Comparative Analysis of Nowruz and Non-Nowruz Traffic Accidents Based on Vulnerable Road Users and Crash Locations Among Provinces of Iran

Road traffic accidents are a major public health issue in Iran, causing considerable fatalities and socio-economic losses annually. Given travel pattern changes during special periods such as Nowruz (Persian New Year), this study analyzes differences in traffic accidents during Nowruz and non-Nowruz periods across all Iranian provinces, using seven years of data (2016-2023). It examines variations in the share of urban and rural crashes and identifies key patterns involving vulnerable road users, particularly pedestrians and motorcyclists. Results show that during Nowruz, fatal crashes on rural roads are, on average, three times more frequent than those on urban roads, a pattern that remains relatively stable in non-Nowruz periods. Furthermore, the pattern of crash fatality locations is nearly similar in both time periods, in which while most deaths occur at the scene of crashes in rural areas, most victims are more likely to die after being transported to the hospital in urban areas. While the percentage of rural accidents increases during the Nowrouz, the rate of urban accidents is higher in some provinces. Additionally, pedestrian crashes in certain provinces, particularly in Alborz and Kermanshah, account for a significant proportion of accidents. While motorcycle crashes are more prevalent during the non-Nowruz period, provinces such as Qom and Tehran have high rates of these crashes. This research indicates that different provinces have unique characteristics in terms of accident occurrences, highlighting the need for informing appropriate strategies to the specific conditions of each province and road type, especially during both regular and holiday periods.