Adult Passengers Research Articles

Study of the forces in the pretensioned seat belt and their effects on the human body

Abstract The paper aims to analyze the potential injuries induced by the seat belt in case of triggering the pretensioning mechanism. Two mannequins, with different geometries, have been installed on the front seat of the vehicle and were subjected to the efforts generated by the pretensioning of the seat belt, in the absence of an impact of the vehicle. The force due to the impact has been analyzed in various bibliographic resources, in the proposed model it can be taken into account. Efforts were measured in the belt strap for adult passenger and adult pregnant female passenger, or adult passenger with high BMI body mass index. The efforts that act on the human body, with emphasis on the abdominal loop, have been determined. It has been found that stress on the abdomen can cause internal damage, even just by simply triggering the pretensioning system, without taking into account the force on the body due to the impact.

Advancing a revised UB-DBQ: A new insight into driver behaviour and older passenger injuries in urban buses

IntroductionOlder individuals in China face a heightened risk of injuries on urban buses. While the Driving Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) effectively gauges drivers' behaviours and predicts injury involvement, the link between aberrant driving and older passenger injuries among urban bus drivers remains underexplored. This study refines the UB-DBQ for urban bus drivers, probing its association with older passenger injuries. MethodsThe Urban Bus Driving Behaviour Questionnaire (UB-DBQ) was adapted, incorporating unique aspects of urban bus driving. An online survey, based on this revised UB-DBQ, was administered to 710 Chinese urban bus drivers in August 2022. Using principal component factor analysis and oblique rotation-promax, a four-factor UB-DBQ emerged. Correlation and difference tests analysed the relationship between driving behaviours and older passenger injury incidents. ResultsThe four-factor UB-DBQ offers a robust fit for Chinese urban bus drivers. Analysis revealed a prevalence of positive driving behaviours, offset by fewer aberrant actions, including aggression, errors, and violations. Notably, higher numbers of older passengers heightened aggressive and erroneous driving behaviours. A notable trend emerged: drivers largely attributed injuries to older passengers, a sentiment growing with more older passengers aboard. Crucially, driver self-assurance in safety and aggressive behaviour were key predictors of injuries involving older adult passengers. ConclusionsThe revised UB-DBQ serves as an effective tool for assessing urban bus driver behaviour and older passenger injury incidents in China. These insights emphasize the need for tailored driver training and risk strategies in line with the unique demands of urban bus driving in China. The UB-DBQ holds potential for shaping more precise and effective transport safety policies.

IJCM_246A: Estimating the prevalence of seat belt usage in motor cars: A descriptive cross-sectional study in Mangalore

Background: Every year 1.25 million people die of road traffic accidents. Several safety measures can be taken to prevent RTAs. The SDG 2030 set the target to halve the number of global death and injuries from road traffic accidents by the year 2020. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of seat belt use and factors influencing it including driver characteristics, type of car and time of day and distractions while driving. Methodology: This Descriptive cross-sectional study was set on the major roads and intersections of Mangalore, recruiting the drivers and front-seat passengers in the motor cars at the time and site of observation. Results: A total of 6165 motor cars were observed. 15 (0.2%) of these cars had completely tinted car windows, therefore out of the total, 6150 motor cars could be properly observed. 70.91% (4361) of drivers were wearing seat belts. Seat belt usage among drivers was found to be higher on highways (76.6%) as compared to on residential and city roads (69.3%). In vicinity of traffic police, 76.5% of drivers were observed to be wearing seat belts in contrary only 67.8% of them were wearing seatbelts in the absence of traffic police. Prevalence of mobile phone use and other distractions amongst drivers was 2.1%. Out of 2646 adult front seat passengers observed, only 10.9% were wearing seat belts. Conclusion: Among drivers, type of motor car, traffic zone and type of road and presence of traffic police in vicinity are significantly associated factors with seatbelt usage. Among adult front seat passengers, type of motor car, traffic zone, type of road and presence of traffic police in vicinity are significantly associated. Among front seat child passengers, type of road and traffic zone are significantly associated with seat belt usage.

