Traffic Hazards Research Articles

The Role of Regional Cultural Values in Decisions about Hurricane Evacuation

This paper explores perceived risk within the context of regional cultural values. We describe aspects of local culture in Galveston, Texas, as emically defined, which affected response to a mandatory evacuation order for Hurricane Ike. Since over the past two decades about a third of residents failed to evacuate for hurricanes, we focused on understanding why residents would choose to stay. We used a matched-pair design to control for socioeconomic status and resources that might affect evacuation. Thus, pairs of neighbors were interviewed (one person who evacuated and a neighbor who did not evacuate). Using a new technique (qualitative comparative analysis) to find clustering among people and themes, narratives from in-depth open-ended interviews revealed two distinct groups of people with separate motivations for not evacuating. One group focused on the hazards of leaving because traffic hazards could be greater than storm risk, combining traffic risk with past experiences and concern about delay in reentering. These people were well-prepared with supplies and equipment to survive for a week or two without services. A second group focused on media “hype;” they simply did not believe news sources about the danger the storm posed. Unfortunately, in this case, the media warnings were correct, and the storm flooded the town with about thirteen feet of seawater, sewage, and debris. The historical pattern of official warnings, response actions, and media warnings considered to be “hype,” may actually be encouraging a culture of non-compliance with future mandatory evacuation orders.

“Bike litter” and obligations of the platform operators: Lessons from China's dockless sharing bikes

The boom of dockless share bikes in China has brought about enormous private benefits and social benefits. However, it has also imposed upon the public a new cost which can be termed as “bike litter”11I borrowed the term of “bike litter” from Matt Teffer, ‘Dockless Share Bikes Are the Frontline of A Battle Between Chinese Tech Giants’, The Financial Review, 27 April 2018. <https://www.afr.com/lifestyle/cars-bikes-and-boats/cycling/dockless-bikes-are-part-of-a-battle-between-chinese-tech-giants-20180420-h0z1m8>.: share bikes parked or abandoned in pathways, rivers and other public spaces. It has not only damaged the aesthetic value of cities but has created serious safety hazards and public nuisances. None of the conventional methods of regulating road and traffic safety hazards, such as private actions, public enforcement and self-regulation, seem to have stopped bike-litter without also stopping dockless bike services. Without having to stop such services, or overly burdening their operators, it is proposed here that certain obligations should be imposed upon the operators of dockless bike services. Unlike tort-related obligations that focus on results (e.g., the reduction or sanction of bike litter), these new obligations compel operators to establish systems for monitoring the behaviors of bike users. In short, these obligations are as follows: (1) an obligation for operators to mandatorily include provisions in their terms of service to allow the operators to monitor, sanction and rewards certain parking behavior of users of the service; (2) an obligation for operators to create and maintain monitoring systems to detect bike littering and to enforce the user agreements; and (3) an obligation for operators to report on, and disclose, details regarding the operation and effectiveness of these systems. The mandatory disclosure obligation of operators, however, should be strictly subject to the protection of privacy rights of bike riders and the protection of fair competition between different platforms. It is also proposed that these obligations should be created through voluntary agreements between the government regulator and operators under a permit system, rather than by creating new statutory obligations, as the former is much more flexible and allows for the adoption of various incentive schemes. Such an approach may also help regulate torts incidence in other types of platform economies.

Calculation method of Cross Section area of collapsing dangerous Rock based on parallel Binocular Vision

Dangerous rock collapse may cause traffic accidents and other potential traffic safety hazards in mountainous areas. In this paper, aiming at the problem that dangerous rock collapse disaster is difficult to monitor and judge, a method of measuring the cross section area of collapse rock is proposed based on parallel binocular vision, which is convenient for the relevant departments to deal with the emergency ahead of time. This paper first calibrates the binocular camera on the MATLAB platform, and then corrects and matches the collected images on the OpenCV platform. The feasibility of measuring area by pixel method and spatial coordinate method is verified by using regular triangular and rectangular shapes. Then the pixel method is applied to the measurement of cross sectional area of rock collapse, which provides a method for predicting the disaster grade of collapse of dangerous rock.

