Road Accident Injuries Research Articles

A review on neural network techniques for the prediction of road traffic accident severity

Abstract The occurrence rate of death and injury due to road traffic accidents is rising increasingly globally day by day. For several decades, the focus of research has been on getting a deeper understanding of the significant factors that influence the risk of road traffic fatalities. In today's modern world, neural network (NN) approaches play a crucial role in identifying the contributing factors that describe the frequency and severity of road accidents. Over the years, many researchers used neural network models for predicting the impact of such factors on road accident injury severity. Deep learning methods such as the recurrent neural network (RNN) and the convolutional neural network (CNN) has recently been successfully used for the prediction of road accidents and demonstrate their high accuracy and efficiency. This study overview and summarizes the different forms of neural network models such as the single layer perceptron (SLP) neural network, the multilayer layer perceptron (MLP) neural network, the radial basis function (RBF) neural network, the recurrent neural network, and the convolutional neural network used as a prediction method for the severity of road crash injuries and includes a discussion of future planning and difficulties. This article also summarizes the model input parameter or independent variable and output or dependent variable, as well as various performance assessment methods.

Automotive frontal body structure optimisation in the Upper Legform to Bonnet Leading Edge test with the aim of reducing the pedestrian injuries

Automotive frontal body structure design and optimisation are absolutely essential towards reducing the risk of pedestrian injuries in road accidents. In this paper, a two-step optimisation process in combination with the finite element method (FEM) is utilized to enhance pedestrian protection for a class-B passenger car. In this way, the finite element (FE) model of the Upper Legform Impactor has been developed and verified according to the European Commission (EC) Regulation No 631/2009. The Upper Legform to Bonnet Leading Edge test has been numerically simulated using LS-DYNA software. Material and geometry of the frontal body structure components are considered as the design variables and optimum design points are identified using the Taguchi method through a two-step framework. The Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is also used to determine the percentage effect of each controllable factors on the desired output. The obtained results revealed that in the optimum design point in comparison with the base vehicle, more than 45% improvement in the pedestrian protection criterion is observed, while selected components experienced mass reduction about 9%.

Modelling road traffic safety indices by means of regression with panel data

Abstract Although the occurrence of road accidents and the number of road accident casualties in almost all Polish voivodeships has decreased over the last few years, the rate of this change varies considerably from region to region. To provide a better understanding of such a tendency, panel data regression models are proposed to conduct this pilot research which evaluates the relative performance of Polish regions in terms of their road traffic safety. Panel data are multi-dimensional data which involve measurements over time. In the research, a voivodeship is a unit analysed at a group level, whereas a year is a unit analysed at a time level. A two-way error component regression model has been applied to survey the impact of regressors, the group effects, and time effects on a dependent variable. The analysis has been conducted using data acquired from the Statistics Poland Local Data Bank website, as well as from the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways. The panel data from 16 regions in Poland and the 2012–2018 period have been investigated. The examined models refer to road traffic safety indices defined based on the following characteristics: the number of road accidents, the number road fatalities, and the number of people injured. The results of all the three models indicate a negative effect as regards the GDP per capita, (car) motorisation rate, the indicator of government expenditure for current maintenance of national roads, and the road length per capita. A positive association has been found between the truck motorisation rate and the indicator of local government expenditure on roads. The impact of the region's urbanisation indicators on road safety is ambiguous as, on the one hand, its increase causes a reduction in the road accident and accident injury indices, but, on the other hand, it produces a rise in the accident fatality index. In the models, the significance of time effects has been identified; a decreasing time trend suggests a general improvement in road safety from year to year. Most of the group effects have turned out to be highly significant. However, the effects differ as regards both the road accident and the accident injury indices in magnitude and direction.