Safety assessment of electromagnetic exposure for adult and child passengers standing on the subway platform

Safety assessment of electromagnetic exposure for adult and child passengers standing on the subway platform

Promoting the design of future urban metro systems to improve air pollution: Based on metal element pollution in Chinese metro system

Metro system metal element pollution and its human hazards have gained widespread attention. Using the Chinese metro as representative of a modern urban metro system, we investigated pollution levels, sources, and their health effects, to provide a basis for designing future healthy, sustainable urban metro environments. Through searching and analyzing previous studies on metal elements in the Chinese metro system, we showed that tunnels are the most contaminated areas for metal elements due to mechanical wear, while platforms, carriages, and halls are mainly affected by airflow diffusion. Using the UNEP-SETAC toxicity (USEtox) model to calculate health impacts, we determined that metal elements caused approximately 700 deaths per 1 million people annually. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) health risk model, health risks were evaluated from respiratory exposure for child and adult passengers, drivers, station attendants, and security checkers. Total incremental lifetime cancer risk (TILCR) for all populations was higher than 10−4, indicating a high carcinogenic risk. Finally, based on international studies, we propose corresponding strategies to improve metro system sustainability.

Genoa, Nebraska, Settlement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Development, Demise, and Those Who Remained

Genoa, Nebraska, Settlement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Development, Demise, and Those Who Remained

Hierarchical Wrinkling‐Cracking Architectures for Flexible Pressure Sensors

AbstractInspired by butterfly wing architectures, a facile but efficient approach is developed to realize three sensing characteristics in a single pressure sensor by harnessing hierarchical wrinkling‐cracking architectures, including i) wrinkling‐dominant (WD) mode, ii) wrinkling and cracking‐dominant (WCD) mode, and iii) cracking‐dominant (CD) mode. The pressure sensor can exhibit distinct sensing performances for various specific applications, depending on the working mode. In a WD mode, the sensor reveals an ultrahigh sensitivity (≈20 kPa−1) and a low limit of detection (0.6 Pa), capable of sensing acoustic vibrations, subtle pulses, and tiny motions. The sensor in WCD mode can monitor the full‐range human motion from the subtle pulse to human gait during walking/jogging. Moreover, the sensor in CD mode exhibits high sensitivity (1420 MPa−1) and excellent linearity over the ultrahigh pressure range (greater than 20 MPa), and are able to detect the movement of a car and distinguish the embarkation/debarkation of an adult passenger. The underlying mechanisms for the three sensing modes have been clearly elucidated, respectively. These findings open up new possibilities to design flexible pressure sensors by harnessing wrinkling‐cracking architectures.

Burden of road traffic injuries in Iran: a national and subnational perspective, 1990−2019

ObjectivesReliable and valid information on burden of road traffic injuries (RTIs) is essential for short-term and long-term planning. We designed the present study to describe the levels and trends of...

What Do Passengers Do During Travel Time? Structured Observations on Buses and Trains

Structured observation is one way to assess how public transport passengers actually use their travel time. This study reports on 812 adult passengers in Wellington, New Zealand. Researchers recorded passenger characteristics and behavior over a 4-minute period, on a range of routes and times, using 12 pre-set codes. Most passengers (65.3%) were “looking ahead/out the window” at some point in the observation period, more on buses than on trains. About one-fifth of all passengers observed were seen reading, more on trains. Other activities included listening on headphones, talking, texting, and sleeping/eyes closed. Activities were compared on the basis of gender, age group, mode, and time of day. Comparisons are made with recent observational and survey studies, with discussion of both methods and results.

50 percentile dummy movement analysis using TEMA Automotive software

The dynamic loads acting on passengers during road accidents depend not only on the vehicle structure, but also on the properties of the applied passenger and driver protection system. Two-point seat belts are the most frequently used personal protection system for adult passengers in bus vehicles. The paper investigates the thread of dynamic loads acting on the body of a 50 percentile dummy placed in an armchair equipped with two-point seat belts. In order to solve this problem, tests recorded with the Phantom v310 camera were used, the object of which was the Hybrid II 50th dummy, and the recording of the tests was carried out for three different collision speeds. The article presents the results of the crash tests obtained with the use of the TEMA Automotive program. Crash test analysis showing the displacement of the head and upper torso of the dummy located in the limited space between the bus-type seats indicates that standard seat belts do not provide sufficient protection. The article indicates the basis for further research and improvement of the personal protection system of passengers transported in minibuses and buses.

