Comparative Analysis of Advanced AI-based Object Detection Models for Pavement Marking Quality Assessment during Daytime

Visual object detection utilizing deep learning plays a vital role in computer vision and has extensive applications in transportation engineering. This paper focuses on detecting pavement marking quality during daytime using the You Only Look Once (YOLO) model, leveraging its advanced architectural features to enhance road safety through precise and real-time assessments. Utilizing image data from New Jersey, this study employed three YOLOv8 variants: YOLOv8m, YOLOv8n, and YOLOv8x. The models were evaluated based on their prediction accuracy for classifying pavement markings into good, moderate, and poor visibility categories. The results demonstrated that YOLOv8n provides the best balance between accuracy and computational efficiency, achieving the highest mean Average Precision (mAP) for objects with good visibility and demonstrating robust performance across various Intersections over Union (IoU) thresholds. This research enhances transportation safety by offering an automated and accurate method for evaluating the quality of pavement markings.

Crash Severity Analysis of Child Bicyclists using Arm-Net and MambaNet

Child bicyclists (14 years and younger) are among the most vulnerable road users, often experiencing severe injuries or fatalities in crashes. This study analyzed 2,394 child bicyclist crashes in Texas from 2017 to 2022 using two deep tabular learning models (ARM-Net and MambaNet). To address the issue of data imbalance, the SMOTEENN technique was applied, resulting in balanced datasets that facilitated accurate crash severity predictions across three categories: Fatal/Severe (KA), Moderate/Minor (BC), and No Injury (O). The findings revealed that MambaNet outperformed ARM-Net, achieving higher precision, recall, F1-scores, and accuracy, particularly in the KA and O categories. Both models highlighted challenges in distinguishing BC crashes due to overlapping characteristics. These insights underscored the value of advanced tabular deep learning methods and balanced datasets in understanding crash severity. While limitations such as reliance on categorical data exist, future research could explore continuous variables and real-time behavioral data to enhance predictive modeling and crash mitigation strategies.

Applying Tabular Deep Learning Models to Estimate Crash Injury Types of Young Motorcyclists

Young motorcyclists, particularly those aged 15 to 24 years old, face a heightened risk of severe crashes due to factors such as speeding, traffic violations, and helmet usage. This study aims to identify key factors influencing crash severity by analyzing 10,726 young motorcyclist crashes in Texas from 2017 to 2022. Two advanced tabular deep learning models, ARMNet and MambaNet, were employed, using an advanced resampling technique to address class imbalance. The models were trained to classify crashes into three severity levels, Fatal or Severe, Moderate or Minor, and No Injury. ARMNet achieved an accuracy of 87 percent, outperforming 86 percent of Mambanet, with both models excelling in predicting severe and no injury crashes while facing challenges in moderate crash classification. Key findings highlight the significant influence of demographic, environmental, and behavioral factors on crash outcomes. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions, including stricter helmet enforcement and educational programs customized to young motorcyclists. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers in developing evidence-based strategies to enhance motorcyclist safety and reduce crash severity.