Characteristics of animal-related motor vehicle crashes in select National Park Service units—United States, 1990–2013

Objectives: Nationally, animal–motor vehicle crashes (AVCs) account for 4.4% of all types of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs). AVCs are a safety risk for drivers and animals and many National Park Service (NPS) units (e.g., national park, national monument, or national parkway) have known AVC risk factors, including rural locations and substantial animal densities. We sought to describe conditions and circumstances involving AVCs to guide traffic and wildlife management for prevention of AVCs in select NPS units.

Methods: We conducted an analysis using NPS law enforcement MVC data. An MVC is a collision involving an in-transit motor vehicle that occurred or began on a public roadway. An AVC is characterized as a collision between a motor vehicle and an animal. A non-AVC is a crash between a motor vehicle and any object other than an animal or noncollision event (e.g., rollover crash). The final data for analysis included 54,068 records from 51 NPS units during 1990–2013. Counts and proportions were calculated for categorical variables and medians and ranges were calculated for continuous variables. We used Pearson’s chi-square to compare circumstances of AVCs and non-AVCs. Data were compiled at the park regional level; NPS parks are assigned to 1 of 7 regions based on the park’s location.

Results: AVCs accounted for 10.4% (5,643 of 54,068) of all MVCs from 51 NPS units. The Northeast (2,021 of 5,643; 35.8%) and Intermountain (1,180 of 5,643; 20.9%) regions had the largest percentage of the total AVC burden. November was the peak month for AVCs across all regions (881 of 5,643; 15.6%); however, seasonality varied by park geographic regions. The highest counts of AVCs were reported during fall for the National Capital, Northeast/Southeast, and Northeast regions; winter for the Southeast region; and summer for Intermountain and Pacific West regions.

Conclusions: AVCs represent a public health and wildlife safety concern for NPS units. AVCs in select NPS units were approximately 2-fold higher than the national percentage for AVCs. The peak season for AVCs varied by NPS region. Knowledge of region-specific seasonality patterns for AVCs can help NPS staff develop mitigation strategies for use primarily during peak AVC months. Improving AVC data collection might provide NPS with a more complete understanding of risk factors and seasonal trends for specific NPS units. By collecting information concerning the animal species hit, park managers can better understand the impacts of AVC to wildlife population health.     

A methodology for assessment of long-term exposure to whole-body vibrations in vehicle drivers to propose preventive safety measures

Introduction: The appearance of musculoskeletal disorders (MDs) in professional drivers due to exposition to whole-body vibration (WBV) makes it relevant to assess this exposure. The European Directive 2002/44/EC has two methods to evaluate exposure to WBV (defined in ISO2631-1:2008). These methods evaluate the exposure associated with an 8-hour working day; however, MDs due to WBV could also be caused by accumulated exposure to vibrations over long term, and hence, the methods defined in the European directive may be limited in their ability to ensure the safety of workers exposed to WBV throughout their years of employment. Method: A detailed comparison and discussion of methods defined in the European Directive and the ISO2631-5:2018 was used as a starting point of the main results of this paper. On this basis, a new methodology for the management and organization of preventive measures is proposed to consider the assessment of ISO2631-5:2018 standard and the full working life of workers. Experimental data to assess exposure to WBV in heavy equipment vehicle (HEV) drivers under different road surface conditions and range of velocities were considered to illustrate the process of the proposed methodology. Results: The methods defined in the standards provide different assessments leading to a different possible consideration of safe operations when the risks associated with them may actually be high. The proposed methodology can be used with the aim of ensuring safety of workers throughout their working lives and providing an easy implementation of the calculations of ISO2631-5:2018 standard. Conclusions: A procedure to assess the health risk probability to which the HEV worker is exposed in terms of the exposure years and a different range of operational vehicle speeds is proposed and exemplified with a study case. Practical applications: This study provides a practical tool for the management of WBV exposure related to work-tasks in HEV drivers. Safety managers should consider the global exposition to WBV throughout their working life, and this research provides an easy tool to accomplish it.     

柴油车尾气颗粒物排放现状评价

对2013年哈尔滨市不同供油方式的柴油车排气细颗粒物或黑碳测量参数—光吸收系数进行了统计分析,结果表明:涡轮增压和自然吸气供油方式光吸收系数均值分别为1.39 m-1和1.27 m-1,超标率分别为5.8%和2.4%,采用颗粒物控制措施及排气装置强制维护降低了颗粒物排放,符合排放标准。     

利用IVE模型建立成都市轻型汽油客车排放清单

城市机动车污染物排放清单的建立是控制机动车污染的关键.本研究以2012年为基准年,通过对成都市轻型汽油客车技术水平分布、活动水平和保有量等数据的调查,将IVE模型本地化,计算了成都市2012年轻型汽油客车VOCs、PM、NOx、CO的排放清单,并分析了清单的不确定性.结果表明:成都市2012年轻型汽油客车排放的VOCs、PM、NOx和CO分别为2.23×104t、1.6×102t、1.26×104t和2.03×105t;轻型汽油客车中黄标车VOCs、PM、NOx、CO的排放量分别占排放总量的27.5%、18.1%、37.2%和42.5%,表明黄标车是轻型汽油客车污染物排放的主要来源;排放清单的不确定性主要来自于排放因子,VOCs、PM、NOx和CO清单的不确定性分别为-31.67%~32.35%、-54.75%~55.09%、-6.56%~6.76%和-12.22%~12.51%.     

