Controlling impaired driving through vehicle programs: an overview

The growing recognition of the problem presented by illicit vehicle operation by those whose license has been suspended for driving while intoxicated (DWI) has led to the increasing use of vehicle sanctions. These sanctions include vehicle impoundment and forfeiture, vehicle registration cancellation, and vehicle interlocks as penalties for DWI and driving while suspended (DWS). This article reviews the current information available on the use and effectiveness of vehicle sanctions for reducing offender recidivism. In the United States, 14 states have impoundment laws that are widely used as sanctions for both DWI and DWS, with the length of the impoundment increasing with the number of previous offenses. These laws have been shown to reduce recidivism while the vehicle is in custody and, to a lesser extent, even after the vehicle has been released. Vehicle impoundment is also widely used in Canada and New Zealand. Although a larger number of U.S. states have laws providing for vehicle forfeiture for DWI or DWS, this sanction tends to be limited to multiple offenders and therefore impacts fewer drivers. Cancellation of the vehicle registration and the confiscation of the vehicle plates are increasing in popularity because the vehicle tags are the property of the state, rather than the vehicle owner. Vehicle alcohol interlocks have proven to be an effective method for reducing DWI offender recidivism while they are on the car, but appear to produce only limited post-treatment behavior change. Interlocks are widely used in the United States and Canada and are beginning to be implemented in Europe and Australia. The issues that arise in implementing vehicle sanction programs are discussed and the actions taken by states to deal with them are described.     

Transdermal alcohol monitoring combined with contingency management for driving while impaired offenders: A pilot randomized controlled study

Objectives: In a pilot randomized controlled trial of contingency management (CM) and transdermal alcohol monitoring (TAM) with offenders driving while impaired by alcohol (DWI), perceptions regarding the acceptability of a TAM device, recruitment issues, and the impact of CM and TAM on alcohol use over a 6-week period were evaluated. The results aimed to inform the design of future trials and programs involving CM and TAM for DWI remediation.

Methods: TAM devices were affixed to 37 voluntary, community-recruited male DWI offenders with problem alcohol use. They were randomized to one of 3 groups: (1) CM; (2) alcohol use feedback (FB); and (3) TAM device only (CTL). Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered on the acceptability of TAM devices and recruitment, and alcohol use was monitored via TAM and self-report.

Results: The TAM device was perceived positively, with benefits for reducing drinking noted. Nevertheless, some of its inconveniences appeared to influence participant recruitment and attrition, including its large size and limited water resistance. TAM data revealed a significant main effect of time for reduction in weekly peak transdermal alcohol concentration (P = .02), with a decrease between means of weeks 1 and 6 (M = 0.15, SE = 0.02 vs. M = 0.09, SE = 0.02; P = .005). No significant group effect was detected.

Conclusions: TAM is a viable adjunct to CM with DWI offenders, though the TAM device used here may influence both study recruitment and adherence. These findings can guide the design of future studies into CM and TAM for DWI remediation.     

Safety evaluation of drowsy driving advisory system: Alabama case study

Introduction: The present study discusses roles, characteristics, and safety assessment of a drowsy driving advisory (DDA) system, implemented on rural interstates of Alabama. The DDA system is an engineering countermeasure designed to reduce the likelihood of drowsy driving crashes. It consists of a series of roadside signs with warning and advisory messages for drowsy drivers. The DDA system was implemented upstream of rural rest areas based on a comprehensive crash analysis. Method: A post-implementation study was conducted three years after the DDA system implementation to assess its safety effects. An empirical bayes (EB) method along with predictive methods of the Highway Safety Manual was used in the safety assessment. To overcome the underreported issue of drowsy driving crashes in the crash analysis, the present study used a concept called, expanded definition of drowsy driving (EDD) crashes. Result: The analysis found that the DDA system could reduce total and EDD crashes by 64% and 49%, respectively. It is important to note that such huge crash reduction effects are due to a combined effect of both rest areas and the DDA system, not because of a single treatment. The safety effect of a rest area itself, without considering the effect of the DDA system, was also investigated. Results show that total and EDD crashes would increase about 12–45% and 5–33%, respectively if there is no presence of a rest area. Conclusion: Our findings conclude that the DDA system could significantly reduce both total and drowsy driving crashes when it cooperates with a rest area facility. Practical Application: The findings also provide the guidance of using the DDA system on high-speed roads as a safety countermeasure of drowsy driving crashes. Readers can find details of the DDA system used in this study with its layout, dimension, and roadside safety messages.     

