Meta analytical of Studies on the application of spatial analysis methods of accidents

Useing of spatial analysis methods in traffic accident analysis is highly regarded by researchers, planners and policymakers. But in Iran, planners and policymakers rarely pay attention to it. This study has identified the methods and techniques in traffic safety studies using the meta analytical method and aims at identifying the most widely used methods in the spatial analysis of traffic accidents. Using 50 samples, The used indicators in this research were the number of authors, disciplines, number of contributions, intra-urban or intercity areas, methods and techniques of spatial analysis, and the fields of application of each study were extracted. The findings showed that eight groups from different disciplines, including civil Engineering / Transportation / Traffic, Geography, Mapping / GIS, and Medicine / Public Health, collaborated on the researchs. More than 20 techniques have been used in seven different methods in spatial analysis of accidents. The most widely used methods were density analysis, cluster/outlier and hot spots analysis, and the most widely used techniques were kernel density estimation, cluster/outlier analysis with local anselin Moran's I and analysis of hot spot analysis using Getis-Ord GI*. The greatest application of the results of the researched studies has been in the field of identifying the critical areas of accidents. It was found that among the three most widely used techniques, the rate of using cluster/outlier analysis and kernel density estimation techniques in the intra-urban area was about twice that of the intercity roads.