Injury prevention programs against distracted driving: Are they effective?

Introduction: Distracted driving (talking and/or texting) is a growing public safety problem, with increasing incidence among adult drivers. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of distracted driving (DD) among health care providers and to create awareness against DD. We hypothesized that distracted driving is prevalent among health care providers and a preventive campaign against distracted driving would effectively decrease distracted driving among health care providers.

Methods: We performed a 4-phase prospective interventional study of all health care providers at our level 1 trauma center. Phase 1: one week of pre-intervention observation; phase 2: one week of intervention; phase 3: one week of postintervention observation; and phase 4: one week of 6 months of postintervention observation. Observations were performed outside employee parking garage at the following time intervals: 6:30–8:30 a.m., 4:40–5:30 p.m., and 6:30–7:30 p.m. Intervention included an e-mail survey, pamphlets and banners in the hospital cafeteria, and a postintervention survey. Hospital employees were identified with badges and scrubs, employees exiting through employee gate, and parking pass on the car. Outcome measure was incidence of DD pre, post, and 6 months postintervention.

Results: A total of 15,416 observations (pre: 6,639, post: 4,220, 6 months post: 4,557) and 520 survey responses were collected. The incident of DD was 11.8% among health care providers. There was a significant reduction in DD in each time interval of observation between pre- and postintervention. On subanalysis, there was a significant decrease in talking (P = .0001) and texting (P = .01) while driving postintervention compared to pre-intervention. In the survey, 35.5% of respondents admitted to DD and 4.5% respondents were involved in an accident due to DD. We found that 77% respondents felt more informed after the survey and 91% respondents supported a state legislation against DD. The reduction in the incidence of DD postintervention was sustained even at 6-month follow-up.

Conclusion: There was a 32% reduction in the incidence of distracted driving postintervention, which remained low even at 6-month follow-up. Implementation of an effective injury prevention campaign could reduce the incidence of distracted driving nationally.     

State all-driver distracted driving laws and high school students' texting while driving behavior

Objective: Texting while driving is highly prevalent among adolescents and young adults in the United States. Texting while driving can significantly increase the risk of road crashes and is associated with other risky driving behaviors. Most states have enacted distracted driving laws to prohibit texting while driving. This study examines effects of different all-driver distracted driving laws on texting while driving among high school students.

Methods: High school student data were extracted from the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Distracted driving law information was collected from the National Conference of State Legislatures. The final sample included 6,168 high school students above the restricted driving age in their states and with access to a vehicle. Logistic regression was applied to estimate odds ratios of laws on texting while driving.

Results: All-driver text messaging bans with primary enforcement were associated with a significant reduction in odds of texting while driving among high school students (odds ratio = 0.703; 95% confidence interval, 0.513–0.964), whereas all-driver phone use bans with primary enforcement did not have a significant association with texting while driving (odds ratio = 0.846; 95% confidence interval, 0.501–1.429).

Conclusions: The findings indicate that all-driver distracted driving laws that specifically target texting while driving as opposed to all types of phone use are effective in reducing the behavior among high school students.     

Environmental disaster education at the university level: an integrative approach

Because of the highly complex nature of chemical and nuclear accidents, efforts aimed at prevention, preparedness and response require the melding of many types of knowledge and the close collaboration of a wide range of professions. Nevertheless, the need for such integration and cooperation is not always strongly emphasized in university-level curricula. As a result, developing professionals have few opportunities to learn and practise unified models of environmental accident management. In an effort to foster a more integrative approach, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA, has launched the “Environmental Disasters” project. The project crosses disciplinary boundaries with respect to both curriculum and enrollment. In terms of curriculum, the project examines chemical and nuclear accidents from a multi-dimensional perspective, considering not only regulatory, scientific and policy issues, but also the public health, social, and psychological implications. In terms of enrollment, the project brings together students from the full range of fields that are involved with environmental accidents, including engineering, public health, public administration, social work, psychology, nursing, communications, medicine, and environmental studies. Emphasizing the need for a collaborative approach, students work in multi-disciplinary teams as they explore theory, case studies and current research. In addition, the student teams develop detailed plans for addressing the effects of a chemical or nuclear disaster. With environmental accidents representing an on-going threat to health and safety, the approach discussed in this article may provide a useful model for environmental disaster education at the university level.     