COVID-19 as a global challenge: towards an inclusive and sustainable future

COVID-19 is a global challenge that demands researchers, policy makers, and governments address multiple dimensions which go far beyond the implications of this pandemic for health and wellbeing. Just as the UN Sustainable Development Goals call for focus on the connections between development policy sectors, the pandemic has exposed the complex global interdependencies that underpin economies and highlighted fault lines in societal structures that perpetuate ethnic, economic, social, and gender inequalities.Here,wehighlightthepandemic’semerging potential consequences for achieving sustainable development with respect to the six global challenge areas we collectively address at the UK Research and Innovation’s Global Challenges Research Fund:1 food systems; education; cities and sustainable infrastructure; security, protracted conflict, refugee crises, and forced displacement; environmental resilience; and global health. As the immediate health consequences of the pandemic unfold and begin to be superseded by the impact of public health containment measures, we call for a refocusing of research and action not only to mitigate these impacts but to build sustainability and strengthened resilience into future recovery.

Definition and epidemiology of mild traumatic brain injury

Background/objectivesThe definition of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also known as concussion, has been a matter of controversy, which makes comparison between studies difficult. Incidence varies greatly from one country to another. The present article reviews definitions and epidemiology. MethodsLiterature review. ResultsAccording to the Mild TBI Committee of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, revised by the World Health Organization (WHO), mTBI is defined by a Glasgow Coma Scale score between 13 and 15 at 30minutes post-injury, and one or more of the following symptoms: <30min loss of consciousness; <24hours post-traumatic amnesia (PTA); impaired mental state at time of accident (confusion, disorientation, etc.); and/or transient neurological deficit. If a focal lesion is found on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the term “complicated mild TBI” has been proposed. Incidence of mTBI is 200–300/100,000 persons per year for hospitalized patients and probably twice as high if non-hospitalized patients are included. However, a few recent population-based studies reported a much higher rate (>700/100,000). A changing pattern of epidemiology has been found in high-income countries, related to a decrease in road-accident injuries in young adults, while conversely the proportion of falls has increased with population aging. ConclusionMild TBI is a major public health concern, the epidemiology of which has greatly changed in the last twenty years.

The implications of ridehailing for risky driving and road accident injuries and fatalities.

The nature of transportation has fundamentally transformed in recent years with the rise of ridehailing providers such as Uber. Yet, few studies have examined whether there is an association between ridehailing and rates of road accident injuries, and virtually all of the existing studies focus on the exceptional case of the United States. In this study, we exploit differences in the timing of the deployment of Uber across Britain to test the association between the advent of Uber's ridehailing services and rates of fatal and non-fatal road accidents. We find that the deployment of Uber in Great Britain is associated with a marginally significant reduction in the number of serious road accident injuries (e.g., fractures and internal injuries), although not the number of serious accidents. Slight injuries (e.g., sprains and bruises) declined outside of London after the rollout of Uber, but increased within London. We do not observe a statistically significant association between Uber and traffic fatalities. One interpretation for the decline in serious road injuries is that Uber may be a substitute form of transportation for risky drivers, including drink-drivers. However, ridehailing is also a substitute for public transit, particularly buses. The increase in the number of cars on the road may explain why slight injuries increased in London following Uber's rollout.

Estimating the cost of two-wheeler road accident injuries in India using the willingness to pay method

ABSTRACTFinancial loss due to road traffic accidents is very huge in India; yet, remarkable studies were not done to quantify the loss. In this study, an effort is made through a Stated Preference (SP) survey to know how users value the safety. The amount of money that the road users are ready to contribute for a secured transportation facility is derived from these data. The SP data were collected from two-wheeler riders in Calicut, Kondotty and Manjeri. Attributes included in the SP experiment were time and cost of travel and number of traffic accidents in a year and the WTP values are calculated through binary logit analysis. It was observed that travel cost, accident rate of the route selected, age, occupation, personal income and number of household members have significant impact on the decision-making process. WTP value of a road accident for a two-wheeler user was found to be Rs 0.4232/person/trip.

