Article

Identifying Traffic Accident Hotspots in Recife Using K-Means Clustering: An Analysis of Legal Implications for Algorithmic Governance 

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Abstract

As municipalities increasingly adopt "smart city" technologies, data analytics and machine learning are becoming central to urban governance and public safety. This paper investigates the application of unsupervised machine learning to traffic accident analysis and explores the attendant legal and ethical implications. Focusing on Recife, Brazil, this study utilizes the K-Means clustering algorithm to identify geographical hotspots from the city's 2016 traffic accident dataset, which contains over a thousand incidents involving victims. The methodology involved preprocessing geographical coordinates (longitude and latitude), using the Elbow Method to determine the optimal number of clusters to be four, and subsequently analyzing the characteristics of each identified hotspot. The results confirm the technical efficacy of K-Means in partitioning the data into four distinct, high-concentration geographical zones. However, a deeper analysis reveals a critical finding: despite their spatial separation, all four hotspots exhibit a striking homogeneity. The dominant incident type in every cluster is "collision," and the average victim count per incident is remarkably consistent across all zones. This homogeneity challenges the assumption that data-driven hotspot identification will automatically lead to tailored, localized policy interventions. Instead, it suggests a systemic, city-wide safety issue. This study contributes a concrete case study to the discourse on algorithmic governance and cyber law. It argues that while unsupervised learning is a powerful tool for pattern discovery, its application in public policy raises significant challenges related to fairness in resource allocation, due process, and accountability. The findings highlight the risk of "accountability laundering," where reliance on seemingly objective algorithms can obscure human responsibility. The paper concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for robust legal frameworks to ensure transparency and human oversight in the use of algorithmic decision-support systems by municipal governments.

Keywords: Accountability, Algorithmic Governance, Clustering, Cyber Law, Smart Cities

How to Cite:

Maidin, S., Yang, Q. & Samson, A., (2025) “Identifying Traffic Accident Hotspots in Recife Using K-Means Clustering: An Analysis of Legal Implications for Algorithmic Governance ”, Journal of Cyber Law 1(3), 246-261. doi: https://doi.org/10.63913/jcl.v1i3.47