 
in the literature such as the following(8) (9):  
( )
1.242
0.1955 0.1775 0.2716 2 0.5669 0.1208 0.0918 91 0.696
( )
1000
LN SHW MT TS PTC Y
i
ADTL
E m LEN e
 -  +  +  -  -   
=    
   (1)  
where  
  E(m)
i
: expected accident frequencies on road section I, 
  ADTL: annual average daily traffic (AADT) per lane, 
  LEN: roadway segment length in Km, 
  LN: number of roadway lanes in the analyzed section i 
  SHW: roadway width in meters, 
  MT2: binomial indicator reflecting the type of center line (0 =painted, 1 =physical barrier), 
  TS: binomial indicator reflecting the presence of signs (0 =signs not present, 1=signs present), 
  PTC: binomial indicator reflecting the pattern type (0 =combined, 1 =commuter), 
  Y91: year 1991 (0=92, 1=91).  
Martin  (10),  studying  French  interurban  motorways,  described  the  relationship between  the 
crash rate and  volume of hourly traffic (VH), and the impact of traffic on fatal crashes. 
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             3  
Golob  and  Recker  (11)  used  linear  and  non-linear  multi-variable  regression  analysis  to 
compare the  correlations  between  crashes  and  traffic  flow,  lighting  and  weather  conditions.  In  a 
subsequent study, Golob et al. (12) evaluated the effects of changes in traffic flow on road safety. 
E. Hauer of the University of Toronto developed statistical regression equations to predict the 
number of crashes per year in relation to geometric roadway features and traffic flow. The crash data 
were  analysed  using  binominal  negative  distribution  (13). An  innovative  aspect  of  this  study  is  the 
introduction of an alternative instrument to measure the adequacy of accident prediction models, called 
the Cu.Re method (Cumulative Residuals). 
Hauer (14) subsequently calibrated other models to predict crash frequency (number of crashes 
per year) on multilane urban roads by using variables listed as AADT (Annual Average Daily Traffic), 
the percentage of trucks, slope, horizontal curve length, roadway width, type and width of clear zones, 
danger levels of road shoulders, speed limits, points of access, and the presence and nature of parking 
areas. The results demonstrated that AADT, the point of roadway access, and the speed limits were the 
significant variables for predicting crash frequency. Statistical tests were developed by the same author 
to test the statistical significance of the obtained results (15) (16) (17). 
Caliendo et al. (18) showed a strong correlation between the number of crashes, traffic flow, 
and infrastructure features. The equation-formof the accident prediction models for horizontal curves is 
the following:  
4
1
1.45703 0.86881 ln 0.33793 0.40863 10 L AADT
R
e l
-  
- +  +  +    
=
      (2)  
where  
l: predicted number of severe crashes per year 
L: circular curve length in kilometers 
1/R: curvature radius in km
-1 
AADT: annual average daily vehicle traffic  per day  
Tarko  suggested  some  guidelines  to  examine  road  safety  (19)  (20)  and  to  realize  all  the 
operations needed to improve it.   
DATA COLLECTION 
The collected data of the number of accidents covered a period of three years from 2003 to 
2005 and relate to the road network of the Province of Salerno in Southern Italy; all geometric features 
and  crash  rates  for  each  roadway  segment  were  initially  analyzed  using  a  Geographic  Information 
System(G.I.S.). 
The  data were given  to  the  Department  of  Transportation  Engineering  at  the  University  of 
Naples  by  the  Administration  of  the  Province  of  Salerno.  Table  1  refers  to  the  complete  analyzed 
databasewhile tables 2 and 3 refer to the database used to calibrate the models.  
TABLE 1 Roadway and Injurious Features of Analyzed Network 
Type of road 
Type of 
Analysis 
Roadway segment 
length 
[Km] 
Injurious crashes in 3 
years 
(2003-2005) 
Divided  
Roadways 
Calibration 223 1,205
Validation  19  51
D.R. total  242  1,256 
Undivided 
Roadway 
Calibration 2,651 1,131 
Validation  450 510
U.R. total  3,101  1,641 
TOTAL    3,343 2,897 
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             4  
The  initial  database  is  filtered  by  removing  accident  data  with  an  ADT  of  less  than  200 
vehicles/day and records with incomplete information.  
The  final database  comprises  approximately 700  records. Table 1 shows the  geometric and 
harmful features of the Italian analyzed roadway.  
Prior  to  calibrating  injurious/fatal  accident  prediction  models,  10%  of  these  events  were 
randomly extracted. These injurious/fatal accidents were subsequently used to validate the regression 
equations.  
Tables 2 and 3 show the descriptive statistics for geometric features and I/F accidents per year 
per kilometer on the Italian roads with two-lane rural and urban roads (undivided roadways) and the 
multilane roadways (divided roadways) analyzed. 
The broad variation in the ADT interval (minimum and maximum values) is due to the fact 
