Effects of vehicle power on passenger vehicle speeds

Objectives: During the past 2 decades, there have been large increases in mean horsepower and the mean horsepower-to–vehicle weight ratio for all types of new passenger vehicles in the United States. This study examined the relationship between travel speeds and vehicle power, defined as horsepower per 100 pounds of vehicle weight.

Methods: Speed cameras measured travel speeds and photographed license plates and drivers of passenger vehicles traveling on roadways in Northern Virginia during daytime off-peak hours in spring 2013. The driver licensing agencies in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia provided vehicle information numbers (VINs) by matching license plate numbers with vehicle registration records and provided the age, gender, and ZIP code of the registered owner(s). VINs were decoded to obtain the curb weight and horsepower of vehicles. The study focused on 26,659 observed vehicles for which information on horsepower was available and the observed age and gender of drivers matched vehicle registration records. Log-linear regression estimated the effects of vehicle power on mean travel speeds, and logistic regression estimated the effects of vehicle power on the likelihood of a vehicle traveling over the speed limit and more than 10 mph over the limit.

Results: After controlling for driver characteristics, speed limit, vehicle type, and traffic volume, a 1-unit increase in vehicle power was associated with a 0.7% increase in mean speed, a 2.7% increase in the likelihood of a vehicle exceeding the speed limit by any amount, and an 11.6% increase in the likelihood of a vehicle exceeding the limit by 10 mph. All of these increases were highly significant.

Conclusions: Speeding persists as a major factor in crashes in the United States. There are indications that travel speeds have increased in recent years. The current findings suggest the trend toward substantially more powerful vehicles may be contributing to higher speeds. Given the strong association between travel speed and crash risk and crash severity, this is cause for concern.     

Assessment of patients' medical fitness to drive by primary care physicians: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are a significant health burden in Saudi Arabia. The literature has consistently indicated that chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obstructive sleep apnea, and neurodevelopmental disorders, increase the risk of MVCs. Therefore, assessment of driver fitness by primary care physicians (PCPs) remains a major health intervention that might reduce MVCs. We studied the practices of PCPs in assessing medical fitness to drive in at-risk patients.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of all 88 government-funded primary care centers in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We administered a self-reported questionnaire to PCPs that inquired about their driving risk assessment for specific medical conditions.

Results: Among all PCPs and centers, 189 PCPs (63%) from 74 centers (84%) participated in our survey. The mean age of the PCPs was 40 ± 10 years, and 108 (57%) were men. The average clinical experience of the group was 13 ± 9 years. Fewer than half of PCPs considered diabetes mellitus (45%) and obstructive sleep apnea (46%) as potential risks for MVCs. Approximately 45% of PCPs did not notify any authority or relatives of potential driving issues that they noticed in their patients. Only 15% of the participants believed that PCPs were responsible for alerting authorities about their fitness to drive.

Conclusions: PCPs did not adequately assess their patients' driving history and eligibility. Efforts are needed to improve awareness among PCPs regarding the effects of chronic medical conditions on driving.     

基于网络监管系统的机动车排气污染控制管理

通过建立南京市机动车排气污染网络监管系统,将车辆上牌、尾气年检、路检抽检、公交治理、标志管理、区域限行、维修治理等有关机动车污染控制的工作环节纳入到系统中,实现全过程在线实时监控,以保证工作过程的规范性、检测数据的真实性和监督管理的科学高效性。     

中国机动车污染物排放系数研究

中国机动车污染物排放已成为影响空气质量的重要来源。基于控制技术的机动车污染排放系数研究有助于排放控制。根据机动车使用状况,车用燃料硫含量,行驶状况和活动水平,运用MOBILE6.2的方法和原理确定了中国各类型机动车HC、CO、NOx的排放系数。小型汽油客车国0阶段CO、HC、NOx分别为78．18t/v、7．89t/v和1．95t／v;国Ⅰ阶段CO、HC、Nox分则为7．16t／v、0．64t/v和1．02t／v;国Ⅱ阶段CO、HC、NOx分则为0．64t／v、0．45t/v和0．25t／v。     

MOBILE计算中国机动车CO排放因子时的计算年确定

在使用MOBILE计算机动车排放因子时,一个较为重要的计算参数——计算年,在美国是根据实际年份来确定的,但是由于我国机动车排放发展水平与美国的不同,其值的确定是比较困难的关键问题。文章利用我国的实测机动车排放因子数据,在同等条件下使用MOBILE计算排放因子,并与道路实测数据对比,得到不同测试年份对应的MOBILE计算年,从而回归出使用MOBILE计算机动车排放因子的计算年公式。在今后利用MOBILE计算机动车排放时,可以方便的使用公式得到对应的MOBILE计算年,从而提高计算的精确度。     

上海世博规划区交通干道污染物对流扩散研究

采用计算流体动力学(CFD)技术,对不同来流风速大小、风向条件下的上海世博规划区内四条主要交通干道上的交通污染物对流扩散进行了三维数值仿真。获得了不同工况下交通污染物浓度的空间分布。通过数值仿真结果分析,探明了交通干道上的机动车尾气排放对世博规划区内空气质量的影响(各工况下世博规划区内的CO最大浓度为0.25～0.59mg/m3;东南、东北和南风向下规划区内的NO2最大浓度分别为0.037mg/m3、0.03mg/m3和0.03mg/m3,而北风和西风下规划区建筑群内NO2最大浓度分别为0.068mg/m3和0.12mg/m)3,并揭示出应该重视靠近交通干道的建筑物附近的空气质量改善,特别是要重视靠近卢浦大桥两侧的建筑群周围空气质量改善(卢浦大桥两侧的建筑群周围NO2最大浓度已稍大于《环境空气质量标准》规定的一级标准浓度限值)。     

