Geographical Analysis of Accident Hotspots on Main Roads in Iran with a Managerial Approach

Annually, 35.1 million people worldwide fall victim to road accidents, and evidence indicates that this issue is one of the top five causes of death and physical disability in Iran. Therefore, the main goal of this research is to identify and analyze the geographical characteristics of accident hotspots on main roads in Iran from a managerial perspective. This research is applied in terms of objectives, quantitative in nature, and based on spatial analysis in terms of data. The statistical population of the study includes 1586 accident hotspots on main roads in Iran, which were studied using a census method and analyzed using ArcGIS software. Out of the total accident hot spots on Iranian roads, 1586 points were categorized as accident hotspots. Qazvin, North Khorasan, and Mazandaran provinces have the highest frequency of accident-prone points with 366, 337, and 219 points, respectively. On the other hand, Hormozgan, Ilam, and Markazi provinces have the lowest frequency of accident-prone points with 24, 26, and 32 points, respectively. Fars, Khuzestan, Gilan, and North Khorasan provinces have the highest frequency in terms of the number of accident-prone points, with 125, 120, 97, and 96 points, respectively. Furthermore, Ardabil, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, and Markazi provinces have the lowest frequency in terms of the number of accident-prone points with 6, 12, and 13 points, respectively. Topography, climate, population density, quantity and quality of transportation infrastructure, geographical location, tourism receptivity, geographical adjacency to densely populated centers, and placement in transit routes are among the prominent factors influencing the creation of accident hotspots. However, human-cultural factors, alongside technical issues in transportation, still play a decisive role as the two main variables in determining the geography of accident hotspots in Iran. Spatial patterns of accident hotspots are observable in linear, scattered, and dense or focal forms in specific regions. Ultimately, organizing and eliminating accident hotspots require a comprehensive approach with a land-use planning perspective.