Gasoline prices and traffic safety in Mississippi

Problem

Limited literature suggests that gasoline prices have substantial effects on reducing fatal crashes. However, the literature focuses only on fatal crashes and does not examine the effects on all traffic crashes.

Methods

Mississippi traffic crash data from April 2004–December 2008 from the Mississippi Highway Patrol and regular-grade unleaded gasoline price data from the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy were used to investigate the effects of gasoline prices on traffic safety by age, gender, and race.

Results

Gasoline prices have both short-term and intermediate-term effects on reducing total traffic crashes and crashes of females, whites, and blacks. The intermediate-term effects are generally stronger than the short-term effects. Gasoline prices also have short-term effects on reducing crashes of younger drivers and intermediate-term effects on older drivers and male drivers.

Impact on Industry

Higher gasoline taxes reduce traffic crashes and may result in additional societal benefits.     

A comparison of web-based and telephone surveys for assessing traffic safety concerns, beliefs, and behaviors

Introduction

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the results of a web-based and a telephone interview survey measuring driver concerns about a variety of traffic safety issues, their beliefs, and specific driving behaviors.

Method

State-wide, annual random digit-dial telephone surveys and web-based surveys were conducted in Maryland. A total of 1,700 drivers were surveyed by telephone and 6,806 took a web survey.

Results

Telephone respondents were more likely to be female and older. Web respondents were more likely to be white and not Latino/Hispanic. After controlling for demographic differences, telephone survey respondents were more likely to be concerned about traffic safety. They were more likely to believe that sobriety checkpoints reduce drunk driving (OR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.94, 2.45), they would be ticketed for not wearing a seat belt (OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.12, 1.43), and they would be stopped by the police if they drove after drinking too much (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.03, 1.32). They were less likely to report a variety of risky behaviors including using a cell phone while driving (OR = .54, 95% CI .48, .61) and driving 10+ mph over the speed limit (OR = .81, 95% CI .72, .91), but were more likely to report having been ticketed for a moving violation in the last month (OR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.70, 2.90). Suggestions are offered for overcoming potential sources of sampling bias.

Impact on Industry

Web-based surveys produce substantially different results than random-digit-dial telephone surveys, when used for public assessments of traffic safety concerns and behaviors.     

Improving traffic safety: Conceptual considerations for successful action

Introduction

In the early stages of motorization, it did not take rigorous scientific research to achieve major improvements in traffic safety. Instead, early traffic-safety countermeasures were often based exclusively on common sense. Since then, scientific research has gradually increased in importance as the basis for developing successful interventions. This shift was not made by choice but mostly by necessity: Many of the “easy” problems have already been addressed, and the remaining problems are generally too complex for an approach based solely on common sense. Fortunately, our understanding of the complexities involved in traffic safety has recently made major gains, and common sense can now be supplemented, to some degree, by valid technical analysis.

Approach

This article discusses major conceptual issues that should be considered in guiding the future development of effective, science-based traffic-safety countermeasures.

Impact on industry

After briefly discussing the conceptual issues, the article offers a list of implications for action.     

Deterioration of the useful visual field with ageing during simulated driving in traffic and its possible consequences for road safety

A previous study has shown that the useful visual field deteriorates in a simulated road traffic situation as a function of the driver’s age and of the vehicle’s speed under monotonous conditions [Rogé, J., Pébayle, T., Lambilliotte, E., Spitzenstetter, F., Giselbrecht, D., Muzet, A., 2004. Influence of age, speed and duration of monotonous driving task in traffic on the driver’s useful visual field. Vision Research 44 (23), 2737–2744]. The aim of this new experiment is to study the effects of traffic density and age on the useful visual field of the driver during a simulated driving task with controlled traffic characteristics (speed, number of cars) for all participants. In total, 10 young drivers (m = 28.2 years) and 10 older drivers (m = 51.2 years) followed a car in road traffic at an average speed of 126 km h⁻¹ during two 2 h sessions corresponding to two conditions of traffic (light traffic, with five vehicles around the participant; and heavy traffic, with nine vehicles). While following this vehicle, the driver had to detect changes in the colour of a signal located in the central part of his or her visual field and a signal that appeared at different eccentricities on the rear lights of other vehicles in the traffic. Analysis of the data indicated that age interacted with the location of the peripheral signal and density of traffic interacted with the duration of driving. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of road safety and in terms of models of deterioration of the useful visual field (general interference and tunnel vision).     

