Transportation Safety Research Articles

Introduction: There is limited research providing guidance on deliverance of in-situ simulation (ISS) in ambulances, within the transport setting. Previous studies have shown that only 67% of UK neonatal transport teams provide ISS and this takes place less than weekly in 60% of teams surveyed [1]. Simulation-based education (SBE) is well established in enhancing team-work, communication and awareness of human factors, all of which are significantly more challenging in transport, due to clinical isolation, scarcity of resources and physical and sound barriers. KIDSNTS is a joint paediatric and neonatal transport service, covering the West-Midlands region. Many staff members are dually trained in paediatric and neonatal retrieval allowing speciality collaboration. St Johns Ambulance technicians additionally contribute to the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) care. Many team members have limited or no experience of SBE previously. Joint ISS delivery literature is scarce. Methods: This project will evaluate the newly introduced KIDSNTS ISS programme. MDT ISS’ run at least twice-monthly and cover neonatal and paediatric scenarios. A continued review of staff pre- and post-ISS questionnaires will examine SBE expectations and prior experience. Psychological measures of wellbeing, stress and self-efficacy will be tested with staff attending ISS, to determine their feasibility for measuring long-term service impact. Prospectively, objective data will be collected from stabilisation times and adverse event submissions to evaluate ISS impact. Data will be used to provide future direction for the KIDSNTS programme. Results: In less than a year since introduction, the KIDSNTS simulation team, comprising of a neonatal and a paediatric consultant, and a dually-trained education lead nurse, has so far delivered close to 20 ISS, reaching approximately 50 staff members. Pre-ISS feedback has revealed ongoing staff anxiety and reluctance to engage in SBE. Early post-ISS feedback however, indicate that staff have all experienced positive learning outcomes and are eager to continue to take part. Introduction of a pre-briefing information video, general raised awareness of SBE, as well as pre-planned, clinically monthly-themed scenarios are all being undertaken, aiming to lessen anxiety and increase uptake. ISS has already led to service provision changes and increased enthusiasm for SBE, with some team members undertaking additional training to be become simulation facilitators. Discussion: Evaluating KIDSNTS staff perceived barriers to transport ISS will support the embedding and success of the SBE programme. Further research will focus on the positive outcomes that ISS will have on safe patient transport care, as well as staff confidence and well-being. Ethics Statement: As the submitting author, I can confirm that all relevant ethical standards of research and dissemination have been met. Additionally, I can confirm that the necessary ethical approval has been obtained, where applicable.

This paper introduces a novel non-linear friction model for ice that incorporates melting effects. By coupling frictional heating with a dynamic melting process, the model effectively captures the reduction in friction resulting from the formation of a lubricating melt film and shear-thinning behaviour at the contact interface. Validation against established literature models and experimental data demonstrates that the formulation accurately characterises the transition from static to dynamic friction over a broad range of sliding velocities (emphasising high sliding velocities) and temperatures. Sensitivity analyses further reveal that the power-law index and shear-thinning coefficient are critical parameters in tuning the model response, ensuring its applicability from low- to high-velocity regimes. This versatile analytical tool has significant implications for predicting ice friction in applications spanning winter sports, transportation safety, and the design of advanced friction-modulating surfaces.

Electroencephalography (EEG) provides insights into the neural mechanisms underlying attention, response inhibition, and distraction in cognitive tasks. This dataset was collected to examine neural activity in young drivers and non-drivers performing Go/No-Go tasks under visual and auditory distraction conditions. A total of 40 university students (20 drivers, 20 non-drivers; balanced by sex) completed eight experimental blocks combining visual or auditory stimuli with realistic distractions, such as text message notifications and phone call simulations. EEG was recorded using a 16-channel BrainAccess MIDI system at 250 Hz. Experiments 1, 3, 5, and 7 served as transitional blocks without participant responses and were excluded from behavioral and event-related potential analyses; however, their EEG recordings and event markers are included for baseline or exploratory analyses. The dataset comprises raw EEG files, event markers for Go/No-Go stimuli and distractions, and metadata on participant demographics and mobile phone usage. This resource enables studies of attentional control, inhibitory processes, and distraction-related neural dynamics, supporting research in cognitive neuroscience, brain–computer interfaces, and transportation safety.

