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Chapter 4 The influence of neighbourhood socio-demographic characteristics on injury

severity in heavy-vehicle crashes

4.1 Introduction

Every year, almost 1.2 million people are killed and 50 million are injured in road crashes

worldwide (WHO 2009, 2013). The road traffic injury statistics are alarming and without any
new initiatives to reduce them, road crashes are predicted to be the third leading cause of

deaths in the world by 2020 (Peden et al., 2004). In Australia alone, approximately 1400

people are killed and 32000 people are severely injured in road crashes every year (ATC,
2011). Of the different types of vehicles involved in crashes, heavy vehicles are of special

concern, because the likelihood of a fatal or serious injury outcome is significantly higher
when a heavy vehicle is involved, due to its large size and mass.

Between 2012 and 2014, there were about 11 traffic fatalities per month due to crashes

involving articulated trucks and seven road fatalities per month due to crashes involving rigid

trucks (Austroads, 2015). More importantly, the number of road fatalities resulting from
heavy rigid truck crashes increased by approximately nine per cent per year from 2012 to

2014 (BITRE, 2014). Moreover, truck traffic is forecast to increase by around 50 per cent by

2030 (DIRE, 2014). The increasing truck traffic is an added concern because the probability
of a vehicle collision increases by five per cent when the share of heavy vehicles is higher

than 30 per cent of the total traffic volume (Moridpour et al., 2015).

To reduce the road trauma resulting from crashes involving heavy vehicles, more research is
needed to provide better understanding of the factors contributing to the frequency and

severity of these crashes. Although many studies have investigated factors contributing to

crashes involving heavy vehicles, few studies have examined the influence of neighbourhood
socioeconomic characteristics on crash outcomes. Most studies of factors contributing to the

severity of these crashes have focused on roadway, environmental, driver and vehicle
characteristics. Only a few studies have examined the influence of the social characteristics

of the area surrounding crash locations, and fewer studies have examined the influence of the

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