一起商用冷柜火灾残骸物证鉴定研究

为完整地描述火灾事件发生及发展,确保火灾物证鉴定结论与现场勘验相符合,以一起商用冷柜火灾残骸物证鉴定为例,采用划分物证残骸的电气故障区域、利用金相法与电气故障传播时序分析法等方法进行综合鉴定,确定该冷柜的故障点、起火原因,并构建电气火灾发生、发展的蔓延过程。可为火灾物证鉴定技术研究工作提供一定的参考。     

The effectiveness of alternative transportation programs in reducing impaired driving: A literature review and synthesis

Introduction: Studies have shown that approximately half of arrested intoxicated drivers had their last alcoholic drink at a licensed bar or restaurant. Current efforts to prevent intoxicated patrons from leaving licensed establishments and driving home have been only partially successful. Since a high proportion of drinkers drive to their drinking destination, promoting the use of alternative transportation (AT) – including safe ride shuttles, free or subsidized taxi and ridesharing services, voluntary or paid designated driver programs, and more accessible public transportation – is an important strategy for preventing impaired driving. The primary goal of this study was to review and synthesize the findings of research studies designed to test the effectiveness of AT programs in reducing alcohol-impaired driving. A secondary goal was to report if using AT has led to any unintended consequences, in particular greater alcohol consumption. Method: We identified relevant academic articles, new articles, government reports, and other documents (English only) through the University of Chicago library, Google Scholar, and Google Search. We also included published articles recommended by peers. Key search terms included: alternative transportation; safe rides; designated driver; alcohol-impaired driving; alcohol consumption, cost effectiveness; and reduce drunk driving. Initially, we identified 168 potentially relevant sources, of which only 57 were academic articles. After a thorough review, we narrowed down the number of relevant articles to 125 including some background articles and government reports. Results: Some AT programs produced reductions in one or more of the following outcomes: (1) impaired driving; (2) impaired driving crashes; (3) driving under the influence (DUI) arrests; and (4) traffic crashes in general, but others were not shown to be effective. A few programs resulted in greater self-reported alcohol use, but there were no significant findings indicating that drinking when using AT led to an increase in alcohol-related harms such as public intoxication, assaults, or other alcohol-related crime. Of the studies that conducted a cost-benefit analysis, most showed that AT programs yielded a positive benefit, but these studies did not include a sufficient number of variables to be considered true cost-benefit analyses. Conclusions: There is mixed evidence regarding the effectiveness of AT programs. Evaluations with more rigorous quasi-experimental and experimental designs are needed to identify which types of AT programs work best for different types of communities and target groups. Practical Applications: The literature review and synthesis revealed that the most successful AT programs typically have some of these attributes: (1) social acceptance; (2) high level of public awareness; (3) low cost; (4) year-round availability; (5) provide rides to and from drinking venues; (6) several sponsors that provide funding); (7) user convenience; and (8) perceived safety.     

Covariability in three dimensions of teenage driving risk behavior: impaired driving,risky and unsafe driving behavior,and secondary task engagement

Objective: This research examined the extent to which teenagers who engaged in one form of risky driving also engaged in other forms and whether risky driving measures were reciprocally associated over time.

Methods: The data were from waves 1, 2, and 3 (W1, W2, and W3) of the NEXT Generation study, with longitudinal assessment of a nationally representative sample starting with 10th graders starting in 2009–2010. Three measures of risky driving were assessed in autoregressive and cross-lagged analyses: driving while alcohol/drug impaired (DWI), Checkpoints Risky Driving Scale (risky and unsafe driving), and secondary task engagement while driving.

