Linking driver fatigue, safety rest area closures, and crash severity using cluster correspondence analysis

Closure of Safety Rest Areas (SRAs) increases the risk of fatigue-related crashes by reducing opportunities for long distance traveling drivers to rest, recover alertness, and access essential facilities that support safe driving. Utilizing Cluster Correspondence Analysis (CCA), this study aims to identify and analyze patterns and associations in crash data by examining changes in crash characteristics and severity, including factors and attributes related to vehicular, driver, roadway, and contributing factors, before, during, and after the SRA closure of the Snake Riverview Welcome Center on I-84 from 2018 to 2021. The findings indicated significant shifts in crash types and contributing factors, particularly under adverse weather conditions and on wet or snowy surfaces. Rear-end collisions and improper lane changes were persistent issues. There was a rise in crashes involving commercial vehicles, such as tractors with trailers, and incidents occurring during nighttime hours. Additionally, the incidence of vehicle overturns and sideswipe collisions increased during adverse weather conditions. The results underscore the role of SRAs in mitigating crashes and highlight the necessity for targeted interventions, such as maintaining SRAs and implementing safety measures during adverse weather and high-risk hours.