Exploring the Root Factors Impacting Work Zone Accidents: A Mixed-Methods Study

Work zones are vital for improving infrastructural utilities yet pose significant dangers for workers and drivers who are often unfamiliar with these areas. Prior research examined various aspects of work zone accident causation; however, the interrelationships and critical combinations among the contributing factors have not been fully analyzed. This study aims to identify the underlying factors contributing to work zone accidents and evaluate the different combinations among them. To this purpose, accident factors were derived from a total of 133 research articles addressing work zone safety. Social network analysis (SNA) and clustering were used to comprehensively model the identified factors. Additionally, association rule analysis (ARA) was implemented to determine the critical associations among the identified factors. Results revealed that work zone design parameters are the most analyzed in the literature, while temporal considerations, regulatory factors, and driver characteristics have been relatively understudied. Moreover, the analysis shows that several critical interdependent relationships among these factors, such as the combined influence of inclement weather and driver behavior on navigating work zones, have been comparatively understudied in the literature. Ultimately, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive understanding of work zone accident causation.