Effectiveness of traffic management in Salt Lake City, Utah

PROBLEM: The effectiveness of speed humps, 14 ft (4.3 m) wide by 3.5 in (8.9 cm) high, and tables, 22 ft (6.7 m) wide, on 12 streets in Salt Lake City, Utah was investigated. Mean and 85th percentile spot speeds, speed limit compliance, motor-vehicle crashes, and resident opinions were considered. METHOD: Spot speeds were collected at 18 "between-hump" locations. Motor-vehicle crash data were obtained for "before" and "after" periods of equal duration. A total of 436 residents were surveyed; 184 responded. RESULTS: The mean and 85th percentile speeds decreased at 14 and 15 locations, respectively. The average reduction in the 85th percentile speed (3.4 mph or 5.4 km/h) was significant in flat and rolling terrain, but not on uphill or downhill segments. The number of sites with 50% speed limit compliance increased from 4 to 12. The number of motor-vehicle crashes decreased from 10 to 9; the change was not significant, but injury crashes decreased from five to one. Regarding the residents, 30% were positive, 25% were negative, and 45% offered suggestions, some of which were conflicting. DISCUSSION: Further study is needed on speed hump spacing and speed tables in hilly terrain. Example results should be shared with residents to inform their decision-making. SUMMARY: At least 78% of the sites experienced a decrease in the mean or 85th percentile speed, or an increase in speed limit compliance. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: These findings should be useful to agencies that are planning or implementing traffic calming projects, and to analysts.     

A traffic safety evaluation of California's traffic violator school citation dismissal policy

Introduction

This study evaluated California's traffic violator school (TVS) citation dismissal policy.

Method

This study identified and compared two large samples of drivers either completing a TVS (N = 210,015) or convicted of a traffic citation (N = 168,563).

Results

Prior to adjudication, the TVS group had characteristics (e.g., lower prior conviction rate and smaller proportion of males) that were predictive of a lower subsequent crash risk. However, the TVS group exhibited significantly more crashes than did the convicted group in the subsequent one-year period. The difference (4.83%) increased to 10% after adjusting for the more favorable characteristics of the TVS group. The TVS group also had a higher adjusted subsequent crash rate at each prior driver record entry level, reflecting a loss in the general and specific deterrence of the non-conviction masked status of TVS dismissed citations. It was reported that the TVS dismissal policy results in approximately 12,300 additional crashes annually with economic costs of approximately $398,000,000.

Conclusions

The avoidance of licensing actions resulting from the dismissal policy assists in explaining why the driving public is exposed to an increased crash risk. A number of recommendations are offered to reduce the negative traffic safety impact of the TVS citation dismissal policy.     

高速公路工程道路交通安全评价研究及工程应用

针对我国高速公路工程日益突显的安全问题,结合四川省桃园（川陕界）至巴中高速公路工程的实际情况,分别从停车视距、竖曲线、隧道进出口、横断面超高、长大下坡等5个方面进行安全性分析。研究提出高速公路工程道路交通安全评价程序：要以潮湿路面情况下计算出来的停车视距为标准进行安全评价,凸曲线路段和凹曲线路段都应满足竖曲线最小半径,隧道平曲率半径大于所允许的最小半径值并通过基于运行车速差的隧道进出口区域运行安全性的评价方法对隧道进出口进行安全预评价,超高安全评价要以一般圆曲线最小半径为标准,对于长大下坡的运行速度与设计速度差应满足评价标准,最后结合实际工程数据,运用该安全评价方法,证明了其实用价值,为其它高速公路工程道路交通安全评价提供参考。     

Reliability analysis of pedestrian safety crossing in urban traffic environment

This paper describes the pedestrian safety crossing behaviour at signalized crosswalks in an urban traffic environment based on human reliability analysis. In our research, pedestrians’ waiting durations are modelled by a non-parametric and two parametric reliability models that recognize the effects of covariates. The covariates include pedestrian personal characteristics and urban traffic conditions in order to reflect the effects of human factors and internal environment comprehensively. The results indicate that most pedestrians show distinct time-dependent reliability but a few pedestrians are too impatient to wait for the lights changes.     