that ramps are also included in the database. The study conducted here illustrates a  network  approach 
in which it was deemed opportune not to exclude road sections that connect one functional sub-network 
and to another (now including the ramps).  
TABLE 2 Descriptive Statistics of the Geometric and Injurious Features of rural and urban roads  
Length 
[Km] 
ADT 
Average Daily Traffic in vehicles/day 
Roadway 
width 
[m] 
Injurious events  
per year per Km 
Average  4.60  3,300.15  7.69  0.12 
Standard error  0.18  148.11  0.07  0.01 
Median  3.25  1,789.75  7.00  0.00 
Mode  /  1,174.00  7.00  0.00 
Standard deviation  4.36  3,554.75  1.75  0.28 
Sample variation  18.98  12,636,264.81  3.05  0.08 
Kurtosis  22.19  3.10  2.62  15.20 
Asymmetry   3.20  1.78  1.38  3.49 
Interval   50.02  18,855.50  11.83  2.13 
Minimum  0.08  201.50  4.50  0.00 
Maximum 50.11  19,057.00  16.30  2.13 
Sum  2,651.21  1,900,889.20  4,427.47  71.36 
Total  576.00  576.00  576.00  576.00  
TABLE 3 Descriptive statistics of the geometric and injurious features of multilane roads  
Length 
[Km] 
ADT 
Average Daily Traffic in vehicles/day 
Roadway 
width 
[m] 
Injurious events  
per year per Km 
Average  3.82  18,904.78  7.44  1.69 
Standard error  0.42  1,957.54  0.38  0.36 
Median  2.44  12,696.88  7.25  0.00 
Mode  /  41,675.00  11.25  0.00 
Standard deviation  3.33  15,413.69  2.96  2.82 
Sample variation  11.07  237,581,939.93  8.74  7.94 
Kurtosis  1.82  -1.19  -0.72  12.20 
Asymmetry  1.57  0.59  0.30  3.00 
Interval  14.38  48,259.33  11.50  16.47 
Minimum  0.52  1,247.67  3.50  0.00 
Maximum  14.90  49,507.00  15.00  16.47 
Sum  236.78  1,172,096.44  461.00  104.78 
Total  62.00  62.00  62.00  62.00     
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             5   
CALIBRATION OF I/F ACCIDENT PREDICTION MODELS 
The I/F crash roadway prediction models were calibrated using statistical software (Statistica   
Statsoft). 
This  systempermitted  the  analysis,  in  an  attempt  to  analyze  regression,  of  the  degree  of 
correlation  and  some  statistical  parameters  explaining  the  statistical  significance of  the  employed 
variables.   
Calibrating the Accident Model for Multilane Roadways 
The descriptive statistics for the database employed to calibrate fatal crash prediction models 
for  multilane  roadways  are  briefly  summarized  in  Table  4;  they  cover  223  kilometers  of  Italian 
roadways analyzed  within the Salerno Province network. 
The Gauss-Newton method based on the Taylor series was used to estimatethe coefficients of 
employed variables. All the parameters included in the model are significant with a 95% confidence 
level.   
TABLE 4 Descriptive Statistics of Variables Employed to Calibrate the Prediction Model 
Variable  Average m  Standard Deviation s  Minimum  Maximum 
ADT [vehicles/day]  17,372.24  15,746.20  166 49,507
Roadway Segment length [Km]  3.65  3.38  0.06  14.90 
Injurious accidents per year [crashes/year]  6.58  11.17  0.00  56.00  
The best specification of this ordinary-least-square model (OLS) was developed using 1,205 
injurious crashes; the equation-formis the following:  
0.5761
1
0.4087
1000
A D T
y L u 
=    
        (3)  
where  
  y
1
: number of fatal crashes per year observed on roadway segment length L
u 
  ADT: average daily traffic in vehicles/day observed in three years 
  L
u
: length of the analyzed roadway segment 
The adjusted coefficient of determination (r) of the model is equal to 67.3%. 
Using Hauer s procedure, a diagramof residuals was plotted based on the ADT values as shown in 
Figure 1.  The residual is the  value  of the  difference measured between  the  predicted  value of  fatal 
accidents using the model and the real value of the number of accidents surveyed on the sameroadway 
segment. In the diagram, the residual values were placed on the y-axis, while the ADT/1,000 values are 
reported in the x-axis corresponding to the same roadway segments. The traffic variable was plotted on 
the diagramfromthe lowest to the highest value.   
FIGURE 1 Diagram ADT-cumulated quadratic residuals.  
0
50
100
150
200
0   10   20   30   40   50
S
q
u
a
r
e
d 
I
/
F 
c
r
a
s
h
e
s 
p
e
r 
y
e
a
r
ADT/1,000 [vehicles/day]
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             6  
Good predictions of accident models subsists up to an ADT value of 10,000 vehicles per day. 
Around  this  value,  the  residuals  actually  start  to  be  significantly  noticeable.  Cumulated  quadratic 
residuals corresponding to the ADT values greater than 10,000 vehicles a day show a vertical jump 
more correctly known as an  outlier  (22). The presence of an  outlier  indicates an observation very 
different froma sample data distribution and it appears when the real crash rate is very dissimilar to the 
predictive value using regression equations. In this case, it is necessary to carry out more investigations 
to decide whether  to use these observations or not. 
