Traffic injury prevention
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Roundabouts are a type of circular intersection control generally associated with a favorable influence on traffic safety. International studies of intersections converted to roundabouts indicate a strong reduction in injury crashes, particularly for crashes with fatal or serious injuries. Nevertheless, some crashes still occur at roundabouts. The present study aims to improve the understanding of roundabout safety by identifying crash types, locations, and factors that are associated with roundabout crashes. ⋯ The main goal of this study was to identify and analyze dominant crash types at roundabouts by taking into account detailed information on the crash location. Some connections between certain roundabout crash types, their crash location, and roundabout design characteristics have been found.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2015
Occurrence of serious injury in real-world side impacts of vehicles with good side-impact protection ratings.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) introduced its side impact consumer information test program in 2003. Since that time, side airbags and structural improvements have been implemented across the fleet and the proportion of good ratings has increased to 93% of 2012-2014 model year vehicles. Research has shown that drivers of good-rated vehicles are 70% less likely to die in a left-side crash than drivers of poor-rated vehicles. Despite these improvements, side impact fatalities accounted for about one quarter of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities in 2012. This study is a detailed analysis of real-world cases with serious injury resulting from side crashes of vehicles with good ratings in the IIHS side impact test. ⋯ Individual changes to the IIHS side impact test have the potential to reduce the number of serious injuries in real-world crashes. These include impacting the vehicle farther forward (relevant to 28% of all cases studied), greater test severity (17%), the inclusion of far-side occupants (9%), and more restrictive injury criteria (9%). Combinations of these changes could be more effective.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2015
Observational StudyThe prevalence of distraction among passenger vehicle drivers: a roadside observational approach.
Distracted driving contributes to a large proportion of motor vehicle crashes, yet little is known about the prevalence of distracted driving and the specific types of distracting behaviors. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of driver distraction using a roadside observational study design. ⋯ When using similar methodology, roadside observational studies generate comparable prevalence estimates of driver distraction as naturalistic driving studies. Driver distraction is a common problem among passenger vehicle drivers. Despite the increased awareness on the dangers of texting and cell phone use while driving, these specific activities were 2 of the most frequently observed distractions. There is a continued need for road safety education about the dangers of distracted driving, especially for younger drivers.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2015
Get a license, buckle up, and slow down: risky driving patterns among saudis.
Road traffic injuries are the largest cause of loss of disability-adjusted life years for men and women of all ages in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but data on driving habits there are lacking. To inform policymakers on drivers' abilities and driving habits, we analyzed data from the Saudi Health Interview Survey 2013. ⋯ The high burden of road traffic injuries in the Kingdom is not surprising given our findings. Our study calls for aggressive monitoring and enforcement of traffic laws. Awareness and proper education for drivers and their families should be developed jointly by the Ministries of Health, Interior Affairs, and Education and provided through their channels.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2015
Statistical analysis of bicyclists' injury severity at unsignalized intersections.
This study investigated factors correlated with the severity of injuries sustained by bicyclists in bicycle-motor vehicle crashes at unsignalized intersections to develop site-specific countermeasures and interventions to improve bicycle safety. ⋯ Based on these results, we suggest the development of educational programs focused on the following groups: child bicyclists, older bicyclists, and older drivers. Investigating and modifying street lighting could improve bicycle safety. Implementing road diets/traffic calming methods could create a safer traffic environment. Certain traffic control strategies (e.g., stop control) could be considered for uncontrolled intersections with high bicycle exposure, and helmet campaigns should be launched to increase helmet awareness and use. The study also suggests some interesting future research directions, including examining driver/bicyclist behaviors at uncontrolled intersections and studying the riding behaviors of child bicyclists in Kentucky.