Results: In adjusted autoregression models, the risk variables demonstrated high levels of stability, with significant associations observed across the 3 waves. However, associations between variables were inconsistent. DWI at W2 was associated with risky and unsafe driving at W3 (β = 0.21, P < .01); risky and unsafe driving at W1 was associated with DWI at W2 (β = 0.20, P < .01); and risky and unsafe driving at W2 is associated with secondary task engagement at W3 (β = 0.19, P < .01). Over time, associations between DWI and secondary task engagement were not significant.

Conclusions: Our findings provide modest evidence for the covariability of risky driving, with prospective associations between the Risky Driving Scale and the other measures and reciprocal associations between all 3 variables at some time points. Secondary task engagement, however, appears largely to be an independent measure of risky driving. The findings suggest the importance of implementing interventions that addresses each of these driving risks.     

Estimating the contributions of speeding and impaired driving to insurance claim cost

INTRODUCTION: Logistic regression modelling of crash counts likely associated with speeding and impaired driving was earlier found [Zheng, Y., Cooper, P. J., & Dean, C. B. (2007). Modeling the contribution of speeding and impaired driving to insurance claim counts and costs when contributing factors are unknown. Journal of Safety Research, 38(1)] to successfully predict known outcomes in a series of simulations, but the same types of models did not accurately predict average crash costs. The aim of the study reported here was to develop a means to adjust classification model results that would improve their cost-predicting efficiency. METHOD: A classification modelling process was adjusted at the back-end using non-linear optimization to rationalize the classified proportions with the true proportions when the model was applied to representative subsets of the training data. Corrections were developed to account for cost (severity) differences arising from the classification process that were not due to true variations. The process was then applied to insurance claim test data where crash contributors were unknown. RESULTS: The optimization and severity correction procedure resulted in substantial improvement in average crash cost prediction for both impaired and unsafe speed collision involvements. The error measured against true values in 20 simulations was about half for the adjusted classification model of what it was for either unadjusted classification or logistic regression models. CONCLUSIONS: Non-linear optimization of classification matrices appears to be a workable tool for improving the predictive efficiency of models where desired outcomes represent average characteristics of records as compared to simple counts or proportions. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Using the methodology on a full-year of insurance claim data indicated that reliance on police-reported records alone would have underestimated the total cost of unsafe speed and impaired crashes by about 40%. Since most jurisdictions use police data to base policy decisions and set program spending around such safety issues, this finding has important implications.     

High-risk behaviors while driving: A population-based study from Iran

Objective: Traffic injuries are becoming one of the most important challenges of public health systems. Because these injuries are mostly preventable, the aim of this study is to evaluate the four main high-risk behaviors while driving.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample from the population of Mashhad, Iran, in 2014. A checklist and a previously validated questionnaire for the transtheoretical stages of change model (TTM) were used for data collection. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 11.5 software with P <.05 statistically significant.

Results: Totally 431 individuals were included with a mean age of 30 ± 11.3 years. Forty-three percent (183) were male. The TTM model revealed that participants were mostly in pre-actional phases regarding not using a cell phone while driving (80%), fastening the driver's seat belt (66%), front seat belt (68%), and rear seat belt (85%) The penalty was a protective factor only for using cellphone (odd ratio [OR] = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–0.98). Lower education (OR = 0.12, 95% CI, 0.01–0.94) and male gender (OR = 0.35, 95% CI, 0.14–0.83) were indicative of lower rates of fastening the front and rear seat belts.

Conclusion: The stages of change model among study participants is a proper reflection of the effectiveness of the current policies. More serious actions regarding these high-risk behaviors should be considered in legislation.     