近年来山西省煤矿事故特点及对策措施

为掌握近年来山西省煤矿事故的发生特点,基于2015年—2018年山西省煤矿事故数据并结合全国煤矿事故数据进行对比,对事故等级、类型、地点、企业性质、煤矿辖区5个维度进行统计分析。结果表明:煤炭价格与煤矿安全形势有正负影响;近年来山西省煤矿安全总体形势好于全国,但机电、运输事故频发,水害事故时有发生,需要对该类事故加强防范措施;回采工作面为事故多发地点,这与全国煤矿事故特点不尽相同;国有重点煤矿的事故起数、死亡人数均高于地方煤矿企业,这主要是由于国有重点煤矿数量多、产量大的原因。应同时努力提高员工素质,坚决落实安全责任制,实现煤矿企业的安全生产。     

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.     

Differences in the lethality of occupational accidents in OECD countries

International comparisons of the frequency of occupational accidents are rare because figures reported by each country are influenced by factors other than differences in the occurrence of actual accidents. In this study, we performed an international comparison of occupational accidents which distinguishes between fatal cases and all reported accidents, in order to control for the effects of other factors in accident reporting. Annual data on the numbers of fatal and non-fatal occupational accidents in member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) between 1993 and 1998 were obtained from the Labour Statistics Database, which is operated by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The average incidence of all accidents across OECD countries ranged from 17 to 4608 per 100,000 persons in the labor force, whereas the incidence of fatal accidents across OECD countries ranged from 1 to 12 per 100,000 persons in the labor force. Lethality rates per 10,000 total accident cases ranged from 9 (Germany) to 3252 (Turkey). When comparing countries using the same statistical definition of accidents, three or more absence days, the difference in lethality of reported accidents within the same industrial sector is reduced to a sixfold difference (49 for the United Kingdom versus 333 for Ireland). Furthermore, the difference in lethality decreased to about twofold (18 for Spain versus 35 for Czech Republic) in the group using definitions with a criteria of one absent day. The results suggest that reported differences in lethality can reflect artificial administrative factors rather than the harmful factors that cause actual occupational accidents. To make more valid comparison of occupational accident between countries, harmonization of accident statistics is required.     

我国道路交通安全的国际比较研究

我国的道路交通事故是严重的。在对我国道路交通事故特点进行比较研究的基础上，分析了道路交通事故多发的原因，提出了提高道路交通系统安全性的建议。     

重庆市建筑业高处坠落事故调查分析

本文以通过重庆市安全生产监督管理局收集的建筑业事故调查表为基础,对其中43起建筑业高空坠落事故发生的部位、工种、伤亡人员情况以及事故原因进行了调查统计分析。通过调查分析发现,建筑业高处坠落事故主要发生在“四口、五临边”和脚手架操作平台;伤亡人员以30~40岁之间的农民工居多,大都从事普工作业;在事故原因方面,安全管理、安全教育等间接原因略高于直接原因。这说明目前建筑业在对农民工的安全管理、安全教育等方面还存在一定的问题。     

The analysis of influence of individual and environmental factors on 2-wheeled users’ injuries

Objective: Powered 2-wheeled motor vehicles (PTWs) are one of the most vulnerable categories of road users. Bearing that fact in mind, we have researched the effects of individual and environmental factors on the severity and type of injuries of PTW users. The aim was to recognize the circumstances that cause these accidents and take some preventive actions that would improve the level of road safety for PTWs.

Methods: In the period from 2001 to 2010, an analysis of 139 road accidents involving PTWs was made by the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering in Belgrade. The effects of both individual (age, gender, etc.) and environmental factors (place of an accident, time of day, etc.) on the cause of accidents and severity and type of injuries of PTWs are reported in this article. Analyses of these effects were conducted using logistic regression, chi-square tests, and Pearson's correlation.

Results: Factors such as categories of road users, pavement conditions, place of accident, age, and time of day have a statistically significant effect on PTW injuries, whereas other factors (gender, road type; that is, straight or curvy) do not. The article also defines the interdependence of the occurrence of particular injuries at certain speeds. The results show that if PTW users died of a head injury, these were usually concurrent with chest injuries, injuries to internal organs, and limb injuries.

