An Intelligent Machine Learning Approach for Prediction of Road Accident Severity

Road accidents are a primary global concern for public safety, with India having a very high death toll. This study presents an intelligent machine learning approach to predict the severity of road accidents, contributing to the development of more effective and preventive measures. We utilized a comprehensive dataset of road accidents in India, employing advanced machine learning algorithms, including Histogram-based Gradient Boosting (HGB), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machines (SVM), and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN). Our methodology involved extensive data pre-processing, feature engineering, and model optimization. The Random Forest algorithm demonstrated superior performance, achieving an accuracy of 94.7% and an F1-score of 0.947. This research provides a robust predictive model and information on the key factors influencing the accident's severity. The novelty of our approach lies in the comprehensive feature engineering tailored to the Indian context and the application of ensemble learning techniques to capture complex, nonlinear relationships in accident data. The findings of this study have significant implications for policymakers, urban planners, and law enforcement agencies in their efforts to improve road safety.