The effect of correct cross-chest clip use on injury outcomes in young children during motor vehicle crashes

Objective: Traffic crashes have high mortality and morbidity for young children. Though many specialized child restraint systems improve injury outcomes, no large-scale studies have investigated the cross-chest clip's role during a crash, despite concerns in some jurisdictions about the potential for neck contact injuries from the clips. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cross-chest clip use and injury outcomes in children between 0 and 4 years of age.

Methods: Child passengers between 0 and 4 years of age were selected from the NASS-CDS data sets (2003–2014). Multiple regression analysis was used to model injury outcomes while controlling for age, crash severity, crash direction, and restraint type. The primary outcomes were overall Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS) 2+ injury, and the presence of any neck injury.

Results: Across all children aged 0–4 years, correct chest clip use was associated with decreased Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ injury (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21–0.91) and was not associated with neck injury. However, outcomes varied by age. In children <12 months old, chest clip use was associated with decreased AIS 2+ injury (OR = 0.09, 95% CI, 0.02–0.44). Neck injury (n = 7, all AIS 1) for this age group only occurred with correct cross-chest clip use. For 1- to 4-year-old children, cross-chest clip use had no association with AIS 2+ injury, and correct use significantly decreased the odds of neck injury (OR = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27–0.87) compared to an incorrectly used or absent cross-chest clip. No serious injuries were directly caused by the chest clips.

Conclusions: Correct cross-chest clip use appeared to reduce injury in crashes, and there was no evidence of serious clip-induced injury in children in 5-point harness restraints.     

Modeling crash injury severity by road feature to improve safety

Objective: The objective of this research is 2-fold: to (a) model and identify critical road features (or locations) based on crash injury severity and compare it with crash frequency and (b) model and identify drivers who are more likely to contribute to crashes by road feature.

Method: Crash data from 2011 to 2013 were obtained from the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) for the state of North Carolina. Twenty-three different road features were considered, analyzed, and compared with each other as well as no road feature. A multinomial logit (MNL) model was developed and odds ratios were estimated to investigate the effect of road features on crash injury severity.

Results: Among the many road features, underpass, end or beginning of a divided highway, and on-ramp terminal on crossroad are the top 3 critical road features. Intersection crashes are frequent but are not highly likely to result in severe injuries compared to critical road features. Roundabouts are least likely to result in both severe and moderate injuries. Female drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes at intersections (4-way and T) compared to male drivers. Adult drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes at underpasses. Older drivers are 1.6 times more likely to be involved in a crash at the end or beginning of a divided highway.

Conclusions: The findings from this research help to identify critical road features that need to be given priority. As an example, additional advanced warning signs and providing enlarged or highly retroreflective signs that grab the attention of older drivers may help in making locations such as end or beginning of a divided highway much safer. Educating drivers about the necessary skill sets required at critical road features in addition to engineering solutions may further help them adopt safe driving behaviors on the road.     

LGH-01型空气质量自动监测系统常见故障及维修

介绍了 LGH-01型空气质量自动监测系统,对使用该系统时出现的常见故障和排除办法提供了解决思路,并且提出了使用该仪器时应严格按规程操作,要加强巡检工作和注意用电安全等日常维护的注意事项.     

平原地区公路路基震害类型及机理分析

根据资料分析和现场调查,对平原区公路路基常见震害进行分类.结合库仑强度理论和有效应力原理分析平原区公路路基震害机理.研究表明: 地震作用引起土体中超静孔隙水压力上升、有效应力降低,从而弱化了土体的强度;水平地震力是诱发路堤、边坡破坏的因素;同水平地震力相似,竖向地震力同样会造成土体强度的削弱.最后,针对平原区公路路基震害的特点和机理,在平原区道路的选线、施工、质量控制等方面给出防治措施.     