Modeling urban transportation safety resilience under extreme rainstorms: A catastrophe theory approach

Transportation is a fundamental aspect in the economic sector of a country, in terms of supporting economic growth in a country, a quality sustainable mode of transportation is needed to create safe, secure, and comfortable transportation. In order to create a comfortable aspect in the railway transportation mode, namely an air conditioning system that can accommodate thermal comfort in a room. The Rescue Train belonging to the Directorate General of Railways, Ministry of Transportation currently does not use air conditioner as an air conditioning system, therefore researchers conducted research on calculating the capacity requirements of the air conditioning system in the rescue train, the purpose of this research is to determine the total cooling load in the rescue train room using the CLTD (Cooling Load Temperature Difference) method and calculate the Overall Thermal Transfer Value (OTTV) value in the rescue train room to determine the thermal comfort of the building design in the rescue train, the value that can be obtained from the method used in this study is in the form of the Overall Thermal Transfer Value (OTTV) value and the cooling load value of 43.35% of the room area using the CLTD (Cooling Load Temperature Difference) method. The Overall Thermal Transfer Value (OTTV) is 24.4608 W/m², and the total cooling load value using the CLTD (Cooling Load Temperature Difference) method at 43.35% gets a value of 92,912.4372 W (Watt) or 92.91 KW (Kilowatt), so from the calculation of the cooling load at 43.35% of the total area of ​​the helper train, it can be seen that the air conditioner (AC) capacity requirement is 317,017.236 Btu/h or ≈ 79,888.34 kcal/h

Hydrate blockages in oil and gas pipelines threaten transportation safety and efficiency, underscoring the need to clarify hydrate decomposition mechanisms. This study investigates the microscopic decomposition of methane hydrates in oil-containing systems by constructing four models representing alkanes, aromatics, and asphaltenes based on crude oil composition. By integrating multiparameter analysis with the Green-Kubo and fluctuation-dissipation frameworks, the decomposition mechanisms are examined from kinetic, rheological, and energetic perspectives. Results show that oil molecular structure regulates decomposition: light oils accelerate it (viscosity rise 5.87%), while heavy oils inhibit it (12.69%). Heavy oil systems exhibit stronger dynamic instability and stage-dependent dissipation, with dissipation coefficients 13.03% higher during guest release. Component-dependent van der Waals, electrostatic, and hydrogen bond dynamics further reveal energy-driven differences, with over 80% of hydrogen bond lifetimes concentrated within 10-20 ps. This work elucidates oil structural regulation, quantifies fluctuation-dissipation characteristics, and provides a molecular-scale foundation for understanding hydrate decomposition in complex oil-based environments.

Road accidents account for significant fatalities and injuries, underscoring the critical importance of transportation safety as many victims are left with life-long disabilities. A significant proportion of these road accidents are attributed to human errors and negligence, especially those caused by drunk drivers. Autonomous Vehicles (AV) technology also know has self-driving cars has potential to significantly improve the efficiency and safety of the transportation and logistics industry thereby reducing road accidents and decongesting roads by improving traffic flow. This project proposes the design, development, and evaluation of an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) prototype aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of low-cost, compact automation for indoor and controlled outdoor environments. The vehicle uses an ultrasonic sensor for real-time obstacle detection, with a microcontroller (ESP32)-based control system to execute navigation and collision avoidance maneuvers. A modular architecture was implemented, incorporating sensor data processing, path planning, and control algorithms to ensure responsive and adaptive vehicle behavior. Both simulation and field tests were conducted to validate system performance, with results indicating reliable obstacle detection, effective trajectory tracking, and robust control response under various operating conditions. The successful realization of this mini autonomous vehicle project not only underscores the potential of accessible, cost-effective autonomous systems but also provides a solid foundation for future enhancements and applications in small-scale robotics.