When workplace safety depends on behavior change: Topics for behavioral safety research

Introduction

Comprehensive interventions that address public-health concerns invariably include behavior-change strategies. In occupational safety and health, behavioral safety is an approach designed to improve safety performance directly through peer observations of safe behaviors, goal setting, performance feedback, and celebrations or incentives for reaching safety goals. Although the basic components of behavioral safety processes have been studied and widely documented, the current safety literature reveals several gaps in knowledge. These gaps are associated mostly with wide practice variations among the common process elements and uncertainty about the influence of organizational and other external factors.

Impact to Industry

A major objective of this paper was to highlight not only key topic areas that warrant further research, but also to propose a list of research questions that are tied to uncertainties about various intervention practices. If only a portion of these topic areas and research questions are addressed through systematic reviews, field interventions, surveys, and laboratory-based studies, then the knowledge gained will significantly improve the delivery and effectiveness of behavioral safety interventions and thus their impact on worker health and safety.     

重庆高速公路安全现状分析及对策

首先分析了重庆高速公路路网现状及当前安全管理模式,再依据交警部门最新权威统计信息以及近三年交通事故总体统计信息对重庆高速安全状况进行比较分析,从宏观阐述安全形势,最后对重庆高速安全现状进行概述并提出详尽的对策。     

安全管理新概念--关于"安全学习志"的探讨

本文提出了一种基于安全学习志的安全管理新概念.安全学习志是一种用于解答安全管理难题,将组织的经验知识转化为行动的管理工具.它继承了中华民族修志写史的优良文化传统,同时也借鉴了国外商业领域利用学习志集中学习互动的优点.具体从编撰方法、功能作用、推广应用及发展前景等几个方面阐述了这种管理概念的可行性.     

空管安全文化量表设计

为探究我国空管安全文化现状,设计了一种评价量表。在安全文化定义、国内外相关文献及安全相关规章的理论指导下,结合专家咨询与实地调研,从安全文化建设和安全文化养成两个维度建立符合我国空管安全文化特点的关键元素集,从而编制初始安全文化量表。然后通过随机抽样方法,对20个空管单位展开测试,利用SPSS 19. 0对测试结果进行项目分析以确保题项的合理性、探索性因子分析以保证量表结构效度、信度分析以确保量表的可信度,剔除无效题项后,最终确立了正式量表。正式量表的信效度能够达到要求,可以对空管单位的安全文化进行有效测量。     

汽车色彩设计对交通安全的影响研究

人的因素对道路交通安全的影响最大,色彩作用于人的生理与心理,能给人不同的心理感受.介绍了色彩的属性和几种常见颜色的色彩心理;根据色彩的生理心理特性,从车身和驾驶室配色等方面,采用安全心理学和色彩心理学以及定性分析的方法,分析了汽车色彩对交通安全和驾驶员反应的重要影响;最后提出了对汽车进行安全色彩设计的构想,并给出汽车安全色彩设计的原则、体系和步骤;对车身和驾驶室进行安全色彩设计,其中合理的色彩模拟系统的开发是关键.与其他有效的交通管理措施相结合,从而达到交通系统和谐的效果.     

Evaluating the impact of passengers on the safety of older drivers

PROBLEM: This study involved a quasi-induced exposure analysis of 4 years of crashes involving older drivers in the state of Kentucky. METHOD: Single- and multivehicle crashes were disaggregated according to the number of passengers: (a) no passenger, (b) one passenger, and (c) two or more passengers. RESULTS: Overall, the presence of two or more passengers was found to negatively impact the probability that drivers 75 years of age or older were at fault in crashes. Several potential factors were studied for interactive effects with passengers: vehicle occupant gender mix, time of the day, road curvature, grade, and number of lanes. The negative impact of passengers increased for some geometric road conditions. However, older drivers were found to be safer at night when carrying two or more passengers. The presence or absence of passengers was not found to affect the 65- to 74-year-old driver group. Groups of male vehicle occupants with a 75+ male driver were found to have high single-vehicle crash rates. IMPACT: These results are among the first to directly consider the effect of passengers on the crash-causing propensity of older drivers and the findings suggest more work is warranted to consider causes for the crash rate differences.     