Clinical and Diagnostic (CT scan) Case Profile of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Patients in a Teritiary Care Center, Visakhapatnam - A Retrospective Observational Study

Introduction: India experiences increase in incidence of Road Traffic Accidents (RTA). During 1970 to 2011, there is 7.3 times increase in road accident injuries. Head injury is the commonest due to RTA injury which accounts for 60% of cases in Visakhapatnam which is situated along the 9National Highway. Aim: The aim is to study the clinical and CT scan diagnostic case profile of Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Visakhapatnam region. Material &amp; Methods: It is a retrospective observational study of cases of TBI reported at the trauma care center at the tetitiary care King George Hospital (KGH), Visakhapatnam, for the period 2011 – 2018. Proper permission and clearance for the present study is duly obtained. Results &amp; Discussion: Head injury is the commonest among traumatic injuries. CT scan is performed as the gold standard diagnostic test for head injury cases. Contusions followed by Sub arachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and Sub dural hemorrhage (SDH) are the most common CT findings. About 25% needed ventilator support. Most common cause of death is CNS injuries (42%) followed by blood loss in 39% of cases. Conclusions: Regulated traffic control, wearing helmet and seat belt, limiting speed and avoiding L &amp; U bends at road corners can prevent and minimise the incidence of fatal injuries.

Sleepiness and the risk of road traffic accidents: A systematic review and meta-analysis of previous studies

ObjectiveTo assess whether drowsy driving can increase road traffic accident related deaths and injuries. DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis. Data sourcesCochrane Injuries Group Specialized Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, Medline, National Technical Information service, Psychlit, International Road Research Documentation, Transport Research Information Service, and web sites related to the road safety organization were searched; experts were contacted, conference proceedings were hand searched, and relevant reference lists were checked. Inclusion criteriaWe sought to identify all epidemiological studies, published in English language, which assessed the association between fatigued or sleepy driving and the occurrence of car crashes lead to death or injury. MethodsWe conducted a systematic literature review with meta-analysis using PubMed, Google scholar and other valid databases to search for articles published from January 1980 through September 2016 to identify precise effect of drowsy driving on road traffic accidents. For each study odds ratio was calculated, the ratio of event odds in the drivers with drowsy driving divided by the drivers without drowsy driving, which were pooled to obtain an overall estimate using a fixed and random effects models. FindingsFourteen articles satisfying inclusion criteria were identified that all of them were included in quantitative synthesis. Pooled odds ratio obtained by fixed and random effect models was 1.29 (95% CI 1.24 to 1.34) and 1.34 (95% CI 1.25 to 1.43), respectively. ConclusionOur findings that obtained from meta-analysis (with high level of evidence) suggest a significant association between crash involvement and drowsy driving. It seems that establishment of strategies to reduce any risk factors of road traffic accident such as drowsy driving can be effective in decreasing traffic crashes.

Evaluation of social inequalites in health of road accident victims in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Each year, more than 1.2 million deaths in the world are due to road accidents. It is the leading cause of mortality in young people between the ages of 15 and 29 years. Road accidents and associated injuries have a major impact on health and development. Many international reports have evaluated the mortality and morbidity related to road accidents, but these studies are based on limited data, often with limited robustness. Based on a study conducted in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, to estimate the mortality and morbidity of road accident victims, the objective of this article was to evaluate social, spatial and health inequalities of populations killed or injured as a result of a road accident. Between February and July 2015, all road accidents were recorded by policemen using a mobile telephone data collection system, including geolocation of accidents. Three quantitative and prospective survey phases were then performed on injured patients admitted to Yalgado Ouedraogo hospital, the reference centre for these patients. A total of 1,867 emergency department admissions were reported. The majority (95%) of road accident victims were vulnerable users. More than 30% of accidents occurred in one central quarter and two peripheral quarters. The mean management time as 1 hour 3 minutes for victims rescued by firemen and 3 hours 10 minutes for those who attended the emergency department on their own. The mean total cost of management was 126,799 CFA francs (€193) [400-2,000,000 CFA francs]. These results identify possible actions designed to reduce road accident injuries and their consequences. They demonstrate that the creation of surveillance systems common to police forces, rescue and health care services are essential to produce convincing data.