Level of occupational stress, personality and traffic incidents: Comparative study of public and freight transport drivers

Abstract The matter of road safety is particularly important in modern transport systems. This is due to the fact that despite the high level of technical sophistication of transport safety systems, the number of road incidents is relatively high. Generally speaking, transport safety is understood as control over various possible traffic hazards. Road conditions or vehicles damage is not the only source of threat in transport. Drivers and their personality traits affect the occurrence of risk situations and impediments while driving on public roads. Professional drivers should especially be characterized by their efficiency in controlling their reactions because they are responsible not only for transported goods but also for other people. Subjective assessment of drivers’ personality and the level of occupational stress may impact not only on their functioning but also the quality of driving and safe behaviors on the road. For this reason, studies determining the relationship between personality traits and stress in professional drivers are important. The authors of the article attempted to define these relations using surveys among public and freight transport drivers (N=150). They represented two transport companies from the Lublin City: Miejskie Przedsiebiorstwo Komunikacji (City Bus Company) and Poczta Polska (Polish Mail). Eysenck Impulsiveness-Venturesomeness-Empathy Questionnaire (Eysenck, 2006) and Questionnaire for Subjective Assessment of Work (Dudek et. al, 2004) were used in the study. Based on the above-mentioned questionnaires, statistical analyses were carried out using specialized statistical software SPSS Statistics, based on which the relationship between personality traits and the subjective assessment of occupational stress were determined. The results showed that there are statistically significant differences between research groups and there is a positive correlation between personality traits and work stress. Finally, there was also found the correlation between different types of traffic incidents.

Evaluation of autologous composite colo-peritoneal grafts in the repair of experimental urinary bladder defects in dogs

Background: Urinary bladder (UB) defects are most often associated with embryologic development and pelvic trauma. The cause of the defects could be congenital abnormalities or various aetiologies connected with modern life, including road traffic accidents, assault (gunshot injuries) and occupational hazards (neoplasia). industrial, and criminal activities. Medical treatment for these defects is mostly limited thereby necessitating surgical intervention. This study was aimed at finding alternative reconstruction tissue for restoring bladder storage and voiding capability. Materials and Methods: The surgical procedure was aseptically performed under general anesthesia. The dorsal aspect of the urinary bladder served as the recipient site, while sero-muscular colonic pedicle flap of the descending colon along with free peritoneal sheath formed a composite tissue (donor), colo-peritoneal pedicle graft. The surgical procedure included preparation of the colonic pedicle flap, preparation of free peritoneal flap, formation of composite colo-peritoneal graft, preparation of urinary bladder graft bed, and colo-peritoneo-cystoplasty. The dogs were evaluated in the post-operative period by physical examination, urinalysis, and cystography within the duration of 14 weeks. Results: Cystographic evaluations performed on the 2nd, 10th, and 14th weeks post surgery revealed gradual transition of the urinary bladder architecture at the point of graft with clear delineation and minimal blurring at initial assessment, which gradually disappeared later. Complications observed were straining and constipation, which responded positively following appropriate interventions. Post surgical urinalysis showed transient changes in specific gravity and urine pH values, but returned to pre surgical level after day 18 post surgery. Post surgical proteinuria was observed for the first 7 days, but disappeared on day 12. Hematuria occurred within the first 16 days post surgery. Conclusion: It was concluded that autologous composite colo-peritoneal tissue graft was successfully formed and effectively used in the repair of urinary bladder defects in the dogs. This surgical management intervention could be evaluated in human subjects with similar urinary bladder defects.

The importance of traffic light signaling for improvement of road transport safety aspects

Undertaking the subject of the application of telematic systems to improve the safety of road transport is caused by the increase of the mobility of the society, their transport needs, which in effect leads to the multiplication of the number of vehicles on the roads. The low level of construction of new roads and modernization of the existing ones is conducive to the occurrence of transport congestion, the number of accidents and road traffic difficulties, and has a negative impact on the natural environment. In the era of modern society, methods are sought that would minimize negative effects in the transport system, thereby increasing road safety. The purpose of this article is to analyse the use of Intelligent Traffic Light in the aspect of road safety. Traffic safety at intersections is reflected in indicators of dangerous situations with the participation of road users in its area. Hence, the selection of the research method and the place of the tests carried out. Implementation of telematic systems supports the construction of a secure road transport network. The authors of the article focused on the analysis of traffic hazards and their consequences in the form of wounded and dead people. In addition, the topic of safety in the road transport system was addressed very precisely, where it was discussed in terms of operation, economic, technical and environmental protection.

