Landscapes of Risk: The Geography of Fatal Traffic Collisions in Indiana, 2003 to 2011

Potential death from traffic collisions is a common hazard faced by nearly everyone. This analysis uses geographical approaches to examine fatal collision risk in the state of Indiana from 2003 to 2011. The state averaged 757 fatal collisions annually. About 60 percent occurred in urban or suburban areas. Risk was highest in low-density exurban and rural areas and on highways, county roads, and interstates. County sheriffs and state police were more likely to face fatal collisions than municipal police. Significant black spots existed around the Illinois and Kentucky state lines. Fatal collisions were less clustered than nonfatal collisions. Fatal collisions exhibited positive spatial autocorrelation but the global Moran's I for counties was close to random. Approximately 10 percent of ninety-two counties had significant local spatial autocorrelation in fatal collision rates. Police and emergency response resource distributions should be considered in light of fatal collision black spots in the state.