Identifying Harsh Driving Behaviors and Contributing Factors Using Telematics Data: A Case Study in Oakland and Fresno, California
Despite extensive safety countermeasures, vulnerable road users continue to face significant risks on urban roadways, resulting in a substantial loss of life. Safety frameworks like Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach call for proactive solutions that address these dangers before severe crashes occur. This proactive approach can be powered by surrogate safety measures, which use data on near-misses and risky behaviors to identify hazards. Harsh driving events—such as harsh braking or acceleration—serve as excellent indicators of elevated crash risk. These behaviors are influenced by a combination of factors, including roadway design, traffic flow, and the complex, unpredictable interactions between vehicles and other road users in dense urban environments. This study leverages high-resolution telematics data from the Cities of Oakland and Fresno to investigate the differential impacts of harsh driving behaviors on road safety. We will construct and compare crash hotspots (e.g., high injury network) and harsh driving behavior hotspots to examine which types of harsh driving behaviors most strongly align with crashes involving vulnerable road users and latent crash risks. Additionally, by using statistical methods and explainable artificial intelligence techniques, we will analyze roadway characteristics (e.g., intersections, lane curvature, or slope), as well as traffic flow and surrounding conditions, to determine whether specific features are associated with increased prevalence of harsh driving events that, in turn, elevate crash risk. By integrating the spatiotemporal patterns of crashes and telematics-based behavioral measures, along with infrastructure characteristics, this study aims to better understand how risky driving patterns contribute to vulnerable road user safety outcomes. The findings will provide actionable insights for prioritizing enforcement such as speed camera deployment, designing infrastructure countermeasures, and developing data-driven, proactive strategies to support safe transportation.
- Record URL:
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $113,400.00
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Contract Numbers:
69A3552348336
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Managing Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Project Managers:
Stearns, Amy
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Performing Organizations:
University of California, Berkeley
Safe Transportation Research and Education Center
Berkeley, CA United States 94720 -
Principal Investigators:
Griswold, Julia
- Start Date: 20251201
- Expected Completion Date: 20261130
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Aggression; Driving behavior; Pedestrian vehicle interface; Traffic data; Vulnerable road users
- Geographic Terms: Fresno (California); Oakland (California)
- Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01971697
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Center for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety
- Contract Numbers: 69A3552348336
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Nov 18 2025 3:33PM