考虑道路状况的应急配发站启用以及配送优化问题*

为了研究应急物资配发站启用及配送方案优化问题,综合考虑灾难事件下的道路损毁状况、道路复杂程度、需求不确定以及物资拆分配送等特点,以应急物资配发站启用成本、车辆启动成本、运输成本之和最小化为目标,建立应急物资配发站启用及配送模型,设计头脑风暴优化算法,结合算例,对该问题进行仿真,并将结果与遗传算法进行对比,验证模型的可行性和算法的有效性。结果表明,在决策时考虑道路状况能够有效降低系统成本,提高救援效率。     

南京台旧地电场地震例总结

根据南京台旧地电场地的十余年电阻率资料 ,讨论了电阻率变化与这一期间江苏发生的中强地震间的可能关系 ,分析了震前电阻率异常变化的主要特征。同时 ,对该台新、旧地电场地电阻率观测资料进行了对比分析 ,其结果也可供其他地电台参考     

Driving difficulties as reported by older drivers with mild cognitive impairment and without neurological impairment

Objective: Considerable evidence indicates that medical conditions prevalent among older individuals lead to impairments in visual, cognitive, or psychomotor functions needed to drive safely. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors determining driving difficulties as seen from the viewpoint of 30 older drivers with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 30 age-matched controls without cognitive impairment.

Methods: Perceptions of driving difficulties from both groups were examined using data from an extensive questionnaire. Samples of drivers diagnosed with MCI and age-matched controls were asked to report the frequency with which they experienced driving difficulties due to functional deficits and knowledge of new traffic rules and traffic signs.

Results: The analysis revealed that 2 factors underlie MCI perceptions of driving difficulties, representing (1) difficulties associated with late detection combined with slowed response to relevant targets in the peripheral field of view and (2) difficulties associated with divided attention between tasks requiring switching from automatic to conscious processing particularly of long duration. The analysis for healthy controls revealed 3 factors representing (1) difficulties in estimating speed and distance of approaching vehicles in complex (attention-dividing) high-information-load conditions; (2) difficulties in moving head, neck, and feet; and (3) difficulties in switching from automatic responses to needing to use cognitive processing in new or unexpected situations.

Conclusions: Though both group analyses show difficulties with switching from automatic to decision making, the difficulties are different. For the control group, the difficulty in switching involves switching in new or unexpected situations associated with high-information-load conditions, whereas this switching difficulty for the MCI group is associated with divided attention between easier tasks requiring switching. These findings underline the ability of older drivers (with MCI and without cognitive impairment) to indicate probable impairments in various driving skills. The patterns of difficulties perceived by the MCI group and the age-matched healthy control group are indicative of demanding driving situations that may merit special attention for road designers and road safety engineers. They may also be considered in the design of older drivers’ fitness to drive evaluations, training programs, and/or vehicle technologies that provide for older driver assistance.     

基于换乘人耐受限的对向公交换乘生存距离模型研究

为揭示对向公交换乘距离与换乘乘客横穿道路的相互关系,约请272名受试者,完成城市公交汽车换乘试验。基于换乘试验统计出横穿马路人数,采用非参数估计方法估计换乘乘客的最大忍耐换乘距离,利用SPSS软件,构建拟合程度最高的对向换乘生存距离二次项函数模型,并对模型的有效性进行验证。结果表明,违规过街行人数随公交换乘距离的增大而增多;生存率随换乘距离的增大呈现"缓慢减小-迅速减小-平缓减小"的变化趋势,换乘距离增加至126 m后,越来越多的乘客难以接受这样的距离;换乘距离相同时,男性相比女性更容易横穿马路;根据构建的对向公交换乘生存距离模型,85%的换乘乘客可接受的换乘距离为124 m,50%的换乘乘客可接受的换乘距离为174 m。     

道路车辆电子电器设备的凝露试验

ISO16750-4:2010(3Ed)道路车辆电气及电子设备的环境条件和试验气候负荷增加了凝露试验.就凝露试验,介绍一些标准起草中的技术背景和标准文字中的未尽之言;也指出一些试验实践中应予把握的要点.     

电驱动道路车辆动力锂离子电池系统力学环境试验和要求

本文是电驱动道路车辆动力锂离子电池的试验和要求标题下的力学环境部分.结合国标转化过程和实验室能力验证经历,将力学环境试验方法和要求作描述和解释.供实验室和相关产品的供需方双参考.