Self-reported Non-nominal Sitting in Passengers is Influenced by Age and Height.

Automotive safety devices, such as airbags and seatbelts, are generally designed for optimal performance when occupants adopt a "nominal" upright anatomical sitting position. While a driver's sitting behavior is largely influenced by the requirements of driving, a passenger may adopt any number of non-nominal positions and behaviors. Very few studies have investigated the behaviors that teen and adult passengers actually adopt. The present study investigates self-reported nonnominal sitting in passengers and quantifies the influence of age and anthropometrics on these behaviors. A better understanding of passenger behavior is a timely research topic because advanced sensors may eventually allow better detection of non-nominal sitting and the advent of autonomous vehicles increases the number of passengers and seating options. Ten online survey questions were created to assess how frequently non-nominal sitting was adopted. Results were obtained from 561 anonymous participants, ranging in age from 14 to 83 years old. Analyses included 1) averages for each question, 2) a statistical linear mixed model to test for the influence of age and height on responses, and 3) correlations between all questions. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. In summary, there was a sizable percentage of participants who self-reported behaviors or sitting positions that potentially increase risk of injury. Younger subjects were significantly more likely to adopt non-nominal sitting. Shorter subjects adopted non-nominal foot position more often, while taller subjects' knees were significantly closer to the dash. Participants opted not to wear their seat belt in the rear seat more than the front seat.

Factors Affecting Car Sickness of Passengers Traveled by Vehicles in North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Introduction Car sickness is the state of being unhealthy as a result of motions that occur while traveling by vehicles. Passengers traveled by vehicles had experienced car sickness not only as a result of the biological effects but also other associated factors. Therefore, this study aimed to identify sociocultural, individual behavioral factors and situational factors resulting in car sickness of passengers traveling by minibus or bus or both. Methods This study was designed in a cross-sectional study and employed a quantitative approach to collect data among 384 passengers. Primary data were collected by a survey method. Both adult male and female passengers without any confirmed disease participated in the study. Car sickness was measured as whether a passenger traveling by vehicle in the past six months had at least one of the signs and symptoms either vomiting, nausea, headache, and (cold) sweating. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and binary logistic regression. The multivariate logistic regression model was employed and used to execute the associated risk factors by declaring all statistical tests significantly at p-value ≤0.05. Results The results indicated that being older (aOR = 0.972, 95% CI: 0.947, 0.999) and male passengers (aOR = 0.357, 95% CI: 0.190, 0.673) significantly decreased occurrences of car sickness. However, sleep deprivation (aOR = 8.540, 95% CI: 2.575, 28.328), eating heavy meals before starting traveling (aOR = 4.147, 95% CI: 1.659, 10.366), the aggressiveness of drivers (aOR = 5.467, 95% CI: 2.456, 12.172), and travel with other passengers in overcrowded vehicles (aOR = 9.5212, 95% CI: 5.194, 17.455) were significantly contributed to car sickness. Conclusions The findings suggested that younger passengers should take medications that reduce the sensation of car sickness before starting traveling and female passengers should reduce unpaid domestic work before their travels. In order to prevent or reduce the sensation of car sickness, passengers should take enough physical rest, sleep well, and avoid eating heavy meals before a journey. Furthermore, passengers should strongly advise or kindly request aggressive drivers to drive slowly and uniformly. Last, the passengers should avoid traveling with other passengers in overcrowded vehicles as much as possible.

