Received: 27.11.2025

Accepted: 05.02.2026

Published: 06.02.2026

Road safety represents a significant challenge for the transport sector due to the severe consequences of traffic accidents and the need for timely identification of factors that increase risk. This study aims to quantify the influence of selected parameters on the weighted accident index and to establish a foundation for predictive models capable of identifying high-risk road sections. The analysis covers 161 sections of the national road network in the Republic of North Macedonia, with a total length of approximately 1,300 km, and includes 23 parameters. The assessment was performed using machine learning techniques, with model evaluation conducted on an 80/20 train–test split. The results reveal that road characteristics and traffic volume (AADT) exert the greatest influence on accident risk, whereas environmental factors have minimal impact. This approach enables more efficient planning of interventions and contributes to the overall improvement of road safety.

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