重庆市机动车尾气对大气环境的影响分析及减缓措施

在对重庆市机动车保有量、主城区交通状况进行深入调查的基础上，对机动车尾气排放对大气环境的影响进行了细致的分析与评估。阐述了机动车尾气是造成重庆市大气污染的重要因素。同时结合国内外一些先进的预防、控制和处理汽车尾气污染的方法，及近年来的观察、研究和试验，提出了合理减缓、控制机动车尾气污染的措施，以防止机动车尾气污染进一步蔓延。     

Effects of Vehicle Impact Velocity and Front-End Structure on Dynamic Responses of Child Pedestrians

To investigate the effects of vehicle impact velocity and front-end structure on the dynamic responses of child pedestrians, an extensive parametric study was carried out using two child mathematical models at 6 and 15 years old. The effect of the vehicle impact velocity was studied at 30, 40, and 50 km/h in terms of the head linear velocity, impact angle, and head angular velocity as well as various injury parameters concerning the head, chest, pelvis, and lower extremities. The variation of vehicle front-end shape was determined according to the shape corridors of modern vehicles, while the stiffness characteristics of the bumper, hood edge, and hood were varied within stiffness corridors obtained from dynamic component tests. The simulation results show that the vehicle impact speed is of great importance on the kinematics and resulting injury severity of child pedestrians. A significant reduction in all injury parameters can be achieved as the vehicle impact speed decreases to 30 km/h. The head and lower extremities of children are at higher injury risks than other body regions. Older children are exposed to higher injury risks to the head and lower leg, whereas younger ones sustain more severe impact loads to the pelvis and upper leg. The results from factorial analysis indicate that the hood-edge height has a significant effect on the kinematics and head impact responses of children. A higher hood edge could reduce the severity of head impact for younger children, but aggravate the risks of head injury for older ones. A significant interaction exists between the bumper height and the hood-edge height on the head impact responses of younger child. Nevertheless, improving the energy absorption performance of the hood seems effective for mitigating the severity of head injuries for children.     

Antilock Brake Systems and Risk of Different Types of Crashes in Traffic

While antilock braking systems (ABS) have been convincingly demonstrated to enhance test track braking performance, their effect on crash risk in actual driving remains less clear. This paper examines how ABS influences crash risk using mainly two published studies which used police-reported crashes. The published findings are augmented by including new data and additional results. All the work is based on seven General Motors (GM) passenger vehicles having ABS as standard equipment for 1992 models but not available for 1991 models. The ratio of crashes under an adverse condition (say, when the pavement is wet) to under a normal condition (say, when the pavement is dry) is compared for ABS and non-ABS vehicles. After correcting for such factors as model year effects not linked to ABS, the following associations between ABS and crash risk were found by averaging data from the five states Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Indiana (the errors are one standard error): a (10 ± 3)% relative lower crash risk on wet roads compared to the corresponding comparison on dry roads; a (22 ± 11)% lower risk of a pedestrian crash compared to the risk of a non-pedestrian crash; a (39 ± 16)% increase in rollover crash risk compared to the risk of a non-rollover crash. Data from the same Ave states were used to examine two-vehicle rear-end collisions. Using the assumption that side-impact crashes estimate exposure, it was found that for wet roads ABS reduces the risk of crashing into a lead vehicle by (32 ± 8)%, but increases the risk of being struck in the rear by (30 ± 14)%. The results from this study and from all available reported studies are summarized in tabular form.     

The Importance of Non-struck Side Occupants in Side Collisions

Current occupant protection assessment for side impact is focused on struck side occupants sitting alone. In a representative sample of tow-away side collisions from the UK, only one-third of front seat occupants in side collisions were alone, on the struck side of the car. The other two-thirds were either a non-struck side occupant alone or a situation where the adjacent seat was also occupied. In terms of restraint protection for non-struck side occupants, belts appeared to be less effective in perpendicular compared to oblique side crashes. Front seat occupancy had bearing on injury outcome. With both front seats occupied, there was a reduction in AIS 27+ injury to belted non-struck side occupants due to a reduction in chest and lower limb injuries. Struck side occupants sustained increased injury rates to the extremities when accompanied by a belted non-struck side occupant but no notable increases in moderate to serious injury to the head, chest, abdomen or pelvis.     

Views of US drivers about driving safety

Problem: To assess how drivers view dangers on the highway, what motivates them to drive safely, how they say they reduce their crash and injury risk, and how they rate their own driving skills. Results: Most drivers rated their skills as better than average. The biggest motivating factor for safe driving was concern for safety of others in their vehicle, followed by negative outcomes such as being in a crash, increased insurance costs, and fines. The greatest threats to their safety were thought to be other drivers' actions that increase crash risk such as alcohol impairment or running red lights. In terms of reducing crashes and injuries, drivers tended to focus on actions they could take such as driving defensively or using seat belts. There was less recognition of the role of vehicles and vehicle features in crash or injury prevention. Impact on research, practice, and policy: Knowing how drivers view themselves and others, their concerns, and their motivations and techniques for staying out of trouble on the roads provides insight into the difficulty of changing driving practices.     