Dropout during a driving simulator study: A survival analysis

IntroductionSimulator sickness is the occurrence of motion-sickness like symptoms that can occur during use of simulators and virtual reality technologies. This study investigated individual factors that contributed to simulator sickness and dropout while using a desktop driving simulator.MethodEighty-eight older adult drivers (mean age 72.82 ± 5.42 years) attempted a practice drive and two test drives. Participants also completed a battery of cognitive and visual assessments, provided information on their health and driving habits, and reported their experience of simulator sickness symptoms throughout the study.ResultsFifty-two participants dropped out before completing the driving tasks. A time-dependent Cox Proportional Hazards model showed that female gender (HR = 2.02), prior motion sickness history (HR = 2.22), and Mini-SSQ score (HR = 1.55) were associated with dropout. There were no differences between dropouts and completers on any of the cognitive abilities tests.ConclusionsOlder adults are a high-risk group for simulator sickness. Within this group, female gender and prior motion sickness history are related to simulator dropout. Higher reported experience of symptoms of simulator sickness increased rates of dropout.Practical applicationsThe results highlight the importance of screening and monitoring of participants in driving simulation studies. Older adults, females, and those with a prior history of motion sickness may be especially at risk.     

Changes in driving performance after first and second eye cataract surgery: A driving simulator study

Introduction: This study investigated the separate impact of first eye and second eye cataract surgery on driving performance, as measured on a driving simulator. Method: Forty-four older drivers with bilateral cataract aged 55+ years, awaiting first eye cataract surgery participated in a prospective cohort study. They completed a questionnaire, visual tests and a driving simulator assessment at three time points: before first eye, after first eye, and after second eye cataract surgery. Generalized Estimating Equation Poisson or linear regression models were undertaken to examine the change in four driving outcomes of interest after adjusting for cataract surgery and other potential confounders. Results: The rate of crashes/near crashes decreased significantly by 36% (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.64, 95% CI 0.47–0.88, p = 0.01) after first eye surgery and 47% (IRR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35–0.78, p < 0.001) after second eye surgery, compared to before first eye cataract surgery, after accounting for confounders. The rate of crashes/near crashes also decreased with better contrast sensitivity (IRR 0.69, 95% CI 0.48–0.90, p = 0.041). A separate model found that time spent speeding 10 kilometers per hour or more over the limit after second eye surgery was significantly less (0.14 min, p = 0.002), compared to before first eye surgery, after accounting for confounders. As contrast sensitivity improved, the duration of speeding also decreased significantly by 0.46 min (p = 0.038). There were no statistically significant changes in lane excursions or speed variation. Practical applications: The findings highlight the importance of timely first and second eye cataract surgery to ensure driver safety, especially as older drivers wait for second eye cataract surgery. It also provides further evidence that contrast sensitivity is probably a better predictor of driving ability in older drivers with cataract than visual acuity, the measure on which driver licensing requirements are currently based, and should also be used when assessing fitness to drive.     

Structural equation model analysis for the evaluation of overall driving performance: A driving simulator study focusing on driver distraction

Objective: The present research relies on 2 main objectives. The first is to investigate whether latent model analysis through a structural equation model can be implemented on driving simulator data in order to define an unobserved driving performance variable. Subsequently, the second objective is to investigate and quantify the effect of several risk factors including distraction sources, driver characteristics, and road and traffic environment on the overall driving performance and not in independent driving performance measures.

Methods: For the scope of the present research, 95 participants from all age groups were asked to drive under different types of distraction (conversation with passenger, cell phone use) in urban and rural road environments with low and high traffic volume in a driving simulator experiment. Then, in the framework of the statistical analysis, a correlation table is presented investigating any of a broad class of statistical relationships between driving simulator measures and a structural equation model is developed in which overall driving performance is estimated as a latent variable based on several individual driving simulator measures.

Results: Results confirm the suitability of the structural equation model and indicate that the selection of the specific performance measures that define overall performance should be guided by a rule of representativeness between the selected variables. Moreover, results indicate that conversation with the passenger was not found to have a statistically significant effect, indicating that drivers do not change their performance while conversing with a passenger compared to undistracted driving. On the other hand, results support the hypothesis that cell phone use has a negative effect on driving performance. Furthermore, regarding driver characteristics, age, gender, and experience all have a significant effect on driving performance, indicating that driver-related characteristics play the most crucial role in overall driving performance.