Observed residuals have a  minimumvalue of  zero and a  maximumvalue of 6.50  injurious 
crashes per year per kilometer. The average value is 0.48 injurious crashes per year per kilometer, while 
the standard deviation is 1.66 injurious crashes per year per kilometer.  
Calibrating the Accident Model for rural and urban Roadways 
The descriptive statistics of some  variables employed to  calibrate injurious crash prediction 
models on these roadway types are briefly summarized in Table 5.  
The database consists of 576 records and covers a total of 2,651 kilometers of Italian roads 
analyzed within the Salerno Province network.   
TABLE 5 Descriptive Statistics of Employed Variables in the Prediction Model 
Variable  Average m  Standard Deviation s  Minimum  Maximum 
TGM [vehicles/day]  3,300.15  3,554.75  202 19,057
Section length [Km]  4.60  4.36  0.08  50.11 
Injurious accidents per year [crashes/year]  0.65  2.03  0.00  25.00 
V [Km/h]  58.54  10.04  30.00  83.30 
Roadway width [m]  7.69  1.75  4.50  16  
All the parameters included in the model are significant with a 95% confidence level. The best 
specification of the ordinary-least-square model (OLS) was produced using 1,131 injurious crashes. The 
equation-formis the following:  
( )
0.6444
11.7399 0.1739 3.5583 3.7087 0.2514
1
1000
V C P C T L a A D T
y L u e
- +  +  -  -   
=    
(4)  
where  
  y
1
: the number of fatal crashes per year observed on roadway segment length L
u 
  ADT: average daily traffic in vehicles/day observed in three years 
  L
u
: length of the analyzed roadway segment 
  V: mean value for speed in free flow conditions on a selected roadway segment in Km/h 
  CP: slope coefficient equal to 0.8 for low slopes, 0.9 for high slopes and 1 for very high slopes 
  CT: tortuosity coefficient of 0.8 for low tortuosity, 0.9 for high tortuosity and 1 for very high 
tortuosity 
  L
a
: roadway width in meters 
The adjusted coefficient of determination (r) of the model is equal to 68.0%. 
Observed residuals have a  minimumvalue of  zero and a  maximumvalue of 1.89 injurious 
crashes per year per kilometer; the average value is 0.03 injurious crashes per year per kilometer, while 
the standard deviation is equal to 0.26 injurious crashes per year per kilometer. 
Figure  2  is  a  CuRe  (Cumulative  Residuals)  diagram.  Figure  2  shows  how  the  model  is 
statistically  significant  until  the  ADT  value  is  equal  to  5,000  vehicles  per  day.  In  the  diagram,  the 
residual values were placed on the y-axis, and the x-axis gives the ADT values, which correspond to the 
same roadway  segments.  The  traffic  variable  was  plotted  on  the  diagramfromthe  smallest  to  the 
highest value.  
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             7   
FIGURE 2 CuRe diagram .   
VALIDATION OF ACCIDENT PREDICTION MODELS 
This section presents the validation procedure for crash prediction models for roads with rural 
and urban roadways and for multilane roadways. This method evaluates the accuracy of two injurious 
accident prediction equations by analyzing the differences in observed and predicted values. The data 
used to validate the two regression equations have not been included in the calibration phase of some 
models. 10% of  the total observed accident data was initially extracted fromthe entire database for 
subsequent use in the validation procedure. 
60 roads with undivided roadway segments were used in this phase, giving a total length of  
220 Kilometers and a total of 58 injurious crashes recorded in the three years from2003 to 2005. 
7 roads with divided roadway segments were then used in this phase for a total length of 18 
Kmand a total of 11 injurious crashes over the samethree years. 
The descriptive statistics of the features observed on roads with undivided roadway and roads 
with divided roadways which were used to validate the two prediction injurious accident  models are 
shown in Table 6.  
TABLE 6 Descriptive Statistics of Employed Variables to Validate Models 
Variable  m  s  Min  Max  Total 
ROADS WITH DIVIDED ROADWAYS:           
ADT[vehicles/day]  10,156.10 7,965.12  161,300  23,499.50  71,092.67 
Section L [Km]  2.64  2.55  0.53  7.99  18.49
Injurious accidents per year  0.52  1.39  0.00  3.67  3.67 
ROADS WITH UNDIVIDED ROADWAYS:           
ADT  3,038.11  3,120.35  230.25  14,972.00  194,439.15 
Section L [Km]  3.54  3.23  0.12  16.79  226.56 
Injurious accidents per year  0.30  0.82  0.00  5.00  19.33
V [Km/h]  59.09 9.39  30.00  74.30  - 
Tortuosity Coefficient [-]  0.86  0.07  0.80  1.00  - 
Slope Coefficient [-]  0.94  0.06  0.80  1.00  -  
The validation procedure estimates the following synthetic statistical parameters: 
  Residual (D
i
) =value estimated fromthe difference between predicted fatal crash values UY
i
U and 
the observed fatal crash values Y
i
: D
i
=UYU -Y
i
. 
  MAD (Mean Absolute Deviation) =constant value equal to the sum of the absolute values of 
D
i 
divided by the total number (n) of observations  
n D MAD
n
i
i
/
1
=
=
        (5) 
 