690V变频器在造纸厂的应用

在大型造纸厂经常会遇到使用200~1 000 k W变频电动机的情况。因为0.38 k V电机生产工艺的原因不可能做到很大功率,而中压(10 k V,6 k V)的变频器因为价格、安全与稳定性的原因也有其缺陷,所以0.69 k V这个电压等级的变频器就有了用武之地。     

基于环境保护的机动车税优化建议

当前区域性大气污染问题突出,机动车使用造成的污染问题不可忽视。为解决区域性的大气污染问题,机动车税费的污染减排调控功能日益被政府和学者重视。研究围绕"如何使机动车税更好发挥环境保护的效果"的问题,比较了中日机动车税的结构和性质,分析了在购买、保有和使用等不同环节的机动车税的特点以及环保效果,并基于问卷调查分析中国私家车主不同环节机动车税的负担情况。研究表明,在机动车使用环节征收的成品油消费税污染调控效果要优于其他环节的税收;对商业用途的机动车使用征税仅有收入功能没有调控功能,建议将机动车相关税的作用重心从购买环节转移到使用环节上,并对商业用途和私人用途的机动车实施差别税率。     

PWM变频驱动电机轴电压与轴电流的测试方法

PWM变频器的广泛应用大大改善了电机调速性能,但是,由于PWM变频器共模电压在电机内部耦合电容作用下,形成轴电压和轴电流,会引起轴承早期失效危及系统安全运行。轴电流问题的研究包括对轴电流的分析、预测和抑制。然而这些过程需要轴电压和轴电流的准确测量进行验证和比对分析。设计合理而有效的测量装置和测量方法是非常重要的一环。在分析轴电流产生机理的基础上,对现有的各种轴电流测量方法和轴承阻抗特性测试方法进行介绍,总结对比这几种方法的优缺点,为轴电流的测试平台的新设计提供参考。     

Perceptions of safety on a shared road: Driving,cycling, or walking near an autonomous vehicle

Introduction: While improved safety is a highly cited potential benefit of autonomous vehicles (AVs), at the same time a frequently cited concern is the new safety challenges that AVs introduce. The literature lacks a rigorous exploration of the safety perceptions of road users who will interact with AVs, including vulnerable road users. Addressing this gap is essential because the successful integration of AVs into transportation systems hinges on an understanding of how all road users will react to their presence. Methods: A stated preference survey of the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan statistical area (Phoenix MSA) was conducted in July 2018. A series of ordered probit models was estimated to analyze the survey responses and identify differences between various population groups with respect to the perceived safety of driving, cycling, and walking near AVs. Results: Greater exposure to and awareness of AVs are not uniformly associated with increases in perceived safety. Various attitudinal factors, level of AV automation, and other intrinsic and extrinsic factors are related to safety perceptions of driving, walking, and cycling near AVs. Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, such as gender, age, income, employment, and automobile usage and ownership, have various relationships with perceived safety. Conclusions: Cycling near an AV was perceived as the least safe activity, followed by walking and then driving near an AV. Both similarities and differences were observed among the factors associated with the perceived safety of different travel alternatives. Practical Applications: Public perception will guide the development and adoption of AVs directly and indirectly. To help maintain control of public perception, transportation planners, decision makers, and other stakeholders should consider more deliberate and targeted messaging to address the concerns of different road users. In addition, more careful pilot testing and more direct attention to vulnerable road users may help avoid a backlash that could delay the rollout of this technology.     

某型机车牵引电机传动端轴承低速轻载无飞溅润滑试验研究

主要根据客户要求,在低速(1 km/h)及轻载工况下,测量传动端轴承无飞溅润滑条件下的温升等参数,而进行相关的电机试验,为某型机车牵引电机传动端轴承在低速及轻载工况下,无飞溅润滑提供试验验证及技术支撑。     

Suicide by crashing into a heavy vehicle: Focus on professional drivers using in-depth crash data

Objective: Road traffic suicides typically involve a passenger car driver crashing his or her vehicle into a heavy vehicle, because death is almost certain due to the large mass difference between these vehicles. For the same reason, heavy-vehicle drivers typically suffer minor injuries, if any, and have thus received little attention in the research literature. In this study, we focused on heavy-vehicle drivers who were involved as the second party in road suicides in Finland.

Methods: We analyzed 138 road suicides (2011–2016) involving a passenger car crashing into a heavy vehicle. We used in-depth road crash investigation data from the Finnish Crash Data Institute.

Results: The results showed that all but 2 crashes were head-on collisions. Almost 30% of truck drivers were injured, but only a few suffered serious injuries. More than a quarter reported sick leave following their crash. Injury insurance compensation to heavy-vehicle drivers was just above €9,000 on average. Material damage to heavy vehicles was significant, with average insurance compensation paid being €70,500. Three out of 4 truck drivers reported that drivers committing suicide acted abruptly and left them little opportunity for preventive action.

Conclusions: Suicides by crashing into heavy vehicles can have an impact on drivers’ well-being; however, it is difficult to see how heavy-vehicle drivers could avoid a suicide attempt involving their vehicle.