This study investigates the process that forms operational loads on the electric rolling stock within a city’s underground railroad system. The task addressed relates to the impossibility to directly measure passenger flows on separate sections of the network because most control systems only record passenger entry and exit events without tracking their full route. This creates analytical gaps and makes it impossible to accurately assess the actual load, which is critical for technical diagnostics as well as maintenance. To solve this problem, a method for estimating passenger flows has been devised, based on stochastic modelling of passenger movement on an oriented graph of the transport network. An approach to load estimation has been proposed, the distinctive feature of which is the rejection of determining a single most probable route for each passenger. Instead, the conditional "weight" of a passenger is probabilistically distributed among the set of all possible routes that could lead him/her from the potential entry station to the actual exit station within time constraints. Method verification by simulation on a conditional network showed high accuracy of the results (the average relative error did not exceed 0.5%). The distribution of errors is symmetrical, close to normal, and concentrated around zero, which indicates the absence of systematic deviations. The accuracy is attributed to the fact that the probability distribution makes it possible to level out the uncertainty of the passenger’s choice of a specific route and obtain an objective integrated assessment of the load at the level of individual routes. The scope of practical application of the results includes technical monitoring systems for rolling stock, adaptive repair planning, optimization of timetables, as well as improvement of transport safety in the context of using anonymous means of payment for travel

ABSTRACT This study demonstrates the superior capability of Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) over conventional ultrasonic methods for inspecting thermite welds in railroad applications. The research evaluated both domestically produced and imported thermite powders (two Asian and two European brands), with PAUT proving significantly more effective in detecting and characterising critical defects. The system successfully identified distributed microporosity (2–53 μm) and centre-line imperfections at weld interfaces, while conventional methods showed limited detection sensitivity for sub-surface flaws. PAUT enabled precise quantitative analysis, establishing a strong correlation between material hardness and signal quality (SNR = 0.15·HV − 30.5, R2 = 0.89) and detecting porosity clusters exceeding 50 μm known to reduce fatigue life by 40–60%. The domestic thermite powder demonstrated equivalent performance to imported alternatives in chemical composition, mechanical properties, and microstructural characteristics. PAUT’s multi-angle scanning capabilities and superior signal processing provided enhanced detection reliability in coarse-grained thermite microstructures, particularly for internal flaws that conventional methods frequently missed. This research validates both the cost-effectiveness of domestic thermite materials and PAUT’s critical role in modern rail maintenance, especially in challenging environments like Southeast Asia’s tropical climate, where rail integrity is paramount for transportation safety.

The object detection network based on YOLO has been widely used in the fields of intelligent transportation and public safety. Compared with visible light target detection, infrared target detection can work normally even in low light or harsh environments. In the visible light scene, YOLOv7-tiny has the advantages of speed and accuracy. However, when YOLOv7-tiny is directly applied to the infrared scene, the model still has some shortcomings, such as weak ability to extract detailed features, serious loss of semantic information, and more computational resources. So, a lightweight infrared target detection network called LIWL-YOLO, which is suitable for detecting both water and land targets, is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the lightweight backbone called SPFNet is designed by integrating space-to-depth convolution (SPDConv) into the FasterNet, so as to improve the feature extraction ability and speed of YOLOv7-tiny for low resolution images. Secondly, the attention module called SAF-CA is designed and added to the neck layer to make the model pay more attention to the weak texture features in the image. Furthermore, in order to improve the extraction ability of the model for low contrast information in images, the exponential space pyramid pool module is designed to replace the SPPCSPC module in YOLOv7-tiny. Finally, the knowledge distillation method of MGD is used to compress the knowledge into the improved model with YOLOv7 as the teacher model, so as to further improve the accuracy of the model for infrared targets. This paper constructs a hybrid dataset named FLIR-WSL as the experimental dataset, which combines the FLIR-v2 dataset and infrared water surface target images collected by our team. The experimental results on FLIR-WSL mixed data sets show that the map value of LIWL-YOLO is 69%, which is 4.3% higher than that of YOLOv7-tiny, and the FPS value on RTX4060 graphics card is 93. LIWL-YOLO not only takes into account the detection ability of land and water targets in infrared scene, but also realizes the balance between accuracy and speed.

