Spatiotemporal Trends in Pedestrian Crashes is a critical study conducted by researchers from the University of Maine (UMaine) and the University of Connecticut (UConn), in collaboration with the Maine and Connecticut Departments of Transportation. The project aims to understand the factors contributing to the rising number of pedestrian fatalities and injuries in the United States, particularly the 7,388 pedestrian fatalities in 2021, a 13% increase from 2020.
This research focuses on identifying patterns in pedestrian crashes and the role of socioeconomic and infrastructure-related factors in crash outcomes. The study will utilize econometrics and machine learning tools to analyze pedestrian crash data in Maine and Connecticut, with an emphasis on rural and geographically isolated areas.
The research plan includes defining the appropriate scale for analysis, collecting relevant data on demographic, socioeconomic, and infrastructure variables, and applying clustering algorithms and statistical models to uncover trends and contributing factors in pedestrian collisions. Additionally, the study will examine the effects of COVID-19 on transportation patterns. The findings will help improve pedestrian safety by addressing key risk factors and identifying areas for intervention.