Conclusions: The findings of this study allow a new approach to the investigation of driving behavior in driving simulator experiments and in general. By the successful implementation of the structural equation model, driving behavior can be assessed in terms of overall performance and not through individual performance measures, which allows an important scientific step forward from piecemeal analyses to a sound combined analysis of the interrelationship between several risk factors and overall driving performance.     

Vigilance monitoring for operator safety: A simulation study on highway driving

INTRODUCTION: Alertness of individuals operating vehicles, aircrafts, and machinery is a pre-requisite for safety of the individual and for avoiding economic losses. In this paper, we present a new technique for determining the alertness level of the operator and elaborate the methodology for the specific case of highway driving METHOD: Our hypothesis is that the time derivative of force exerted by the driver at the vehicle-human interfaces can be used to construct a signature of individual driving styles and to discern different levels of alertness RESULTS: In this study, we present experimental results corroborating this hypothesis and introduce a parameter, 'spikiness index,' for the time series data of the force derivative to quantify driver alertness IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The low cost, ruggedness, and low-volume data processing requirements of the proposed technique give it a competitive edge over existing predominantly image processing based vigilance monitoring systems.     

Improving older driver knowledge and self-awareness through self-assessment: the driving decisions workbook

PURPOSE: This study aims to assess whether the Driving Decisions Workbook, a self-assessment instrument for older drivers, increased self-awareness and general knowledge. This study also assessed perceptions regarding its usefulness, particularly as a tool for facilitating discussions within families of older drivers. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if problems identified by drivers in the workbook related to problems they had with actual driving. DESIGN AND METHODS: The Driving Decisions Workbook was administered along with a questionnaire and a road test. A convenience sample of 99 licensed drivers aged 65 and above was used. RESULTS: After completing the workbook, about three fourths of the participants reported being more aware of changes that could affect driving. Fourteen percent reported that they had discovered a change in themselves of which they had not been previously aware. All respondents found the workbook to be at least a little useful and thought the workbook could help facilitate family discussions. Workbook responses were positively correlated with overall road test scores. Significant correlations were also noted between the road test and a majority of workbook subsection responses. IMPLICATIONS: This study indicates that the workbook may be a useful first-tier assessment instrument and educational tool for the older driver. It may encourage an older driver to drive more safely and/or to seek clinical assessment, and help in facilitating discussions about driving within their families.     

A decade's experience with the Scanlon Plan: A case study

This field study examined the operation and impact of the Scanlon Plan at a large manufacturing facility. An interrupted time-series research design, augmented by extensive qualitative data analysis was used to analyse the productivity and employment experience over a nine-year period. The plan resulted in modest increases in productivity and stable employment, while improving the overall union-management relationship. Through the Scanlon structure for employee involvement, over 5000 suggestions have been made. Moderate and consistent productivity sharing bonuses were paid.     

A validation of the low mileage bias using naturalistic driving study data

IntroductionThis paper evaluated the low mileage bias (LMB) phenomenon for senior drivers using data mined from the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) Naturalistic Driving Study. Supporters of the LMB construct postulate that it is only those seniors who drive the lowest annual mileage who are primarily responsible for the increased crash rates traditionally attributed to this population in general.MethodThe current analysis included 802 participants, all aged 65 or older who were involved in 163 property damage and injury crashes, and deemed to be at-fault in 123 (75%) of those instances. Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the association between annualized mileage driven and crash risk.ResultsResults show that the crash rate for drivers with lower annualized mileage (i.e., especially for those driving fewer than approximately 3000 miles per year) was significantly higher than that of drivers with higher annualized mileage, and that 25% of the overall sample were low- mileage drivers according to this criterion. Data were also evaluated by gender and meta-age group (i.e., younger-old: 65–74 and older-old: 75–99), and the results were consistent across these sub-groups.ConclusionsThis study provides strong support for the existence of the LMB.Practical applicationsThese results can help to reshape how transportation safety stakeholders view senior drivers in general and help them to focus their efforts on those seniors most in need of either risk-reducing countermeasures or alternative means of transportation.     

