The impact of state level behavioral regulations on traffic fatality rates

Introduction

A state by year panel is analyzed to simultaneously explore the statistical correlation between state level traffic fatality rates and state level behavioral regulations regarding teen licensing, seat belt use, and driving under the influence (DUI) in a model that also controls for other correlates.

Method

By including measures of all three of these policies, the estimated policy effects should not be overstated due to underspecification bias. The panel includes the 48 contiguous U.S. states for the time period from 1999 through 2003. State fatality rates are measured as fatalities per million miles traveled. Measures of state policies regarding traffic safety related behavior are based on information gathered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Estimates are calculated via a time fixed effects model that uses the double-log form to allow for interaction effects between the independent variables.

Results

Least squares estimates indicate that, on average, more restrictive graduated teen licensing and DUI policies significantly reduce traffic fatality rates, while stricter seat belt enforcement policies have a statistically insignificant negative impact on fatality rates.     

基于模糊马尔可夫链状原理的灾害预测——以新亚欧大陆桥新疆段为例

根据新亚欧大陆桥新疆段近40年灾害统计资料,基于模糊马尔可夫链状预测的方法与原理,通过模糊状态的划分和模糊运算,根据隶属度最大原则,确定所属的状态,对新疆段受损区段数进行了预测,预测准确率为75％,取得了预期的效果。     

新亚欧大陆桥新疆段风沙流活动特性及停积规律

通过对新亚欧大陆桥新疆段不同区段风沙流实测资料的分析,探讨了砾漠区和沙漠区的风沙流活动特性及其停积规律.研究表明,风沙流随风力条件、下垫面状况而变化,其搬运能力与风力大小呈正相关;高程与含沙量(%)对数尺度之间具有良好的线性关系,含沙量随高度增加成指数规律衰减;砾漠区沙粒粗大,在2.0m以下高程其含量随高度增大而明显增大,沙漠区风沙流物质成分以细粒为主(占71%);物质运动以跃移为主,易在低路堤边坡,半填、半挖路基和浅路堑处沉降积沙;在风沙流运动方向与线路走向的夹角＜30°时,积沙厚度较小,而当其＞45°时,积沙量随夹角增大呈明显增多的趋势.     

干熄焦地下皮带通廊焦粉燃爆可能性研究

为研究干熄焦焦粉燃爆的可能性,在某焦化厂干熄焦输焦皮带机头和除尘站两个位置,取焦粉尘样进行工业分析和粒度分析,并测量地下皮带通廊代表段的焦粉尘浓度。分析显示,干熄焦地下皮带通廊焦粉水分较低,均低于3%;所选两个位置的粒度分布较为接近;实验测得所取焦粉尘的爆炸下限质量浓度在160~180 g/m~3之间。现场地下皮带通廊焦粉质量浓度值最高为8.95 g/m~3,远低于其爆炸下限,燃爆的可能性较低。     

Root causes of hydrocarbon leaks on offshore petroleum installations

Hydrocarbon leaks on offshore installations may result in severe consequences to personnel, to the environment and to assets. In order to prevent such leaks, it is crucial to understand their root causes. The objective of this paper is to study the circumstances of hydrocarbon leaks on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). In the study, all reported hydrocarbon leaks from process inventories on all offshore installations on the NCS, with an initial leak rate higher than 0.1 kg/s in the period 2008–2014, have been considered. This includes 78 hydrocarbon leaks, of which about 60% have occurred during manual intervention on normally pressurized systems. The dominating activity when leaks occur is preventive maintenance. A significant fraction of the leaks occur during the preparation for maintenance; such a preparation is typically carried out during the night shift. About half of the leaks are associated with wellhead area and manifolds, separation and compression systems. A substantial fraction of the leaks can be associated with verification faults, dominated by the failure to comply with procedural requirements that are needed to carry out independent verification.     

百花湖消落带常见植物氮磷钾营养元素含量分布特征研究

于2011年9月在百花湖消落区进行随机采集,选取常见的30种百花湖消落带植物,如狗牙根(Cynodon dactylon)、牛鞭草(Hemarthria altissima)、白花三叶草(Trifolium repens)、喜旱莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)、鬼针草(Bidens pilosa)、菖蒲(Acuros calamu Linn)等为研究对象,对其根、茎、叶中氮磷钾营养元素的分布进行比较研究.结果表明:大多数植物根、茎、叶中N、P、K含量表现出一致性,即K＞N＞P,并且N、P、K相互之间呈现出显著的正相关关系,这与该地区土壤中N、P、K的含量有着显著的关系.在同一植物不同器官中N、P、K的含量也表现出一致性,即叶＞茎＞根,并且根、茎、叶中的含量相互之间也呈现出现显著的正相关关系.消落区植物总体根、茎、叶的营养状况分别为低、中、高,并且地上部分的营养元素占整株植物总营养元素的平均值为80％以上.因此,收割地上部分的茎和叶,即可达到对土壤中N、P较好的处理效果.禾本科、蓼科及菊科植物中营养元素含量较低,又具有一定的耐水淹性,适宜在消落区水淹时间较长且土壤中N、P营养元素含量较低的这种特殊环境下生长.该研究揭示了百花湖消落区常见植物的营养状况,以及有助于筛选出适合消落区生长的植物,对控制水体富营养化和研究消落区生态系统的完整性有着重要的意义.     