How does intersection field of view influence driving safety in an emergent situation?

Restricted intersection field of view (IFOV) can influence drivers’ hazard detection abilities and driving safety in an emergent traffic event. However, no field studies or crash-data analyses have been conducted to prove the adequateness of the current intersection sight-distance design standards, which are adopted to ensure that the approaching-intersection drivers have a sufficient field of view to detect traffic hazards and travel safely at intersections. In this study, we conducted a driving simulator experiment to compare drivers’ behavioral and eye-movement measures between different IFOV conditions that met the current intersection sight distance design standards. We examined the influencing mechanism of IFOV on the drivers' collision avoidance process being composed of three consequential stages, respectively in terms of search stage, decision stage and action stage. Our experiment results showed that restricted IFOV impacts the three-stage driving performance interlockingly. Enlarging IFOV can significantly improve drivers' performance in detecting a conflicting vehicle more timely, having a longer perception-reaction time in monitoring the hazard, spending more time on observing intersection surroundings, and taking brake actions earlier and more smoothly so that drivers were more likely to successfully avoid colliding with the conflicting vehicle. In addition, we found that compared with female drivers, male drivers were less likely to take brake actions to avoid a potential collision and had a lower deceleration rate in the braking stage of collision avoidance while there was no significant gender difference in crash involvement rates. The findings indicated that male drivers were more skillful in vehicle control than female drivers. Nevertheless, male drivers had less traffic-crash expectation, which degraded their overall crash avoidance effect. Considering the traffic safety that more than five million intersection-related crashes occur in American each year, these experimental findings have implications for public safety and health.

GPS &amp; GSM Based Accident Detection And Auto Intimation

&lt;p&gt;The high demand of automobiles has also increased the traffic hazards and the road accidents. Life of the people is under high risk. This is because of the lack of best emergency facilities available in our country. An automatic alarm device for vehicle accidents is introduced in this paper. This design is a system which can detect accidents in significantly less time and sends the basic information to first aid centre within a few seconds covering geographical coordinates, the time and angle in which a vehicle accident had occurred. This alert message is sent to the rescue team in a short time, which will help in saving the valuable lives. A Switch is also provided in order to terminate the sending of a message in rare case where there is no casualty, this can save the precious time of the medical rescue team. When the accident occurs the alert message is sent automatically to the rescue team and to the police station. The message is sent through the GSM module and the location of the accident is detected with the help of the GPS module. &lt;/p&gt;

Residents’s Subjective Assessment of Walkability Attributes in Objectively Assessed Neighbourhoods

The attributes of the built environment may influence walking in neighbourhood. The objective of this study is to find the association between objectively assessed and perceived built environment attributes. To achieve the objective of the study three neighbourhood of Putrajaya, Malaysia Precinct 8, 9 and 18 were selected. This study used NEWS (Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale) abbreviated version for the comparison of the residents' perceptions regarding attributes of three neighbourhoods of Putrajaya in Malaysia that differ on objective measures derived from a GIS (Geographical Information System) data basis and Putrajaya master plan. High-walkable neighbourhood residents reported built environment attributes ratings persistently higher as compared to the residents of the moderate and lowwalkable neighbourhood. Results from the high walkable neighborhood shows that on a 5-point Likert scale most residents perceived high ratings of within the range of ＂3＂ except for residential density as there is a different scoring procedure for it. There are lowest ratings perceived within the range of ＂1＂ for the attribute crime and according to the scoring procedure for crime lowest score reflects the highest level of walking.There is no significant difference found in the ratings for traffic hazards. Subjective measures of built environment attributes had moderate to high alpha (α) value. Hence theneighbourhood environment walkability scale can be used for subjective assessment in the tropical context.

