Traffic injury prevention
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2019
Cycling Skill Inventory: Assessment of motor-tactical skills and safety motives.
Objective: It is well established within the traffic psychology literature that a distinction can be made between driving skill and driving style. The majority of self-report questionnaires have been developed for car drivers, whereas only limited knowledge exists on the riding skill and style of cyclists. Individual differences in cycling skills need to be understood in order to apply targeted interventions. ⋯ The analysis also confirmed well-established gender differences, with male cyclists having lower safety motives but higher motor-tactical skills than female cyclists. Conclusions: The nomological network of the CSI for cyclists is similar to that of the Driving Skill Inventory for car drivers. Safety motives are a predictor of self-reported accident involvement among cyclists.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2019
Driver distraction and inattention in fatal and injury crashes: Findings from in-depth road crash data.
Objective: This study investigated the contribution of driver distraction and inattention within fatal and injury crashes using recent in-depth road crash investigation data. To assist in developing system-based solutions, this study also examined the wider context in which inattention-related crashes occurred and the characteristics of inattentive drivers. Methods: The sample included in-depth crash data from 186 fatal and injury crashes in South Australia investigated from 2014 to 2018. ⋯ Conclusions: The findings established that almost a third of fatal and injury crashes involved driver inattention and distraction and many of these could have been prevented. System-wide solutions that could mitigate or prevent distraction crashes include intervening vehicle safety technologies, infrastructure solutions to promote a forgiving road environment, blocking capabilities within technologies to prevent communications while driving, and interventions communicating the risks associated with inattention. Of significance, this study also demonstrated the importance of in-depth data for understanding the contribution of distraction and inattention errors in crash causation.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2019
Observational StudyPedestrian risky behavior and safety at zebra crossings in a Ghanaian metropolitan area.
This article assesses pedestrian behavior and safety at zebra crossings in the Cape Coast Metropolis. ⋯ The majority of the pedestrian crashes in the metropolis resulted in injuries resulting in hospitalization or fatalities and occurred at a midblock. Pedestrians largely exhibited risky behaviors predisposing the occurrence of RTCs at zebra crossings despite the fact that they are a pedestrian right-of-way. There is therefore the need for the National Road Safety Commission to carry out campaigns to educate pedestrians on the safer use of zebra crossings.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2019
Effect of alcohol use on accelerating and braking behaviors of drivers.
Objective: The present study examines the accelerating and braking behaviors of drivers at different blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) in heterogeneous driving conditions using driving simulator experiments. Methods: Eighty-two licensed drivers performed simulated driving in a rural road environment designed in the driving simulator at 4 BAC levels: 0.00, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.08%. Driving performance was analyzed using vehicle control variables such as mean acceleration and mean brake pedal force. ⋯ Conclusions: The findings of the present study revealed that drivers tend to be more aggressive and impulsive under the influence of alcohol, which deteriorates their driving performance. Impairment in accelerating and braking behaviors of drivers under the influence of alcohol leads to increased crash probabilities. The conclusions may provide reference in making countermeasures against drinking and driving and contribute to traffic safety.
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Motorcycles are a common mode of transportation in low- and middle-income countries. Tanzania, in particular, has experienced an increased use of motorcycles in the last decade. In Dar es Salaam, motorcycles provide door-to-door travel and often operate where more conventional services are uneconomical or physically impossible to maneuver. Although motorcycles play a crucial role in improving mobility in the city, they have several safety issues. This study focuses on identifying factors influencing the severity of motorcycle crashes. ⋯ Several countermeasures are recommended based on the study findings. The recommended countermeasures focus on the holistic safety improvement strategies constituting the three Es of highway safety, namely, engineering, education, and enforcement.