A neglected risky behavior among children and adolescents: underage driving and injury in New South Wales,Australia

PROBLEM: Among different causes of injury, roads and traffic-related incidents contributed most to all child deaths. The majority of childhood and adolescent traffic-related deaths are young people killed as pedestrians or bicyclists. Underage driving is a particular risky behavior much neglected. This study aimed to describe some characteristics related to motor-vehicle crashes and crash-related injury in which the vehicle was driven by a young person who was under the legal age of obtaining a learner license in New South Wales, Australia. METHODS: Data used in this study were made available from the Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW for the period between 1996 and 2000. Crash information was collected and reported by NSW police at the scene of these motor-vehicle crash incidents. RESULTS: There were 526 crashes involving an underage driver recorded within the study period. The majority (79.5%) of these underage drivers were males with slightly more than half (58.0%) aged 15 years, and nearly 30% aged 14 years. Among these, 83.6% involved the driver of the vehicle being killed or injured. Among the injured or killed passengers, 128 (73.6%) were nonadult passengers under the age of 18 years. Seventy of these crashes occurred while the car was in pursuit by police. The adjusted relative risk of injury to at least one occupant in the vehicle should a crash occur for female underage drivers was two times (OR=2.01, 95% CI=1.27-3.20) as compared to male underage drivers. DISCUSSION: Underage driving poses a serious problem in terms of crash outcomes. Experimental driving and late-night outings for adolescents should be discouraged. Well-designed studies are required to further investigate the relationship between underage driving and on road risk-taking behavior among licensed adolescents. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Data obtained from this study indicate that adults, particularly parents, should discourage underage adolescents from experimenting driving and should actively cultivate a positive attitude toward driving.     

Effect of vehicle and crash factors on older occupants

PROBLEM: The expected substantial increase in people aged 65 or older is important for those concerned about transportation injuries. However, much of the previous research concentrates on older drivers and overlooks the fact that vehicle and crash factors may provide significant explanations of older occupant injury rates. METHOD: Differences across age groups are explored using two nationwide travel surveys, crash involvement, fatalities, and injuries from crash databases and an ordered probit model of injury severity. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Two noticeable differences that help explain injury risk are that older people are more likely to travel in passenger cars than younger people who frequently use light trucks, and that seriously injured older occupants are more likely to be involved in side-impact crashes than their younger counterparts. IMPACT: Increased attention to vehicle engagement in side-impact crashes and to vehicle technologies that can help drivers avoid side collisions would be particularly helpful for older occupants.     

The influence of personal protection equipment,occupant body size,and restraint system on the frontal impact responses of Hybrid III ATDs in tactical vehicles

Objective: Although advanced restraint systems, such as seat belt pretensioners and load limiters, can provide improved occupant protection in crashes, such technologies are currently not utilized in military vehicles. The design and use of military vehicles presents unique challenges to occupant safety—including differences in compartment geometry and occupant clothing and gear—that make direct application of optimal civilian restraint systems to military vehicles inappropriate. For military vehicle environments, finite element (FE) modeling can be used to assess various configurations of restraint systems and determine the optimal configuration that minimizes injury risk to the occupant. The models must, however, be validated against physical tests before implementation. The objective of this study was therefore to provide the data necessary for FE model validation by conducting sled tests using anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs). A secondary objective of this test series was to examine the influence of occupant body size (5th percentile female, 50th percentile male, and 95th percentile male), military gear (helmet/vest/tactical assault panels), seat belt type (3-point and 5-point), and advanced seat belt technologies (pretensioner and load limiter) on occupant kinematics and injury risk in frontal crashes.

Methods: In total, 20 frontal sled tests were conducted using a custom sled buck that was reconfigurable to represent both the driver and passenger compartments of a light tactical military vehicle. Tests were performed at a delta-V of 30 mph and a peak acceleration of 25 g. The sled tests used the Hybrid III 5th percentile female, 50th percentile male, and 95th percentile male ATDs outfitted with standard combat boots and advanced combat helmets. In some tests, the ATDs were outfitted with additional military gear, which included an improved outer tactical vest (IOTV), IOTV and squad automatic weapon (SAW) gunner with a tactical assault panel (TAP), or IOTV and rifleman with TAP. ATD kinematics and injury outcomes were determined for each test.

Results: Maximum excursions were generally greater in the 95th percentile male compared to the 50th percentile male ATD and in ATDs wearing TAP compared to ATDs without TAP. Pretensioners and load limiters were effective in decreasing excursions and injury measures, even when the ATD was outfitted in military gear.

Conclusions: ATD injury response and kinematics are influenced by the size of the ATD, military gear, and restraint system. This study has provided important data for validating FE models of military occupants, which can be used for design optimization of military vehicle restraint systems.