Abstract

In Albania, a country that is undergoing a tremendous economic and social transformation and modernization, with a rapidly growing web of highways that crisscross the country, no study has been made to predict and prevent traffic crashes which are increasing in number with each passing year. This paper examines research methods used in analyzing highway safety data in various countries as well as proposing a prediction model using Bayesian Belief Network Techniques (BBNT) as part of the efforts to enhance traffic safety data analysis in Albania. We also suggest that Geographical Information Systems (GIS)—which until now have been used primarily for mapping crashes, visual determination for crash occurrence patterns, and identification of high crash spots—can be effectively used in combination with BBNT modelling to enhance the prediction capability for highway crashes, hence the safety patterns as roadway conditions in Albania change.