Hydrogen is widely considered a clean and sustainable energy carrier due to its high energy density, abundant reserves, and zero carbon emissions during use. To ensure safety in hydrogen production, transportation, and utilization, the development of high-performance hydrogen sensors is of great importance. Among various sensing technologies, surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors have attracted considerable attention due to their unique advantages, including rapid response and high sensitivity, which originate from the excitation and reception of acoustic waves by interdigital transducers and the strong surface disturbance sensitivity of piezoelectric substrates. This paper systematically discusses the sensing mechanisms of SAW hydrogen sensors, analyzes the effects of piezoelectric substrates and hydrogen-sensitive materials on sensing performance, reviews recent progress in hydrogen-sensitive films, and explores optimization strategies in electrode structure design and signal processing. Finally, the main challenges are summarized, and future development directions are outlined, aiming to provide theoretical support for the design and application of high-performance SAW hydrogen sensors.

This study aims to determine the role of ship safety management, crew skills, and communication skills in improving navigational safety on the Persada Utama 9 ship. A qualitative research method was employed using in-depth interviews with crew members and ship management. The findings reveal that the implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) conventions has been carried out through routine inspections, internal audits, and the provision of safety equipment. However, the implementation remains suboptimal due to weaknesses in incident reporting, emergency drill execution, and periodic training. Furthermore, crew competencies, both technical and non-technical, still require improvement, particularly in operating safety equipment, using modern navigation systems, and making decisions under pressure. Communication challenges were also identified, especially in the use of maritime English and Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP). The study emphasizes that maritime safety does not merely depend on administrative compliance with international regulations but also requires the strengthening of safety culture, continuous capacity building for crew members, and the development of effective communication

Ammonia, due to its favorable physicochemical properties, is considered an effective hydrogen carrier, enabling the storage of surplus energy generated from renewable sources. Large-scale implementation of this concept requires the safe transport of ammonia over long distances, commonly achieved through pipeline systems—a practice with global experience dating back to the 1960s. However, operational history demonstrates that failures in such infrastructures remain inevitable, often leading to severe environmental consequences. This article reviews both passive and active methods for preventing and mitigating incidents in ammonia pipeline systems. Passive measures include the assessment of material compatibility with ammonia and the designation of adequate buffer zones. Active methods focus on leak detection techniques, such as balance-based systems, acoustic monitoring, and ammonia-specific sensors. Additionally, the article highlights the potential environmental risks associated with ammonia release, emphasizing its contribution to the greenhouse effect, as well as its adverse impacts on soil, surface and groundwater, and human health. By integrating historical lessons with modern safety technologies, the article contributes to the development of reliable ammonia transport infrastructure for the hydrogen economy.

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the system of entities providing safety in road transport in Ukraine. The legal status, functional load, organizational ties and mechanisms of interaction between key participants in this process are determined – both from among state authorities and the non-state sector. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the activities of the patrol police, criminal police and investigative units as the main executors of the functions of preventing criminal offenses in the transport sector. The normatively defined powers of these structures are analyzed, contradictions in the current legislation are identified, in particular regarding the status of «pre-trial investigation bodies» in the context of the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. The role of Ukrtransbezpeka as a body of supervision, control and licensing in the field of road transport, as well as the functions of Ukravtodor in the field of road infrastructure development are considered. It is emphasized that road safety policymakers are key participants in this process, as they do not have the authority to act on behalf of the people, make binding decisions, assess control, and manage national resources. The importance of public participation in ensuring security is revealed – both through public control, information, appeals and participation in hearings, and through legal cooperation with authorities. The role of the mass media, which perform both a positive and destructive function, causing distrust in state policy, distortion of the image of the police, manipulation of facts about violations, is separately analyzed. The article also notes the significant importance of military administrations as temporary governing bodies under martial law, which perform security functions in transport in front-line territories. Based on the analysis, the need to introduce a number of systemic changes is substantiated: legislative regulation of the procedure for developing strategic documents in the field of transport security; clear delimitation of the competence of subjects; creation of an effective body of interdepartmental coordination; implementation of best foreign practices; strengthening the role of civil society; formation of an effective information policy.