Drowsiness and distraction while driving: A study based on smartphone app data

Introduction: Due to the negative impact on road safety from driver drowsiness and distraction, several studies have been conducted, usually under driving simulator and naturalistic conditions. Nevertheless, emerging technologies offer the opportunity to explore novel data. The present study explores retrospective data, which was gathered by an app designed to monitor the driver, which is available to any driver owning a smartphone. Method: Drowsiness and distraction alerts emitted during the journey were aggregated by continuous driving (called sub-journey). The data include 273 drivers who made 634 sub-journeys. Two binary logit models were used separately to analyze the probability of a drowsiness and distraction event occurring. Variables describing the continuous driving time (sub-journey time), the journey time (a set of sub-journeys), the number of breaks, the breaking duration time and the first sub-journey (categorical variable) were included. Additionally, categorical variables representing the gender and age of the drivers were also incorporated. Results: Despite the limitations of the retrospective data, interesting findings were obtained. The results indicate that the main risk factor of inattention is driving continuously (i.e., without stopping), but it is irrelevant whether the stop is long or short as well as the total time spent on the journey. The probability of distraction events occurring during the journey is higher than drowsiness events. Yet, the impact of increasing the driving time of the journey and stopping during the journey on the probability of drowsiness is higher than the probability of distraction. Additionally, this study reveals that the elderly are more prone to drowsiness. The data also include a group of drivers, who did not provide information on gender and age, who were found to be associated to drowsiness and distraction risk. Conclusions: The study shows that data gathered by an app have the potential to contribute to investigating drowsiness and distraction. Practical applications: Drivers are highly recommended to frequently stop during the journey, even for a short period of time to prevent drowsiness and distraction.     

Improvement of driver active interventions during automated driving by displaying trajectory pointers—A driving simulator study

Abstract

Objective: The handover of vehicle control from automated to manual operation is a critical aspect of interaction between drivers and automated driving systems (ADS). In some cases, it is possible that the ADS may fail to detect an object. In this event, the driver must be aware of the situation and resume control of the vehicle without assistance from the system. Consequently, the driver must fulfill the following 2 main roles while driving: (1) monitor the vehicle trajectory and surrounding traffic environment and (2) actively take over vehicle control if the driver identifies a potential issue along the trajectory. An effective human–machine interface (HMI) is required that enables the driver to fulfill these roles. This article proposes an HMI that constantly indicates the future position of the vehicle.

Methods: This research used the Toyota Dynamic Driving Simulator to evaluate the effect of the proposed HMI and compares the proposed HMI with an HMI that notifies the driver when the vehicle trajectory changes. A total of 48 test subjects were divided into 2 groups of 24: One group used the HMI that constantly indicated the future position of the vehicle and the other group used the HMI that provided information when the vehicle trajectory changed.

The following instructions were given to the test subjects: (1) to not hold the steering wheel and to allow the vehicle to drive itself, (2) to constantly monitor the surrounding traffic environment because the functions of the ADS are limited, and (3) to take over driving if necessary.

The driving simulator experiments were composed of an initial 10-min acclimatization period and a 10-min evaluation period. Approximately 10?min after the start of the evaluation period, a scenario occurred in which the ADS failed to detect an object on the vehicle trajectory, potentially resulting in a collision if the driver did not actively take over control and manually avoid the object.

Results: The collision avoidance rate of the HMI that constantly indicated the future position of the vehicle was higher than that of the HMI that notified the driver of trajectory changes, χ² = 6.38, P < .05. The steering wheel hands-on and steering override timings were also faster with the proposed HMI (t test; P < .05).

Conclusions: This research confirmed that constantly indicating the position of the vehicle several seconds in the future facilitates active driver intervention when an ADS is in operation.     