Defining the upper extremity range of motion for safe automobile driving

BackgroundThere are no guidelines for return to driving following upper extremity injury. A greater comprehension of the role of the upper extremity in driving is required to assist clinicians in their fitness-to-drive assessments. This research aims to assist clinicians by analyzing the motion at the upper extremity in safe automobile driving. MethodsThirty-six participants were recruited to the Monash University Accident Research Centre's driving simulator. They were tested in a realistic driving simulation using highway scenarios and traffic hazards. An OptiTrack™ motion tracking system recorded participants' upper limb movements. FindingsThe following ranges of motion were recorded (left and right arm mean whole numbers): The shoulder flexed from 14 to 54°, abducted to 18°and adducted to 9°. Shoulder rotation ranged from 6° external to 32° internal rotation. Elbow flexion ranged from 35° to 72°. Pronation reached 77° and supination to 24°. Wrist flexion reached 34° and extension reached 23°. The wrist deviated to 17°radially and 38° ulnar. To avoid simulated hazards, the steering wheel revolved 57.2° (SD 19.2). The key movements in hazard avoidance are shoulder flexion, shoulder rotation, forearm rotation and wrist deviation. InterpretationShoulder flexion, internal rotation and forearm rotation have been shown to be key upper extremity movements in safe driving. Clinicians can refer to the ranges of motion recorded in this investigation, or the driving task at hand in their fitness-to-drive assessments. The ability to revolve the steering wheel 100° exceeds the 95th percentile of the steering wheel revolution angle required to avoid simulated traffic hazards.

Multi-player online simulated driving game to improve hazard perception

Young and inexperienced drivers are disproportionately involved in all car crashes. Although programs such as graduated driver licensing have reduced the fatality rates, they still remain unacceptably high for novice drivers as compared to older and experienced drivers. One of the most critical skills related to accident avoidance is the detection, recognition and reaction to traffic hazards, called hazard perception. There have been numerous attempts to improve novice drivers’ hazard perception skills through computer-based simulation programs. However, none of them had multi-user capability incorporating video commentaries by experts adapted to drivers’ mistakes except for a game-based, multi-user, online, simulated training (GMOST) program (Arslanyilmaz, Stillman, and Costello, 2014) developed to examine the effect of GMOST on hazard perception skills. In this pilot study, sample size was too small and duration of the experiment was too short for a significant result (Arslanyilmaz et al., 2014). In addition, the effects of video commentaries were not investigated. The first objective of this study is to showcase an improved version of GMOST. The second objective is to measure the effectiveness GMOST has on young drivers’ hazard perception skills, specifically on their ability to detect and respond to hazards as well as scanning the roads for potential hazards. The third objective is to examine the effects of video commentaries on hazard perception skills. The fourth objective is to explore and identify hazard types that are more affected by video commentaries, leading to better hazard perception skills.

Internet of Things based Accident Prevention and Detection System

Recent growth in technology makes our life faster and easier. This development in technologies leads to enhance the traffic hazards. In this paper, Internet of Things based accident prevention and detection system is proposed to deduce accidents and save human life. The vehicle performance has been continuously monitored for safety purposes. This technique is annoying to maintain speed balance to avoid accident and provide safety to the driver. Hence, a novel approach is proposed to avoid accidents and save the victims while accidents occur. Sensors are exploited to give alarm 'ON' when distance between two vehicles is too short. If accident happens, then the camera is automatically turned on and captures the images around 180 degree angles. This emergency alert information including the location is transferred to nearest police station, ambulance service and relatives through GSM modem. The major component of the project includes a Arduino, motion sensor, touch sensors, relay and GSM modem.