民航空管安全文化建设探析

根据民航空管安全发展的客观规律,在综合考虑践行空管持续安全理念、减少空管人为差错、建设空管安全管理体系的基础上,提出要实现我国民航的持续安全,就要构建并不断完善空管安全文化建设的有效手段和途径。对空管安全文化建设的途径展开了深入探索,并提出了相关建议和措施,包括开展技能竞赛等文化娱乐活动、建立管制员心理培训与辅导机制、提升管制员新技术适应能力等。空管安全文化的建设是空管发展的坚强后盾,有效手段和措施建设的推进将成为航空运行安全的有力保障。     

我国道路交通安全教育培训思考

统计数据显示,我国2007-2009年道路运输事故呈下降趋势。但道路运输事故造成的死亡人数远远高于煤炭事故造成的死亡人数,道路交通安全形势依然很严峻。交通安全形势严峻的主要原因之一就是人为因素,加强对交通参与者的相关教育培训,提高安全意识,规范安全行为,是改善交通安全形势的根本途径。本文系统分析了我国的安全教育环境、交通文化、交通安全法律法规及交通安全教育培训存在问题,提出了改善我国交通安全教育的措施及建议。     

Road safety in China: Analysis of current challenges

Introduction

China has the world's largest population, and is the second largest automobile market. China's economy is booming, resulting in a rapid increase in both the road infrastructure and access to private vehicles. Along with economic growth, the ownership of motorized vehicles has almost quadrupled in the past 10 years, from 42.2 million in 1997 to 159.7 million in 2007. However, at the same time, China also has a very high number of road fatalities compared to other countries, with about 100,000 reported fatalities each year.

Method

This study analyzes the Chinese road-fatality situation to identify areas in which the total harm caused by crashes can be substantially and readily reduced. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the current road-fatality situation in China using conventional indices and the likely future trends.

Results

Four areas were identified in which countermeasures have the most potential to substantially reduce fatalities in China: pedestrians and other non-motorists, nighttime driving, vehicle passengers, and motorcycles.

Conclusion

While China faces unprecedented road safety issues, this report identifies major areas in which there are opportunities to greatly reduce total harm.     

限速值对信号交叉口交通安全的影响分析

为研究交叉口进口道车辆限速值对交叉口的安全和运行产生的影响,通过微观仿真平台,分析车辆在交叉口限速分别为30,38和46 km/h时的车均延误、车均行程时间,并将车辆行驶轨迹输入安全辅助评价(SSAM)软件中展开分析。结果表明,车辆限速值的提高对车均延误的影响不大,但会减小车辆在进口道的车均行程时间。另外,限速值从30 km/h提高到46 km/h,引起的碰撞时间(TTC)、后侵占时间(PET)数值变化不显著,但使总冲突数从42个增加到59个。     

摩托车头盔与摩托车交通事故的相关研究

我国近年来的摩托车死亡事故占交通事故死亡总数的25％-28％。在我国摩托车使用比较普及的地区,摩托车交通事故数占到该地区交通事故总数的70％-80％,伤亡比例占到总数的50％以上,甚至更高。通过对摩托车交通事故伤亡人员的具体受伤部位分析,发现头部受伤致死的比例非常高,占到该类事故死亡总数75％以上,远远高于其他部位受伤致死率。摩托车驾乘人员头部受伤致死的主要原因是摩托车驾驶乘人员头盔佩戴率低和佩戴的头盔质量差,对头部未能起到应有的保护作用。造成这一局面既有摩托车乘员头盔标准等技术层面存在的问题,又有行业监管等政策层面存在的问题,最后,文章从摩托车头盔标准方面提出了几点修订建议,为规范头盔行业进行基础性的准备。     

A survey on occupational accidents’ reporting and registration systems in the European Union

This paper presents the results of a survey on the procedures for reporting occupational accidents in the EU countries. It focuses particularly on the reporting and registration systems, as well as on the main characteristics of National Databases being used for the production of official statistics. The survey shows that many European countries have different methods and procedures for collecting and compiling data on occupational accidents, which inevitably pose problems when comparing accident statistics between the EU member states.The paper includes a brief review of the main goals and achievements of the European Project ESAW (European Statistics on Accidents at Work), which was launched in 1990 by the Eurostat (European Statistics), for the harmonisation of occupational accidents’ statistics among the member states. It is believed that the new variables being introduced by the harmonised methodology will quickly affect the way in which managers and insurance companies carry out their current procedures in several EU member states.The International Labour Organisation (ILO) recommendations and the future trends are also analysed. In conclusion, the study identifies opportunities for further development and research in the reporting and registration systems of occupational accidents.