Assessment of the impact of climatic and human factors on road accidents using fuzzy logic and geographic information system Case study: Mashhad-Ghoochan Axis

Traffic accidents are the most important factors of mortality and severe damage to life and property in under developing countries. Human society especially Iran, has severely threatened by results of traffic and road accidents. Geographic factors are one of the most important causes of these fatal accidents. Among the geographical factors involved in road accidents, climatic phenomena and geomorphologic factors are very important. This study wants to show how climatic and human factors effect on the incidence of road accidents in Mashhad- Quchan axis by using fuzzy logic and Geographic Information System (GIS). Digital elevation maps, geological maps, land use maps, and local meteorological stations statistics and road accidents statistics in the moment and place of the accident was prepared for this study. Then, by classifying the frequency of accidents occurring according to the geographical situation and integrating topographic layers, geology, slope, direction of slope and land use in the GIS environment in the axis with the help of the fuzzy inference system, mapping the risk of road accidents was prepared with high, moderate, low and very low levels. Consequently, the investigation showed that the human factors have a major role (more than 90%) in the incidence of road accidents.