A hybrid model using logistic regression and wavelet transformation to detect traffic incidents

• A hybrid model using logistic regression with a wavelet-based feature ex-traction for detecting traffic incidents
• Wavelet-based filtering of the traffic data improves the performance of the model substantially.
• Results indicate that the proposed approach is practical and efficient.

This research paper investigates a hybrid model using logistic regression with a wavelet-based feature extraction for detecting traffic incidents. A logistic regression model is suitable when the outcome can take only a limited number of values. For traffic incident detection, the outcome is limited to only two values, the presence or absence of an incident. The logistic regression model used in this study is a generalized linear model (GLM) with a binomial response and a logit link function. This paper presents a framework to use logistic regression and wavelet-based feature extraction for traffic incident detection. It investigates the effect of preprocessing data on the performance of incident detection models. Results of this study indicate that logistic regression along with wavelet based feature extraction can be used effectively for incident detection by balancing the incident detection rate and the false alarm rate according to need. Logistic regression on raw data resulted in a maximum detection rate of 95.4% at the cost of 14.5% false alarm rate. Whereas the hybrid model achieved a maximum detection rate of 98.78% at the expense of 6.5% false alarm rate. Results indicate that the proposed approach is practical and efficient; with future improvements in the proposed technique, it will make an effective tool for traffic incident detection.