Cranio-cerebral injuries in road accidents: characteristics and clinical process

Cranio-cerebral injuries in road accidents: characteristics and clinical process

Assessment and prediction of road accident injuries trend using time-series models in Kurdistan

BackgroundRoad traffic accidents are commonly encountered incidents that can cause high-intensity injuries to the victims and have direct impacts on the members of the society. Iran has one of the highest incident rates of road traffic accidents. The objective of this study was to model the patterns of road traffic accidents leading to injury in Kurdistan province, Iran.MethodsA time-series analysis was conducted to characterize and predict the frequency of road traffic accidents that lead to injury in Kurdistan province. The injuries were categorized into three separate groups which were related to the car occupants, motorcyclists and pedestrian road traffic accident injuries. The Box-Jenkins time-series analysis was used to model the injury observations applying autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) from March 2009 to February 2015 and to predict the accidents up to 24 months later (February 2017). The analysis was carried out using R-3.4.2 statistical software package.ResultsA total of 5199 pedestrians, 9015 motorcyclists, and 28,906 car occupants’ accidents were observed. The mean (SD) number of car occupant, motorcyclist and pedestrian accident injuries observed were 401.01 (SD 32.78), 123.70 (SD 30.18) and 71.19 (SD 17.92) per year, respectively. The best models for the pattern of car occupant, motorcyclist, and pedestrian injuries were the ARIMA (1, 0, 0), SARIMA (1, 0, 2) (1, 0, 0)12, and SARIMA (1, 1, 1) (0, 0, 1)12, respectively. The motorcyclist and pedestrian injuries showed a seasonal pattern and the peak was during summer (August). The minimum frequency for the motorcyclist and pedestrian injuries were observed during the late autumn and early winter (December and January).ConclusionOur findings revealed that the observed motorcyclist and pedestrian injuries had a seasonal pattern that was explained by air temperature changes overtime. These findings call the need for close monitoring of the accidents during the high-risk periods in order to control and decrease the rate of the injuries.

A method of performance audit of constituent entities of the Russian Federation to prevent road accident injuries

Abstract Nowadays, deaths and injuries of people in road accidents represent an important issue of global healthcare. In the Russian Federation, main causes of death and disability among people of various age include road accident injuries. Such injuries are also high on the list of factors which affected the significant number of severe accidents and their consequences. The vast majority (95.7%) of those accidents occurred in cities and villages. Nearly two-thirds (61.2%) of the total number of minors (pedestrians) who became victims of road accidents were constituted by students of secondary schools at the age of 7–14. Road accident injuries in children can be prevented with the help of active forms of teaching to behave safely on roads of inhabited localities.

Epidemiologic characteristics and outcomes of open globe injury in Shanghai.

To investigate the epidemiologic characteristics and outcomes of open globe injury in Shanghai. A retrospective study was conducted for 148 unilateral open globe injury cases presenting to a tertiary referral hospital of Shanghai. Electronic medical records were reviewed and phone surveys were conducted to collect and analyze 1) background of patient; 2) setting of injury and clinical signs at presentation; 3) treatment procedure and outcome; 4) quality of life after injury. There were more male patients (77.03%) than females (22.97%), more temporary habitants (79.05%) than residents (20.95%). The subjects in this study presented a significantly lower constitutional status of education than that of the whole Shanghai population (P<0.001). Occupational injury was the first cause of injuries (39.86%), followed by home accident (20.27%), road accident (16.89%), violent behavior (16.89%) and outdoor injury (6.08%). The 143 subjects (96.62%) were not wearing spectacles at the time of injury. Of all patients, 77 subjects (52.03%) had the outcome of no vision (including enucleation). The classification and regression tree (CART) prognosis presents 59.58% sensitivity to predict visual survival correctly and 80.19% specificity to predict no vision correctly. The patients whose injured eye had no vision reported more reduction of life quality. We found that male subject, temporary habitants, low educational status and no eyewear are risk factors of open globe injury in Shanghai. Occupational injury is the leading cause. CART analysis presents a certain agreement to the actual visual outcome. The injury imposes negative impact on quality of life especially in no vision cases. The education of eye protection may help to avoid the injury.