One of the negative impacts of modern transportation development is the increasing number of traffic accidents, including the rising fatality rates, resulting in serious injuries and loss of life. The low level of traffic safety remains a significant challenge for the government in realising a safe and orderly transportation system. This study aims to identify and categorise the factors that influence the safety level at unsignalized four-legged intersections in Pontianak City. The Research focuses on two intersections: Putri Daranante – Putri Darahitam – Alianyang Street (Intersection 1) and Harapan Jaya – Ampera – Prof. M. Yamin Street (Intersection 2). Data were collected through field surveys, applying the Traffic Conflict Technique (TCT) based on the Swedish Traffic Conflict Technique and PIARC guidelines. The analysis results indicate that the Time-to-Accident (TA) parameter is the main factor influencing traffic safety levels at both study locations. Intersection 1 exhibited more serious conflict conditions, with TA values ranging from 0.0 to 0.5 seconds and conflicting speeds between 40 and 45 km/h. This study recommends implementing traffic signals and enhancing the dissemination and enforcement of traffic signs to reduce the number of serious conflicts.

The enforcement of informal or “shadow” terminal regulation represents a strategic effort to improve transportation order and safety in Padang City, particularly in the area in front of Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP). Although such terminals offer easier access for passengers and bus drivers, they also contribute to traffic congestion and reduced compliance with transportation regulations. This study aims to analyze the roles of stakeholders in the regulation of shadow terminals in front of UNP, identify supporting and inhibiting factors in policy implementation, and evaluate the effectiveness of inter-stakeholder collaboration. A qualitative descriptive method with a case study approach was employed, involving in-depth interviews with the Padang City Transportation Agency, Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP), Padang Utara Police Sector, bus company (PO) managers, bus drivers, and service users. The findings reveal that stakeholder roles fall into five categories: policy creator, coordinator, facilitator, implementer, and accelerator. The roles of implementers and coordinators are the most dominant, carried out through field inspections, ticketing, and supervision, while facilitators and accelerators contribute through internal coordination and feedback from service users. Inhibiting factors include low driver compliance, limited accessibility to official terminals, and insufficient infrastructure. Supporting factors include inter-stakeholder synergy, cross-agency coordination, and growing awareness among service users of the importance of transportation order. These findings offer valuable insights into stakeholder dynamics and provide strategic recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of shadow terminal enforcement in Padang City.

The operation of the steering system on a training ship often faces technical and operational obstacles that affect the vessel's maneuverability and navigational safety. This study aims to determine the impact of maneuvering risks that hinder the operation of the steering system on the Barombong Training Ship, as well as efforts for optimization of the steering system to improve the maneuverability of the Barombong Training Ship and navigational safety. The method used is descriptive qualitative, with an in-depth analysis of empirical data obtained from interviews, observations, and documentation on the Barombong Shipping Polytechnic Training Ship. The data were analyzed using the USG (Urgency, Seriousness, Growth) method to determine problem priorities. The results of the study show that the ship’s steering system is vital for ensuring navigational safety and maneuverability. Routine inspection and maintenance of the steering system—including checks on hydraulic pressure, rudder components, steering gear, and hydraulic fluid—are essential to prevent system failures. Additionally, ship maneuvers must be conducted carefully, with proper adjustments to the vessel’s speed based on sea and weather conditions to avoid excessive strain on the steering system. Effective communication among crew members and maneuvering drills under varying conditions are also critical for responding to emergency situations. Proper load distribution and speed reduction under certain conditions further enhance steering performance. This study recommends regular inspections, adequate maintenance, and consistent training to improve crew competence in maintaining the operational safety and maneuverability of the Barombong Training Ship.