Passenger Presence and the Relative Risk of Teen Driver Death

PurposeThis study examines the relative risk of death among crash-involved teenage drivers in relation to the number and ages of passengers present. MethodsWe performed cross-sectional analysis of police-reported crashes in the United States in years 2016–2019 to estimate rate ratios for death among drivers aged 16–17 years by passenger composition (no passengers, one teen, ≥two teens, teens and adults aged 20–34 years, adults aged 20–34 years only, ≥one adult aged 35–64 years). Models were adjusted for confounding and effect modification related to driver, crash, and environmental factors. ResultsCrash-involved teen drivers carrying ≥2 teen passengers were twice as likely to die as teens driving alone. The driver was seven times as likely to die when carrying a mix of teen and young adult passengers compared with teens driving alone. Teen drivers' risk of death was lowest in the presence of an adult passenger aged 35–64 years. Carrying one teen passenger presents greater risk of death than driving alone for male teen drivers but not for females. DiscussionWhen teen drivers crash, they are more likely to die if they are carrying teen and/or young adult passengers than if they are driving alone or with a mature adult. The results support the current graduated licensing policies restricting young novice drivers from carrying teenage passengers. Results also help to clarify why previous studies have found that young passengers are associated with increased risk of fatal crashes, but not nonfatal crashes: it appears that passengers may have an effect on crash severity.

How does the weather affect public transit ridership? A model with weather-passenger variations

Drawing on transit smart card data and weather station records over a 12-month period, this study investigates the influence of local weather conditions on public transit ridership in Brisbane, Australia. Based on the statistical distribution of transit ridership, this study applies a suite of geographically weighted negative binomial regression models to capture the weather–transit ridership relationship at both daily and half-hourly levels. The results reveal that weather exerts significant effects on transit ridership; its effects vary by passenger type and are not fixed across locations and temporal periods. In general, senior passengers are the most sensitive group to variations in weather conditions, and their responses are quite similar across the public transit service area. Morning peak hours are the period when passengers have the strongest weather tolerance. Spatial heterogeneity of weather effects mainly occurs in adult, child, and tertiary student passengers, not seniors and secondary student passengers. In contrast to suburban areas, city centres and university campuses are the locales most likely to have distinct weather responses. The results suggest that it is important for transit operators to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of the weather–transit ridership relationship to proactively (re)design and adjust scheduling to achieve weather-resilient performance.

Patterns of risk-taking behaviors among motorcyclists at signalized intersections in Taiwan

Motorcyclists1 are the fastest-moving vulnerable road users, which made them overrepresented in road injuries and fatalities. In Taiwan, motorcyclists account for approximately 60% of total road fatalities each year, but little is known about the prevalence of risk-taking behaviors among motorcyclists. In the present study, a roadside observation was carried out to examine their unsafe riding behaviors, such as secondary task engagement, helmet non-use, and traffic violations. 4030 motorcyclists were observed at three signalized intersections in Tainan, Taiwan: 593 in a residential district, 1034 in a business park, and 2403 in the city center. 7.3% of them were engaged in at least one secondary task, with phone use (3.5%) being the most common one, followed by chatting with others (1.6%). Although nearly all riders were helmeted (98.9%), the majority of the riders used non-standard helmets: 65.2% wore an open-face helmet, 21.0% half helmet, and only 12.6% full-face helmet. 5.9% of all motorcyclists were observed breaking at least one traffic rule at the intersections, and the violations that occurred the most often were turn signal neglect (2.8%) and red-light running (2.6%). These risky riding behaviors were also associated with contextual variables and rider characteristics. The likelihood of distracted riding increased at a red light, in the city center, when riders were younger, male, delivery workers, and riding with an adult passenger. Traffic violations were more frequent in the city center, in the afternoon, and on a two-lane road. Furthermore, risk-taking behaviors were more prevalent in un-helmeted riders. Observations in different weather conditions, more traffic contexts, and locations are recommended for future studies to further understand their impact on motorcyclists' adaptive riding behaviors.