The ratio between nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide total emissions as precursors of tropospheric hydroxyl content evolution

The Main Geophysical Observatory 2D channel photochemical model is used to study the behavior of tropospheric OH within the 30–60°N zonal belt in relation to changing NO_X and CO emissions. The changes of tropospheric OH as a function of the contributions by NO_X and CO emissions during the period 1850–2050 are calculated. Our estimations show that the largest annual increment of total tropospheric OH within the belt considered occurs in the 1985–1995 period, about 0.27% yr⁻¹. Based on scenarios of tropospheric pollution emissions in the first half of 21st century, the total tropospheric OH content will increase more slowly, by 0.12–0.15% yr⁻¹. The maximum growth of OH concentration occurs close to air pollution locations—in the lower troposphere during 1850–1995 but in the upper troposphere in the 21st century when the NO_X source from subsonic aircraft increases faster than the surface source.     

Self-Reported Seat Belt Use in Four Countries: A Telephone Survey

A telephone survey was conducted in four countries in November 1998 to compare drivers in the United States with those in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom regarding their attitudes toward seat belts and belt use laws. More than 90 percent of the 2251 respondents said they thought seat belts are effective, but self-reported belt use was significantly lower in the United States than in the other countries. Respondents in Australia and the United Kingdom had similar views about what they thought were important reasons for using seat belts and had the highest self-reported use. Reasons given for using belts by Canadian and US respondents were quite similar to one another, yet US respondents had significantly lower self-reported use rates, a difference thought to be due to vigorous enforcement of the law in Canada. US drivers were less likely than Australian and UK drivers to say they used belts out of habit, to avoid a ticket, or because it is required by law and more likely to say they used belts for situational reasons. US drivers were least likely to be in favor of belt use laws. Canadian drivers reported the most experience being checked by police for belt use and were most likely to think that nonusers would be caught. US drivers in primary enforcement jurisdictions were more likely than those in secondary jurisdictions to think that drivers not using belts would be caught and more likely to say they always used belts. Results of this survey indicate that seat belt use in the United States could be increased by adoption of primary enforcement laws and highly visible enforcement programs of the type used in Canada, and that seat belt use could be increased in all countries by increasing the penalties for nonuse.     

Underutilization of occupant restraint systems in motor vehicle injury crashes: A quantitative analysis from Qatar

Introduction: Restraint systems (seat belts and airbags) are important tools that improve vehicle occupant safety during motor vehicle crashes (MVCs). We aimed to identify the pattern and impact of the utilization of passenger restraint systems on the outcomes of MVC victims in Qatar.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted for all admitted patients who sustained MVC-related injuries between March 2011 and March 2014 inclusive.

Results: Out of 2,730 road traffic injury cases, 1,830 (67%) sustained MVC-related injuries, of whom 88% were young males, 70% were expatriates, and 53% were drivers. The use of seat belts and airbags was documented in 26 and 2.5% of cases, respectively. Unrestrained passengers had greater injury severity scores, longer hospital stays, and higher rates of pneumonia and mortality compared to restrained passengers (P = .001 for all). There were 311 (17%) ejected cases. Seat belt use was significantly lower and the mortality rate was 3-fold higher in the ejected group compared to the nonejected group (P = .001). The overall mortality was 8.3%. On multivariate regression analysis, predictors of not using a seat belt were being a front seat passenger, driver, or Qatari national and young age. Unrestrained males had a 3-fold increase in mortality in comparison to unrestrained females. The risk of severe injury (relative risk [RR] = 1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.49–2.26, P = .001) and death (RR = 4.13, 95% CI, 2.31–7.38, P = .001) was significantly greater among unrestrained passengers.

Conclusion: The nonuse of seat belts is associated with worse outcomes during MVCs in Qatar. Our study highlights the lower rate of seat belt compliance in young car occupants that results in more severe injuries, longer hospital stays, and higher mortality rates. Therefore, we recommend more effective seat belt awareness and education campaigns, the enforcement of current seat belt laws, their extension to all vehicle occupants, and the adoption of proven interventions that will assure sustained behavioral changes toward improvements in seat belt use in Qatar.