Conclusions: It has been shown that there is a high degree of influence of individual factors on the occurrence of accidents involving 2-wheelers (PTWs/bicycles) but with no statistically significant relation. Establishing the existence of such conditionalities enables identifying and defining factors that have an impact on the occurrence of traffic accidents involving bicyclists or PTWs. Such a link between individual factors and the occurrence of accidents makes it possible for system managers to take appropriate actions aimed at certain categories of 2-wheelers in order to reduce casualties in a particular area. The analysis showed that most of the road factors do not have a statistically significant effect on either category of 2-wheeler. Namely, the logistic regression analysis showed that there is a statistically significant effect of the place of accident on the occurrence of accidents involving bicyclists.     

Risk of motor vehicle crash for older adults after receiving a traffic charge: A case–crossover study

Objective: After the age of 65, the number of motor vehicle crashes per mile driven increases. Traffic-related charges issued by law enforcement can help identify drivers who are at a higher risk of having a crash. This study examines the relationship between motor vehicle crashes and traffic-related charges among older adult drivers.

Methods: Iowa Department of Transportation crash data from 2011–2012 were linked with Iowa Court Information System data for moving violations that occurred during 2009–2012 for drivers over the age of 50. A time-stratified case–crossover design was used matching on time periods 1 year apart. Case exposure was defined as having a traffic-related charge 30 days before the crash. Control exposure was the same 30-day time period 1 year before the crash for each individual. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the self-matched pairs. Additional time periods of 31–60, 61–90, 91–120, 121–150, 151–180, and 181–210 days before the crash were also assessed.

Results: There were 38,171 adults at least 50 years of age with an Iowa driver's license who were involved in a crash in Iowa between 2011 and 2012. In addition, 13,129 adults over the age of 50 received a charge during 2009–2012. Relative to the control time period, experiencing a traffic-related charge in the 30-day time period before the crash increased the risk of a crash by 21% (odds ration [OR] = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.42) for all drivers included in the study. This crash risk was similar for adults aged 50–64 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI, 1.00–1.45) and adults 65 and older (OR = 1.24, 95% CI, 0.90–1.72). In the 30 days after receiving a traffic-related charge, the risk of a crash was also increased for crashes occurring in adverse weather (OR = 1.79, 95% CI, 1.12–2.84) or during night, dawn, or twilight (OR = 1.89, 95% CI, 1.31–2.72).

Conclusions: A traffic-related charge for an adult over the age of 50 indicates an increased risk of experiencing a crash in the 30 days following the charge. The risk for crashes occurring in adverse conditions or outside of daylight hours was also increased in the 30 days after receiving a traffic-related charge. The risk of experiencing a crash decreases as time passes after receiving a charge. Measures to restrict or increase driving safety during these conditions could help reduce the crash risk for older adults who receive a traffic-related charge.     

Is there a link between motor vehicle collisions and being a cigarette smoker in Canada? Analysis of survey data from Ontario from 2002 to 2014

Objective: Although most research on drugs and driving has focused on the use of alcohol and cannabis, research that has been conducted on cigarette smoking and collisions has found that smokers have an increased collision involvement. Studies dating from 1967 through 2013 have shown a crude relative risk of about 1.5 among smokers compared to nonsmokers. In Canada, the association between smoking and collisions has not been recently investigated. Studies that have examined the association between smoking and collisions often did not control for all confounding factors, such as alcohol use and driving exposure, which have been associated with increased collision rates. Additionally, a number of these studies were examined in countries and at times when prevalence of smoking was much higher than is currently the case in Canada. The purpose of this research is to examine the association between self-reported current smoking and past-year collision involvement, controlling for confounding factors, in a large representative sample of adult drivers in Ontario, Canada, from 2002 and 2014.

Method: Data are based on the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Monitor, an ongoing, rolling telephone survey of Ontario adults that provides epidemiological surveillance of indicators related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, as well as physical and mental health. The survey uses random-digit-dialing methods via Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview, with response rates over 50%.

