Overview

When do crashes happen?

Crashes tend to increase during peak traffic months and weekends, where driver fatigue and higher traffic density contribute to higher accident counts. The chart on the right highlights how frequency changes over time and across days of the week.

Where

Where are crashes most common?

The heat map visualises geographical clusters of crash occurrences. Densely populated urban areas such as Melbourne CBD and major arterial roads record the highest crash counts. This pattern suggests the need for improved road design and traffic calming in these areas.

Why and Context

What influences crash severity?

The chart explores crash severity across light conditions and speed zones. Most severe crashes happen in low light or high-speed areas, emphasizing the need for improved lighting and speed enforcement. This insight could inform future road safety campaigns and policy measures targeting nighttime driving and rural highways.

References

Data Source: Victorian Government – Department of Transport & Planning.
Dataset: Road Crash Statistics (Open Data Portal).
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Developed for RMIT University Assignment 3 — Storytelling with Open Data.