Citation

Edwards JB. J. Saf. Res. 1998; 29(4): 249-262.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Road accident severity may be influenced by a number of factors. This article investigates the relationship between weather and road accidents in England and Wales. The weather information recorded on Police Accident Report Forms was taken as the prevailing weather at the time of the accident. At the local authority level, accident severity for the various adverse weather categories of rain, fog, and high winds is compared with the nonhazardous condition of fine weather. Severity ratios are then calculated. Findings establish that accident severity decreases significantly in rain compared with fine weather, while severity in fog shows geographical variation. Evidence for accident severity in high winds remains inconclusive.