Factors associated with non-return to work in the severely injured victims 3 years after a road accident: A prospective study

Road accidents may impact victims' physical and/or mental health and socio-occupational life, particularly the capacity to return to work. The purpose of our study is to assess modifiable medical and socio-occupational factors of non-return to work in the severely injured 3 years after a road accident. Among1,168 road accidents casualties in the Rhône administrative Département of France followed for five years, 141 of the 222 severely injured (Maximal Abbreviated Injury Scale ≥ 3) aged more than 16 years who were in work at the time of the accident, reported whether they had returned to work in the 3 years following the accident. The subgroups of those who had (n=113) and had not returned to work (n=28) were compared for socio-occupational (gender, age, educational level, marital status, socio-occupational group) accident-related medical factors (type of road user, type of journey, responsibility in the accident, initial care) and post-accident medical factors (pain intensity, post-traumatic stress disorder, physical sequelae, quality of life) by using standardized tools. Severity of initial head, face and lower-limb injury, intense persistent pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, poor self-assessed quality of life and health status at 3 years were associated with non-return to work on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, severity of initial head and lower-limb injury, intense persistent pain at 3 years and post-traumatic stress disorder were significantly associated with non-return to work 3 years following severe road-accident injury. Post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain were essential modifiable medical determinants of non-return to work in the severely injured after a road accident: early adapted management could promote return to work in the severely injured. Improve early adapted treatment of pain and PTSD in the rehabilitation team should help the severely injured return to work following a road accident.

Decision Tree Model for Non-Fatal Road Accident Injury

Non-fatal road accident injury has become a great concern as it is associated with injury and sometimes leads to the disability of the victims. Hence, this study aims to develop a model that explains the factors that contribute to non-fatal road accident injury severity. A sample data of 350 non-fatal road accident cases of the year 2016 were obtained from Kota Bharu District Police Headquarters, Kelantan. The explanatory variables include road geometry, collision type, accident time, accident causes, vehicle type, age, airbag, and gender. The predictive data mining techniques of decision tree model and multinomial logistic regression were used to model non-fatal road accident injury severity. Based on accuracy rate, decision tree with CART algorithm was found to be more accurate as compared to the logistic regression model. The factors that significantly contribute to non-fatal traffic crashes injury severity are accident cause, road geometry, vehicle type, age and collision type.

Factors for non-return to work after severe road-accident injury: Results from the prospective ESPARR cohort

To identify socio-occupational and medical factors associated with non-return to work 3 years after severe road-accident injury. ESPARR is a prospective 5-year cohort of 1168 road-accident victims, aged over 16 years, in the Rhône administrative Département of France. 141 (63.5%) of the 222 subjects with severe injury (maximal abbreviated Injury Scale >= 3) in work at the time of the accident reported whether they had returned to work during the 3 years following the accident. Two groups were distinguished: those who had returned to work during the 3 years ( n = 113; 79.1%) and those who had not ( n = 28; 19.9%). The groups were compared on socio-occupational and accident-related medical factors at 3 years post-accident, by univariate analysis on Chi 2 or Fisher test, and multivariate analysis on a generalized linear model. Being separated, widowed or divorced at the time of the accident, initial head, face and lower-limb lesion severity, New injury severity score 3 16, onset of post-traumatic stress disorder, persistence of intense pain and perceived poor quality of life and health status at 3 years post-accident emerged as factors associated with non-return to work on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, severity of initial head lesions, persistence of intense pain at 3 years and onset of post-traumatic stress disorder remained significant factors for non-return to work 3 years after severe road-accident injury. Chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder appeared in this study to be the main factors on which action could be taken. Early adapted treatment of these factors could facilitate return to work in victims of severe injury.