A community driving under the influence (DUI) study of declining arrests

Abstract

Objective: Recent news reports in 2016 indicated that across Miami–Dade County, Florida, driving under the influence (DUI) arrests have decreased substantially. The objective of this research was to determine the reasons for the decline in DUI arrests from 2009 to 2016. Are there fewer impaired drivers on the roads? Can DUI enforcement and prosecution be improved?

Methods: The following methods were used in this study: (1) Analysis of existing DUI arrest and crash data; (2) conducting and analysis of a telephone survey of reported knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning impaired driving; (3) conducting and analysis of roadside surveys on the roads on weekend nights in Miami–Dade County; (4) information from focus group discussions with police and prosecutors in Miami–Dade County; and (5) a comprehensive review of the best DUI prevention practices and enforcement strategies used across the country.

Results: DUI arrests decreased 64% in Miami–Dade County between 2009 and 2016. This was a significantly larger decrease than has occurred in the State of Florida as a whole (34%) and in the United States (29%) over the same time period. The decline was not due to any decline in DUI behavior in the county.

Conclusions: Based upon the data and information gathered in this project, the following actions were recommended for Miami–Dade County: (1) County police chiefs need to find ways to overcome law enforcement apathy toward DUI enforcement and persuade their traffic enforcement officers to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to identifying and making impaired driving stops. (2) County police agencies should join forces to conduct more sobriety checkpoints. Checkpoints are safer for both the police and the drivers going through them and serve as a general deterrent to impaired driving. (3) An interagency DUI task force or team of 5 to 7 officers should be established within the county. These officers would be solely dedicated to DUI enforcement and paid for by each individual agency or under a grant from the state or federal government.     

Assessment of the hazard due to fragment projection: A case study

Fragment projection following vessel burst is a possible cause of domino effects in industrial accidents. The projection of fragments from stationary equipment usually follows the catastrophic rupture of process equipment due to internal pressure exceeding design values. In recent years, a detailed model was developed to assess fragment impact probability. The model, based on the use of fragmentation patterns and of a simplified analysis of fragment trajectory, allows the calculation of impact probabilities considering different scenarios leading to vessel burst and fragment projection. In the present study a case-study was analyzed to assess model performance and to test the credibility of the model predictions for fragment number, shape and impact probability. The cumulative probability of fragment impact was found to be in good agreement with the actual distribution of the landing points experienced for the fragments formed in the accident. The maximum projection distance predicted by the model resulted comparable to the maximum landing distance experienced in the accident. The model tested thus seems to yield significant results, well in the range of those experienced in the case-study analyzed.     

Results from a national survey of Crown prosecutors and defense counsel on impaired driving in Canada: A “System Improvements” perspective

Introduction

This article summarizes the main findings from a study designed to examine the legal process in Canada as it applies to alcohol-impaired driving from the point of view of Crown prosecutors and defense counsel, and to identify evidentiary or procedural factors that may impact the legal process, the rights of the accused, and interactions of all parts in the legal process.

Method

The data in this study were collected by means of a survey that was mailed out to the population of Crown prosecutors and defense counsel in Canada. In total, 765 prosecutors and 270 defense lawyers or an estimated 33% of all Canadian prosecutors and 15% of defense lawyers completed and returned the questionnaire. The "systems improvement" paradigm was used to interpret the findings and draw conclusions. Such an approach acknowledges the importance of the context in which countermeasures are implemented and delivered and the structures or entities used to deliver countermeasures to a designated target group.

Results

Results on type of charges and breath alcohol concentration, caseload, case outcomes, case preparation time, conviction rate at trial and overall conviction rate, reasons for acquittals and time to resolve cases are described.

Discussion

The findings from this national survey suggest that there are important challenges within the criminal justice system that impede the effective and efficient processing of impaired driving cases. Some of these challenges occur as a function of practices and policies, while others occur as a function of legislation.

Impact on industry

This study illustrates that a "system improvements" approach that acknowledges the importance of all elements of the criminal justice system and the interaction between those elements, can be beneficial in overcoming the alcohol-impaired driving problem.