基于GIS的太原市街道机动车污染物空间分布特征分析

在研究太原市机动车污染现状的基础上,结合太原市机动车排放因子模型Mob ile6和污染物扩散模型OSPM的计算结果,在G IS平台上绘制了太原市冬夏两季道路机动车污染物排放强度分布图和道路交通污染物浓度分布图,并对可视化结果作了科学的分析,研究结果表明：（1）太原市冬季街道污染总体上要高于夏季,这种趋势以CO的表现尤为明显;（2）街道NOX小时浓度超标率比CO小时浓度超标率更高,在研究的56条路段中,CO小时浓度都没有超过国家二级标准,NOX小时浓度超标率达38.9%（夏季）;（3）NOX污染主要集中在中心区,而建成区周边道路某些路段污染也较严重。     

汽油车非常规污染物排放特性研究

选择3种不同排量的典型汽油车,基于国Ⅲ标准的轻型车排放测试循环,用SKC采样泵和2, 4-DNPH、Tenax TA采样管采集尾气中的非常规污染物,利用高效液相色谱仪和热脱附气相色谱质谱联用仪分析汽油车排放中醛酮类化合物和挥发性有机物的组成及含量,同时利用电子低压冲击仪研究了其颗粒物排放的粒径和质量浓度分布特征.结果表明,不同汽油车之间非常规污染物的比排放值有较大差异,3辆汽油车总醛酮比排放量分别为36.44、 16.71、 10.43 mg/km,TVOC分别为155.39、 103.75、 42.29 mg/km.排放的醛酮化合物中甲醛、乙醛、丙烯醛、丙酮和环己酮的检出含量较高,占总醛酮量的77.9%～89.7%,且绝大部分为有毒有害物质;废气中挥发性有机物绝大部分为芳香烃和烷烃,分别占总数的31.6%～39.2%和23.1%～27.9%,其中又以芳香烃类化合物甲苯、二甲苯和苯的检出含量最高,平均占TVOC的16.68%、 16.87%和5.23%;其颗粒物排放以超细颗粒物（<100nm）为主,高速工况下排放的颗粒物明显多于低速和中速工况.     

Behavioral pathways in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes: From contributing factors,pre-crash actions,to injury severities

Introduction: This study performed a path analysis to uncover the behavioral pathways (from contributing factors, pre-crash actions to injury severities) in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes. Method: The analysis investigated more than 7,000 bicycle-motor vehicle crashes in North Carolina between 2007 and 2014. Pre-crash actions discussed in this study are actions of cyclists and motorists prior to the event of a crash, including “bicyclist failed to yield,” “motorist failed to yield,” “bicyclist overtaking motorist,” and “motorist overtaking bicyclist.” Results: Model results show significant correlates of pre-crash actions and bicyclist injury severity. For example, young bicyclists (18 years old or younger) are 23.5% more likely to fail to yield to motor traffic prior to the event of a crash than elder bicyclists. The “bicyclist failed to yield” action is associated with increased bicyclist injury severity than other actions, as this behavior is associated with an increase of 5.88 percentage points in probability of a bicyclist being at least evidently injured. The path analysis can highlight contributing factors related to risky pre-crash actions that lead to severe injuries. For example, bicyclists traveling on regular vehicle travel lanes are found to be more likely to involve the “bicyclist failed to yield” action, which resulted in a total 44.38% (7.04% direct effect + 37.34% indirect effect) higher likelihood of evident or severe injuries. The path analysis can also identify factors (e.g., intersection) that are not directly but indirectly correlated with injury severity through pre-crash actions. Practical Applications: This study offers a methodological framework to quantify the behavioral pathways in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes. The findings are useful for cycling safety improvements from the perspective of bicyclist behavior, such as the educational program for cyclists.     

Evaluation of driver performance with a prototype cyber physical mid-block crossing advanced warning system

Introduction: Using connected vehicle technologies, pedestrian to vehicle (P2V) communication applications can be installed on smart devices allowing pedestrians to communicate with drivers by broadcasting discrete safety messages, received by drivers in-vehicle, as an alternative to expensive fixed-location physical safety infrastructure. Method: This study consists of designing, developing, and deploying an entirely cyber-physical P2V communication system within the cellular vehicle to everything (C-V2X) environment at a mid-block crosswalk to analyze drivers’ reactions to in-vehicle advanced warning messages, the impacts of the advanced warning messages on driver awareness, and drivers’ acceptance of this technology. Results: In testing human subjects with, and without, advanced warning messages upon approaching a mid-block crosswalk, driver reaction, acceptance, speed, eye tracking data, and demographic data were collected. Through an odds ratio comparison, it was found that drivers were at least 2.44 times more likely to stop for the pedestrian with the warning than without during the day, and at least 1.79 times more likely during the night. Furthermore, through binary logistic regression analysis, it was found that driver age, time of the day, and the presence of the advanced warning message all had strong, significant impacts with a confidence value of at least 98% (p < 0.02) on the rate at which drivers stopped for the pedestrian. Conclusions: The results from this study indicate that the advanced warning message sent within the C-V2X had a strong, positive impact on driver behavior and understanding of pedestrian intent. Practical Applications: Pedestrian crashes and fatality rates at mid-block crossings continue to increase over the years. Connected vehicle technology utilizing smart devices can be used as a means for communications between pedestrians and drivers to deliver safety messages. State and local city planners should consider geofencing designated mid-block crossings at which this technology operates to increase pedestrian safety and driver awareness.