Results: Prevalence of self-reported collision involvement within the past year for 2002–2014 was 8.6% among those who currently smoke compared to 6.5% of nonsmokers. Logistic regression analysis, controlling for the potential confounding effects of sociodemographics, driving exposure measures, drinking frequency, and hazardous alcohol use, found that the overall odds for collision involvement in the preceding year among current smokers for 2002–2014 was 1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–1.53) times that of nonsmokers.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that despite a substantial reduction in overall prevalence of smoking in Canada, smokers still have a significantly increased odds of collision involvement, even when controlling for alcohol and exposure. Additionally, the results are consistent with the increased odds/risks of motor vehicle collisions found in other countries.     

我国煤矿重特大火灾事故统计分析

为研究我国煤矿重特大火灾事故一般性特征及致灾原因,用统计分析法,从时间、地域、地点、煤矿所有制、点火源、外部致灾原因等维度综合分析2000—2021年发生的360起重特大火灾事故。结果表明:第4季度是重特大火灾事故高发期;贵州、山西和黑龙江3省重特大火灾事故起数和死亡人数分别占全国的45.28%和47.11%;发生在硐室中的特大火灾事故概率最高,占硐室重特大事故的52.38%;2011—2021年发生在采煤工作面的重特大火灾事故有增多的趋势;乡镇煤矿重特大火灾事故起数及死亡人数在事故总起数和死亡总人数中的占比均超过了60%,但同比呈梯度下降趋势,且基本保持平稳;由违规明火、自热点火和摩擦撞击引发的重特大火灾事故占比逐渐上升,而由放电点火和爆破点火引发的重特大火灾事故占比逐渐下降;管理不善是导致重特大火灾事故的主要原因。     

Age and lost working days as a result of an occupational accident: A study in a shiftwork rotation system

The present work analyzed the relationship of age and tenure with occupational accident severity of 156 male shiftworkers at an industrial plant. Based on past research, negative binomial regression analyses were performed to examine the association of age and tenure with the lost working days due to medically certified occupational accidents (LWDI). The main effects of age and tenure and the contribution of age by tenure interaction and age squared terms were examined. Regression results indicated a significant association of age by tenure interaction with LWDI. However, this relationship was non-significant when considering an age squared term in the regression equation, suggesting a non-linear association of age with LWDI. The findings are discussed in regard to the specific preventative measures of occupational accidents in shiftwork systems that could be addressed to different age groups.     

国外铁路交通事故调查现状综述及对我国的启示

为查明铁路交通事故原因,发现安全隐患,预防类似事故再次发生,有效提升安全运营水平,从机构设立、法律依据、调查理念、调查流程、调查方法、报告内容等方面分别研究美国、日本、法国、英国、澳大利亚等发达国家铁路交通事故调查现状;在分析法国、英国、日本等国家铁路交通事故调查典型案例的基础上,总结其铁路事故调查的先进经验、特点和优势;通过对比中外铁路交通事故调查的异同,提出借鉴国外事故调查方法、原因分析、经验总结等方面的做法,改进我国铁路交通事故调查方法的建议。     

从三类危险源理论看煤矿事故的频发

笔者运用现代安全科学的观点及事故致因理论,简述了危险源的概念、系统结构和两类危险源理论,提出了第三类危险源研究,根据事故案例调研的结果,探讨了三类危险源之间的关系及其事故致因机理模型;进一步深入分析了煤矿事故的三类危险源,阐述了煤矿事故频发的原因及对策,认为应加强危险源基础理论的研究,尤其要加强对煤矿第三类危险源的辨识和控制研究,这对煤矿安全管理水平的提高具有重要意义.     

煤矿事故管理系统的设计与开发

为解决煤矿事故信息处理效率低、出错率高以及查找、更新和维护困难等诸多问题,笔者在大量煤矿事故案例资料的基础上,结合煤矿事故特点,运用数据库技术,设计开发出煤矿事故案例管理系统,并在开发过程中选用Visual Basic 6.0为前台开发工具,SQL Server 2000数据库管理系统为后台数据库,ADO技术为Visual Basic 6.0与SQL Server 2000的数据接口.通过对煤矿事故的特征信息进行分析,将其分为事故矿井的自然状况和事故后果及事故性质两个部分,并建立4个数据表.设计与开发的系统包括用户管理模块、信息管理模块和信息查询模块,具有数据维护功能、数据查询功能、数据输出功能.该系统的应用有利于煤矿事故案例信息的充分利用及煤矿企业信息化水平的提高.