Effectiveness of Bicycle Safety Helmets in Preventing Facial Injuries in Road Accidents.

BackgroundThe effectiveness of bicycle safety helmets in preventing head injuries is well- documented. Recent studies differ regarding the effectiveness of bicycle helmets in preventing facial injuries, especially those of the mid-face and the mandible.ObjectivesThe present study was conducted to determine the protective effect of a bicycle helmet in preventing mid-face and mandibular fractures.Patients and MethodsData from an accident research unit were analyzed to collect technical collision details (relative collision speed, type of collision, collision partner, and use of a helmet) and clinical data (type of fracture).ResultsBetween 1999 and 2011, 5,350 bicycle crashes were included in the study. Of these, 175 (3.3%) had fractures of the mid-face or mandible. In total, 228 mid-face or mandibular fractures were identified. A significant correlation was found between age and relative collision speed, and the incidence of a fracture. While no significant correlation was found between the use of a helmet and the incidence of mid-facial fractures, the use of a helmet was correlated with a significantly increased incidence of mandibular fractures.ConclusionsHigher age of cyclists and increasing speed of the accident opponent significantly increase the likelihood of sustaining facial fractures. The use of bicycle helmets does not significantly reduce the incidence of mid-facial fractures, while being correlated with an even increased incidence of mandibular fractures.

The Frequency of Road Accident Injuries among Victims Admitted to Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Babol, Iran in 2010-2012

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Road accidents are one of the major causes of mortality and severe injuries, which impose substantial financial and social costs on communities. This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiology of road traffic traumas to the upper and lower extremities. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, victims, admitted to Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Babol, Iran, were evaluated during 2010-2012. Demographic data, accident location, day, season and time of accident, as well as admission time were investigated. FINDINGS: In total, 1049 victims with the mean age of 32.93±16.56 years were included in this study. Overall, 830 (79.1%) and 219 (20%) victims were male and female, respectively. The majority of accidents occurred on inter-urban roads (n=830, 35%) on week days (n=839, 72.5%). The highest frequency of accidents was reported in summer (n=311, 29.6%) between 13:30 pm and 19:30 pm. The longest interval between the accident and hospital admission was 1-2 hours following the accident. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that road accidents were more frequent in certain hours and seasons of the year. Therefore, recognition of local effective factors in accidents could be a proper guide for authorities to promote accurate and effective health planning.

Modeling road accident injury under-reporting in Europe

PurposeIn this research, a disaggregate analysis of road accident injury under-reporting in selected European countries is presented.MethodThe level of injury under-reporting is expressed by under-reporting coefficients, estimated as the actual estimated number of road accident injuries of a given severity to the number of related injuries recorded by the Police. These coefficients were calculated within national/regional studies in the examined countries, through a specially developed uniform methodology of linking and matching Police road accident records and hospital records. Log-rate models are developed in order to estimate the combined effects of country (CZ, FR, GR, HU, NL, ES and the UK), road user type (car occupant, motorcyclist, pedal cyclist, pedestrian), Police severity score (serious or slight injury) and MAIS score (the maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale score) on under-reporting.ResultsThe results suggest that the examined characteristics have important combined effect on under-reporting (i.e. third-order interaction). The results of the analysis of lower-order interactions reveal specific particularities of each country/region, indicating areas on which authorities should focus their efforts.ConclusionsFor example, it was found that slight injuries are more likely to be under-reported than serious injuries in the Czech Republic, France, and Greece, while the opposite is the case for the Netherlands and the UK. Moreover, although the Netherlands do not present high under-reporting rates overall, a particular issue is identified in this country for pedal cyclists’ slight injuries. Finally, a considerable part of total under-reporting in most countries can be attributed to injury severity mis-reporting.