A statewide correlation analysis of connected vehicles hard braking event data and road traffic crashes

Traditionally, road safety countermeasures are suggested by analyzing historical crash records. Such an approach is regarded as a reactive approach since the crash risk is assessed after the occurrence of crash incidents. The emergence of connected vehicle data like hard braking events (HBE) presents a promising opportunity for proactive traffic safety considerations. As such, some recent studies have explored the efficacy of using connected vehicle data as surrogates for traffic crashes. This study contributes to the growing body of literature by presenting a statewide correlation analysis to examine the potential of using hard braking event data as crash surrogates on different roadways in Alabama. This study used six months of HBE and crashes during the same period. Spearman’s rank-order correlation results indicated a moderate correlation between HBE and crashes on principal arterials, minor arterials, and major collectors. A weak correlation was recorded between HBE and crashes on the interstates. The findings suggest that HBE can serve as potential crash surrogates for highway safety screening, except for interstates. This study provides valuable preliminary information for traffic safety practitioners and transport agencies to explore practical applications of HBE for proactive road safety screening.