Life-cycle reliability assessment of reinforced concrete bridges under multiple hazards

This paper proposes a novel probabilistic methodology for estimating the life-cycle reliability of existing reinforced concrete (RC) bridges under multiple hazards. The life-cycle reliability of an RC bridge pier under seismic and airborne chloride hazards is compared to that of a bridge girder under traffic and airborne chloride hazards. When conducting a life-cycle reliability assessment of existing RC bridges, observational data from inspections can provide the corrosion level in reinforcement steel. Random variables related with the prediction of time-variant steel weight loss can be updated based on the inspection results using Sequential Monte Carlo Simulation (SMCS). This paper presents a novel procedure for identifying the hazards that most threaten the structural safety of existing RC bridges, as well as the structural components with the lowest reliability when these bridges are exposed to multiple hazards. The proposed approach, using inspection results associated with steel weight loss, provides a rational reliability assessment framework that allows comparison between the life-cycle reliabilities of bridge components under multiple hazards, helping the prioritisation of maintenance actions. The effect of the number of inspection locations on the updated reliability is considered by incorporating the spatial steel corrosion distribution. An illustrative example is provided of applying the proposed life-cyle reliability assessment to a hypothetical RC bridge under multiple hazards.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Awareness Messages for Road Traffic Hazards in Experimental Tests

Advanced driver assistance systems, especially autonomous emergency braking and forward collision warnings, have become popular in Japan. To reduce the number of road traffic accidents, safety information should be provided to a driver earlier than avoidance or warning messages so as to avoid a risky situation. A series of actual running tests was conducted to evaluate the activation timing and effectiveness of awareness messages. Objective analysis showed that the drivers could avoid an obstacle with a sufficient safety margin thanks to any of the awareness messages. Subjective ratings showed that the best timing is 10 s before encountering the obstacle. The results of objective analysis are limited in the present paper, and further analyses are required.

Neighborhood environment walkability and health-related quality of life among older adults in Hong Kong

This study examined the associations between walkability related environmental attributes (WREA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older adults in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 340 participants (women = 233; mean age = 74.4 years) living in urban communities. Independent variables included residential density, land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, infrastructure for walking, aesthetics, traffic hazards, crime, access to parking, lack of cul-de-sacs, hilliness, and physical barriers. Physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL were the dependent variables. Results revealed significant associations between WREA and HRQoL and demonstrated that aesthetics and physical barriers were significant determinants of physical health after adjusting age and sex, and crime and physical barriers were significant determinants of mental health after adjusting sex. This study provided empirical evidence that environmental walkability was associated with HRQoL among older adults in Hong Kong.

Truck Parking Utilization Analysis Using GPS Data

Unavailability of sufficient parking spaces during various periods at rest areas results in illegal and unsafe parking at on/off-ramps and other unauthorized areas, which may lead to traffic safety hazards. In this research, the authors attempt to understand truck parking utilization by developing econometric models by using truck global positioning system (GPS) data to predict truck parking utilization at rest areas to improve truck parking management and ensure proper use of parking spaces. Count models, including Poisson and negative binomial models, were developed in addition to generalized ordered-response probit (GORP) models to understand the factors that affect truck parking utilization. The GORP model that subsumes the Poisson model as a special case was found to provide the best data fit. The model results suggest that several factors positively contribute to truck parking utilization (e.g., truck volume on the adjacent roadway, number of lanes) at rest areas, whereas factors such as on/off-ramp violations decrease truck parking utilization. In addition, parking utilization was found to vary considerably throughout the day.

Impacts of the Physical and Social Environment on Walking Behavior of Older Adults in Hong Kong

Background Sizable research studies have spawned to study the association between physical environment and walking, rather than that of social environment and walking. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations between walking, social environments, physical environment – facilitators and barriers among older adults in Hong Kong. Methods In the period of Apr – Dec 2016, a sample of 679 older adults aged 65 yr. or above was recruited from elderly centers situated in 18 council districts. The participants were asked to complete validated questionnaires assessing the above constructs and measure their walking steps per day over seven days using accelerometers. Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the relationships between walking and physical and social environments using maximum likelihood estimation in LISREL 9.2. The facilitators of Physical environment consist of 7 factors (Land Use Mix, Access, Street Connectivity, Infrastructure, Indoor Facilities, Presence of People, Entrance) while the Barriers consist of 5 factors (i.e., Crowdedness, Traffic Hazards, Speed, Social Disorder, Crime). The Social environment consists of 4 factors, including companionship, Social Cohesion, Encouragement, and Role model. Results The initial model did not fit data well (χ² (109) = 249.06, p Conclusions The findings provide an informative reference to the government on the way in providing supportive physical environments (Land Use Mix, Access, Street Connectivity, Infrastructure, Indoor Facilities, Presence of People, and Entrance) to promote walking among the older adults in Hong Kong. Keywords: Physical activity, environment, elderly *The study was funded by the Public Policy Research Fund (PPR) from Central Policy Unit of Hong Kong SAR government (2014.A1.020.15B).

