Factors contributing to hit-and-run crashes in China

• Applied a logistic regression model to analyze factors of hit-and-run behavior.
• Hit-and-run increases in darkness, with male drivers, and drivers without license.
• Express road has low rate of hit-and run than other roads.
• Group specific public safety education for different groups are recommended.

Hit-and-run accidents, or those where the perpetrator leaves the crash scene without reporting the event, are a serious concern because they can delay the rescue of victims, thereby increasing the fatality rate and severity of injuries. However, only a few studies exist on the factors that influence hit-and-run behavior, particularly in developing countries. Using data collected from Guangdong Province in China, this study applies a logistic regression model to analyze factors associated with hit-and-run behavior in five categories: crash attributes and human, vehicle, road, and environmental factors. This study finds that the probability of hit-and-run behavior increases with accidents that involve pedestrians, occur in dark driving conditions, and are caused by drivers who are male, middle-aged, and without a valid driver’s license, extensive driving experience, or automobile insurance. Therefore, we recommend closer supervision and better public education for different groups of people about traffic laws and regulations.