The Pontianak–Aruk bus route serves a strategic role in supporting accessibility and mobility in Sambas Regency, particularly in connecting to the Aruk Border Crossing Post (PLBN). The growing population and increasing tourism activity have heightened the demand for safe, affordable, and efficient public transportation. This study analyzes passenger characteristics, estimates Vehicle Operating Costs (VOC), and determines the optimal fleet size. Primary data were collected through observations, interviews, and surveys conducted at the Pontianak and Aruk terminals over three days, while secondary data were obtained from relevant agencies. Using a descriptive quantitative approach, the analysis included load factor, VOC, and fleet requirements based on the break-even point. Results show that most passengers are aged 21–30 years, traveling mainly for homecoming, with affordability as the key factor in choosing buses. The average load factor was 0.63, with 28 passengers per trip; however, headways were irregular and fell below service standards. Operating costs totaled IDR 592,358,000 per year, and the optimal fleet size was determined to be three units, compared to the existing four. These findings suggest the need for fleet adjustment to enhance efficiency and service quality in cross-border public transport.

ABSTRACT The increasing urban population and rapid growth in the number of vehicles have created significant challenges in managing urban traffic efficiently. Traditional traffic management systems, based on pre-timed signals and static infrastructure, often fail to adapt to real-time traffic fluctuations, leading to frequent congestion, delays, road accidents, and increased air pollution. In response to these challenges, the Smart Traffic Management System (STMS) presents a modern, technology-driven solution aimed at improving the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of urban transportation networks.The proposed STMS integrates advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and cloud computing to monitor, analyze, and control traffic flow in real-time. IoT-enabled sensors, cameras, and GPS devices installed at key traffic intersections and on vehicles gather real-time data on traffic density, vehicle speed, road conditions, and environmental factors. This data is transmitted to a centralized processing unit, where intelligent algorithms analyze traffic patterns and make dynamic adjustments to traffic signal timings based on current demand. Furthermore, the system incorporates predictive analytics to anticipate congestion and suggest alternate routes to drivers via mobile applications or smart navigation systems. Emergency vehicle prioritization, pedestrian safety monitoring, and integration with public transportation systems are also key features of the system, contributing to a more inclusive and responsive traffic ecosystem. The implementation of a Smart Traffic Management System has the potential to significantly reduce travel time, fuel consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions, while also improving road safety and commuter experience. Additionally, the system’s scalability and adaptability make it suitable for deployment in cities of varying sizes and complexities. This paper explores the architecture, functionalities, implementation strategies, and benefits of STMS, while also addressing the potential challenges such as data privacy, infrastructure costs, and the need for policy support.

Under the research reactor conversion Project, the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been working on the issue of the further handling the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) unloaded from the IVG.1M reactor. One of the critical stages is the transportation of the spent fuel assemblies (SFAs) to the storage or processing place, which should comply with the “Rules for the Transportation of Radioactive Substances and Radioactive Waste”, approved by the order of the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In this work, the safe parameters of the SFAs unloaded from the IVG.1M reactor core have been determined to ensure the SNF safe transportation to the storage or processing point. The neutronic calculations have been carried out to substantiate the nuclear safety during the storage of the IVG.1M SFAs in a universal casing for TUK-19 under the normal conditions and in the case of an emergency caused by the casing complete flooding. The thermal state of the SFAs was determined, taking into account the data on the reduction of the residual heat generation. An assessment of the thermal and radiation condition of the TUK-19 external surface with the SFAs has been performed. The experience gained in handling the SNF of a research reactor will be in demand when developing recommendations for handling the SNF of power reactors at future Kazakhstani nuclear power plants.