Introduction to special issue -Emerging applications of road incidents and driver behaviour data analysis in road safety modelling and evaluation

Abstract

Road safety continues to be a critical global challenge, demanding multifaceted and evidence-based strategies to understand risks and reduce injuries and fatalities. The complexity of modern transportation systems-shaped by rapid technological advances, evolving mobility patterns, and diverse environmental and geographic contexts-necessitates innovative approaches to analyzing road user behaviour, infrastructure, and road incident risks. Recent years have witnessed a transformative shift in how we approach road safety research, driven largely by the growing availability and sophistication of data sources related to road incidents and driver behaviour. As a result of rapid technological advancements, researchers and practitioners now have access to unprecedented levels of detailed road safety data through systems such as enhanced crash reporting platforms, real-time telematics, GIS-based mapping tools, and driving simulators. Combined with the analytical power of big data techniques and artificial intelligence, these technologies offer new opportunities to better understand the dynamics underlying road incidents and their implications for road safety improvements.