Association between driver and child passenger restraint: Analysis of community-based observational survey data from 2005 to 2019

Introduction: Crash data suggest an association between driver seatbelt use and child passenger restraint. However, community-based restraint use is largely unknown. We examined the association between driver seatbelt use and child restraint using data from a state-wide observational study. Methods: Data from Iowa Child Passenger Restraint Survey, a representative state-wide survey of adult seat belt use and child passenger safety, were analyzed. A total of 44,996 child passengers age 0–17 years were observed from 2005 to 2019. Information about driver seatbelt use and child restraint was directly observed by surveyors and driver age was reported. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between driver seatbelt use and child restraint adjusting for vehicle type, community size, child seating position, child passenger age, and year. Results: Over the 15-year study period, 4,114 (9.1%) drivers were unbelted, 3,692 (8.2%) children were completely unrestrained, and another 1,601 (3.6%) children were improperly restrained (analyzed as unrestrained). About half of unbelted drivers had their child passengers unrestrained (51.8%), while nearly all belted drivers had their child passengers properly restrained (92.3%). Compared with belted drivers, unbelted drivers had an 11-fold increased odds of driving an unrestrained child passenger (OR = 11.19, 95%CI = 10.36, 12.09). The association between driver seatbelt use and child restraint was much stronger among teenage drivers. Unbelted teenage drivers were 33-fold more likely (OR = 33.34, 95%CI = 21.11, 52.64) to have an unrestrained child passenger. Conclusion: These data suggest that efforts to increase driver seatbelt use may also have the added benefit of increasing child restraint use. Practical applications: Enforcement of child passenger laws and existing education programs for new drivers could be leveraged to increase awareness of the benefits of seatbelt use for both drivers themselves and their occupants. Interventions aimed at rural parents could emphasize the importance of child safety restraints.

In-flight medical emergencies during commercial travel.

Growing number of passengers travelling by air is associated with increased in-flight emergency medical events (IEMEs). However, there are scarce data regarding IEMEs during commercial travels. In this study, analysis of IEMEs occurring among adult and paediatric passengers during commercial international and domestic flights of a major airline company was targeted. Data regarding IEMEs recorded in all international and domestic flights of a major airline company between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020 were collected. Demographics, adult and paediatric IEMEs, in-flight deaths and aircraft diversions (ADs) were analysed. Total number of passengers was 177 400 748 and a number of 22 541 (0.012%) IEMEs occurred. The frequency of IEMEs per 1 million passengers was 127. The number of male patients suffering from IEMEs was 8387 (37.2%), while the number female patients was 10 853 (48.1%). Median age of adult and paediatric patients were 43, [32-57], 4, [2-10], respectively. The most common cause of IEMEs in adult patients was headache (3424 IEMEs, 15.1%) and it was fever in paediatric patients (688 IEMEs, 3.05%). Multiple symptoms were present in 8449 IEMEs (37.4%). On-board doctors managed events in more than half of IEMEs (13 295 IEMEs, 58.9%). AD was required in 255 (1.13%) IEMEs. The most common reason for AD was chest pain (45 IEMEs, 17.6%) in adult patients. The most common reason for AD in paediatric patients was epileptic seizures (nine IEMEs, 3.5%). A total of 46 (0.2%) patients, including 2 (0.008%) paediatric patients, died. Majority of IEMEs are not life-threatening conditions, which can be easily managed by cabin crew or on-board doctors without AD. Multiple symptoms can be present in a patient suffering from IEME. Ground-to-air medical assistance may help optimization of diagnosis and decision for AD.

Identifying modifiable factors related to novice adolescent driver fault in motor vehicle collisions

Objective Novice adolescent drivers have a higher propensity to engage in risky driving and are at higher odds of being involved in collisions. Graduated driver licensing programs have been instituted to help novice drivers gain experience while avoiding higher risk driving circumstances. This study examines modifiable risk factors contributing to novice adolescent driver fault in collisions. Methods Police traffic collision report data from municipalities in Alberta for the years 2010–2016, inclusive, were used. Fault in collision was assigned using an automated and previously validated tool for assigning culpability. Factors contributing to novice adolescent (16-19 years of age) fault in collision were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Results Novice adolescent drivers had higher adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of being at-fault in collision when driving from 01:00-05:00 (aOR = 1.38; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.26-1.50). Novice adolescent drivers had lower odds of fault when driving with an adult (aOR= 0.62; 95% CI: 0.57-0.68) or a single peer (aOR= 0.87; 95% CI: 0.80-0.94), but higher odds of causing a severe collision with a single peer present (aOR= 2.23; 95% CI: 1.21-4.11). Impairment of the teen driver was reported in 25% of all fatal collisions, and 40% of late-night fatal collisions. Conclusions The findings support policies that allow driving with a single adult or peer passenger during daytime hours. Driving during late-night hours should be restricted for novice adolescent drivers.