Comprehensive Health Impact Assessment for Active Travel: The "Pasta" Project Approach

PASTA (Physical-Activity-through-Sustainable-Transport-Approaches) is a European project that aims to promote and assess active travel and develops a new comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (HIA) model for active travel (AT). Objective: Describe the HIA approach used in the PASTA project. Conduct workshops and individual interviews with experts and stakeholders in seven study cities (Antwerp, Barcelona, London, Orebro, Rome, Vienna, and Zurich). Conduct a systematic review (SR) on active travel HIA, and cost benefits analysis. Quantify health and environmental risks and benefits related with AT interventions and assess the uncertainties. Report and communicate the results to stakeholders, experts and citizens. The workshops and interviews showed their importance to identify: 1) the main policies on AT; 2) the priorities and expectations of HIA in the decision-making process; 3) data sources; and 4) key stakeholder-networks for participation and dissemination. The SR showed research gaps in: 1) identification and quantification of health determinants of AT (e.g. physical activity, traffic hazards, air pollution, etc.); 2) selection relative risks based on the weight of evidence; 3) harmonization of methods, definitions and assumptions used; and 4) the close collaboration between urban planners, transport practitioners and health experts. The novel mixed methods approach of integrating stakeholder and expert workshops, interviews, systematic reviews and evidence-based approaches in the HIA process are necessary advancements for comprehensive HIA of AT.

Cockpit Displays of Traffic and Weather Information: Effects of 3D Perspective Versus 2D Coplanar Rendering and Database Integration

ABSTRACTObjective: The objectives were to evaluate the viability of 3-dimensional (3D) perspective aircraft hazard displays for traffic and weather, in isolation, and when the two were integrated into a single display panel.Background: Prior research identified the costs of such 3D perspective hazard displays, presented from an exocentric perspective, because of their ambiguity in presenting spatial relations in an unstructured 3D space. Research also supported the advantage of display overlay, particularly when both databases (traffic and weather) need to be integrated to make hazard avoidance judgments. The two variables had not been examined in conjunction.Method: Seventeen certified flight instructors flew a series of hazard avoidance maneuvers in a part-task simulator, with four displays, created by the combination of 3D versus 2-dimensional (2D) perspective and separate versus overlay hazard formats. Positioning of traffic and weather that would make it necessary to avoid hazards was designed to allow the study of both the strengths of overlay and weaknesses of 3D integration.Results: The data clearly indicated that hazard avoidance was worse with the 3D perspective display, for both traffic and weather hazards, and pointed to ambiguity as the cause. Display overlay was better than separation, but only when the task required consulting both databases.Conclusion: 3D perspective displays are not advised for hazard presentation on the flight deck. Overlays can be helpful, as long as clutter issues are addressed.

Assessing Public Acceptance of Connected Vehicle Systems in a New Scheme of Usage-Based Insurance

The consequences of road accidents are significant for drivers and society. The connected vehicle system (CVS) is a promising technology that can improve road safety by warning drivers of traffic hazards. Broad implementation of the CVS could mitigate the harmful consequences of road accidents. Widespread implementation requires schemes that can promote the pervasive adoption of the system by drivers. This study proposes the innovative idea of implementing the CVS in usage-based insurance (UBI) as a measurement probe and modeling drivers’ acceptance of the new UBI scheme. This study developed a random effect logit model demonstrating that the drivers of cheaper vehicles and middle-age drivers (30 to 60) were more inclined to accept the new UBI scheme and use the CVS in their vehicles. Risk-averse drivers were more likely to accept the scheme than were other drivers. The pervasive implementation of the CVS can be costly, but it can improve traffic safety. Because of the two-way spectrum of the costs and benefits of the CVS, providing comprehensive projects to develop the system is important for CVS investors and developers.