  MSE (Mean Squared Error) =constant value equal to the sumof D
i
 squared divided by n 
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             8 
 
n D MSE
n
i
i
/
1
2
=
=
        (6) 
 
  I  =constant  value equal to the  square root  of MSE divided  by the  mean of the  predictive 
injurious crashes 
2
( )
0 . 1
i i
i
Y Y
n
I
Y
n
-
= 
        (7) 
The predictive accident  model for roads with a divided roadway has a MAD  value of 3.55 
injurious crashes per year per kilometer and an MSE value of 17.93 squared injurious crashes per year 
per kilometer. 
The  predictive  accident model for roads with undivided roadways  presents a MAD of 0.48 
injurious crashes per year per kilometer and an MSE of 0.72 squared injurious crashes per year per 
kilometer. 
Thus,  it  can  be  concluded  that  two  accident  prediction  models  are  statistically  significant 
because the residual values are in a limited range around the mean. This was confirmed by a low value 
for MAD, MSE and I indicators. In particular, I reflects a good prediction when lower than 0.1. This 
holds for both models. 
The  accident  prediction  models  for  roads  with  undivided  roadways  were  compared  with 
Tarko s crash prediction model (19). Two models were applied to the sample data used to validate the 
regression  equations.  This  procedure  was  carried  out  to  verify  that  the  residuals  given  by  the  two 
models  may  be  judged  statistically  in  different  ways.  A  total  of  64  fatal  accidents  were  randomly 
extracted fromthe database used for the validation procedure because this is the sample size used by 
Tarko. The mean value of the residuals obtained fromthe accident prediction model reached fromthe 
Italian regressions was 0.50 injurious crashes per year per kilometer, while according to Tarko s model 
the result should  have  been 0.72. A t-test was then conducted to  verify whether the  mean value of 
residuals obtained from the application of our model is statistically different fromthe mean value of 
residuals for Tarko. For the Std. Dev. value of our model equal to 0.55 injurious crashes per year and 
for the  Std.  Dev.  value  of  Tarko s  model  equal  to  0.58  injurious  crashes  per  year  the  two  models 
produce similar results at the significant level of 3% (13).  
 