The Associations Between Older Driver Licensure Laws with Travel and Passenger Behaviors Among Adults Aged 65 Years or Older (United States, 2003-2017).

Introduction: The aging population has been rapidly growing in the United States (U.S.). In line with this trend, older adults’ mobility and transportation safety are an increasing priority. Many states have implemented driver licensure laws specific to older adults to limit driving among the elderly with driving skill decline. Evaluations of these laws have primarily focused on their safety benefits related to older drivers’ fatal crash rate or injury rate. However, very few studies investigated licensure law effects on older adults’ mobility. Objective: The objective of our study is to evaluate the association between older driver licensure laws and older adult daily traveling and passenger exposure. Methods: The 2003–2017 American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data were linked with statewide driver licensure law provisions. Adults aged 55–64 years were used as the reference group to control for the effects of non-licensure-law factors (e.g., economic trend). We used modified Poisson regressions with robust variance to estimate the relationships between licensure law provisions and the likelihoods of older men and women’s daily traveling and passenger behaviors. Results: Laws requiring a vision test at in-person renewal were associated with increased daily traveling likelihood for women aged 75 years or older, primarily as a passenger. Laws requiring a knowledge test were related to a reduced daily overall traveling likelihood for women aged 75 years or older. Conclusions: In general, licensure law provisions are not strongly related to older adults’ mobility, in particular for older male adults. Older female adults’ daily mobility may be more likely to be influenced by the change of licensure laws than older male adults. The existence of gender-based disparities in responding to licensure laws requires future studies to account for the gender difference in estimating the effects of those traffic policies on older adults’ mobility and traffic safety.

SARS-CoV-2 shedding and seroconversion among passengers quarantined after disembarking a cruise ship: a case series

SummaryBackgroundA cruise ship is a closed-off environment that simulates the basic functioning of a city in terms of living conditions and interpersonal interactions. Thus, the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined because of an onboard outbreak of COVID-19 in February, 2020, provides an opportunity to define the shedding pattern of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and patient antibody responses before and after the onset of symptoms.MethodsWe recruited adult (≥18 years) passengers from Hong Kong who had been on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan in February, 2020. All participants had been found to be negative for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR 4 days before disembarking and were transferred to further quarantine in a public estate in Hong Kong, where they were recruited. Participants were prospectively screened by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) of nasopharyngeal and throat swabs, and serum IgG and IgM against internal nucleoprotein and the surface spike receptor-binding protein (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 at baseline (upon entering quarantine) and on days 4, 8, and 12 of quarantine.FindingsOn Feb 22, 2020, 215 adults were recruited, of whom nine (4%; 95% CI 2–8) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR or serology and were hospitalised. Of these nine patients, nasopharyngeal swab RT-qPCR was positive in eight patients (89%; 57–99) at baseline. All nine patients were positive for anti-RBD IgG by day 8. Eight (89%; 57–99) were simultaneously positive for nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR and anti-RBD IgG. One patient who was positive for anti-RBD IgG and had a negative viral load had multifocal peripheral ground-glass changes on high-resolution CT that were typical of COVID-19. Five patients (56%; 27–81) with ground-glass changes on high-resolution CT were found to have higher anti-nucleoprotein-IgG OD values on day 8 and 12 and anti-RBD IgG OD value on day 12 than patients without ground-glass changes. Six (67%; 35–88) patients remained asymptomatic throughout the 14-day quarantine period.InterpretationPatients with COVID-19 can develop asymptomatic lung infection with viral shedding and those with evidence of pneumonia on imaging tend to have an increased antibody response. Positive IgG or IgM confirmed infection of COVID-19 in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. A combination of RT-PCR and serology should be implemented for case finding and contact tracing to facilitate early diagnosis, prompt isolation, and treatment.FundingShaw Foundation Hong Kong; Sanming-Project of Medicine (Shenzhen); High Level-Hospital Program (Guangdong Health Commission).