 
RESULTS  
The two injurious crash prediction models were calibrated by using the sample data observed 
on the roadway network of the Province of Salerno in Southern Italy. 
The database used to calibrate the  prediction  model  on  the  multilane roadway  covered 223 
kilometers where 1,205 injurious crashes occurred from2003 to 2005. 
The Gauss-Newton method based on the ordinary-least-square model (OLS) was developed to 
performa final regression equation to predict the injurious accidents per year per kilometer. 
All the parameters included in the model are significant to a 95% level of confidence, and the 
adjusted coefficient of determination (r) of the model is 67.3%. The variables used in this prediction 
model are the ADT value (average daily traffic in vehicles/day observed over three years) and the L
u
 
value (length of the analyzed roadway segment).  
The database used to calibrate the prediction model on the roads with an undivided roadway 
(two-lane  rural  roads  and  urban  roads)  covered  2,651  roadway  kilometers,  where  1,131  injurious 
crashes took place from2003 to 2005.  
All the parameters included in the model are significant to a 95%  level of confidence, and the 
adjusted coefficient  of determination (r)is equal to 68.0%.  The model predicts the number of  fatal 
crashes per year per kilometer and depends on the ADT value (average daily traffic in vehicles per day 
observed  over  three  years),  the  L
u
  value  (length  of  the  analyzed  roadway  segment),  the  L
a
  value 
(roadway  width),  the  V  value  (mean  speed  value  in  free  flow  conditions  on  a  selected  roadway 
segment), and the slope and tortuosity coefficient. 
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             9 
 
Two accident prediction models were then validated using an accident database which had not 
been  used  to  calibrate the  prediction  models.  These  two accident  prediction  models  are  statistically 
significant because the residual values are in a limited range around the mean. 
Figure  3  shows  a  diagramof  the  accident  prediction  models  calibrated  for  the  Roads  with 
undivided roadways once some values have been established. In the case of Figure 3, the L
a
 value and V 
value have been established. Respecting all the general features of the roadway shown in Table 5 and 
the maximumvalue of injurious crashes per year per Km observed on the roadways analyzed as shown 
in Table 2, the calibrated accident prediction  model on roads with undivided roadways can  be used. 
Other ranges of values for some used variables are to be respected; in particular the V value between 40 
Km/h and 65 Km/h, and L
a
 value must fluctuate between  8.5mand 9.5m; for a V value between 65 
Km/h and 80 Km/h, the L
a
 value must fluctuate between 9.5mand 10.5m. 
Assigning maximumvalue to speed V, in order to avoid an overestimated predicted value thus 
conferring a pragmatic sense to the results, the L
a
 value must belong to a specific range. There is an 
empirical rule  following this formula:  
0.686 40.07 La V =  -
     
40.07
0.686
La
V
+
=
    (8)
 
According  to  this  empirical  procedure,  once  the  minimumvalue  of  the  highway  width  is 
established, the maximumspeed value to insert in the model is obtained. 
 
 
 
FIGURE 3 Abacus of accident prediction models on roads with undivided roadways where 
La=10.50 m and V=70 Km/h. 
 
 
CONCLUSIONS 
The proposed objective was to identify the relationship between the existing causality events 
among  the  geometric  and  functional  characteristics  of  the  examined  network  (in  the  Province  of 
Salerno) and the number of recorded injurious crashes. Once the data was gathered, a database was 
created in order to process the data. 
  This project referred only to injurious crashes; a similar procedure could be used for total crash 
rates or only for injuries or deaths. The proposed models can be used for accident analysis on the road 
network and they can be arranged next to the detailed models (e.g. crashes at intersections) also through 
ad hoc investigations of specific sites. The suitability of the models to the data can be measured using 
many coefficients, but the adjusted coefficient of determination r has been used in this manuscript- 
The functional formof the models was designed to reproduce the data; other functional forms could 
reproduce the data and an automated stepwise procedure could be implemented in this application. 
  The accident prediction models here presented should be improved: more information will be 
needed and other variables will be analyzed for this purpose while others will require further perfection. 
The results obtained could be said to be satisfactory. The two prediction accident models here 
presented could contribute to the planning phase preceding the design of intervention. In particular, this 
pertains to the programming of road improvement operations (also laid out in regulations), which  make 
Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             10 
 
it  possible  to  target  the  spending  of  public  funds  by  governing  administrations  or  directing 
infrastructures, depending on the number of crashes predicted by the model. Especially as it concerns 
the evaluation and programming of road safety improvement operations, which are to be adopted in the 
provincial road networks, concentrating on those areas of the infrastructural network that are deemed 
 critical  froma safety point of view. 
  In particular  it is therefore possible to identify whether: 
1.  varying the traffic makes it possible to identify priority interventions. 
2.   to improve a road section through significant interventions. 
3.  to evaluate the investment related to a project that includes the insertion of a new branch in the 
network. 
 
1BACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
The authors would like to thank the Province of Salerno 
 
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Dell Acqua and Russo                                                                                                             11 
 
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