Traffic injury prevention
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2012
An investigation of the risk factors causing severe injuries in crashes involving gravel trucks.
Gravel trucks that transport heavy materials such as gravel, sand, dirt, or crushed rock require great skill and attention for safe driving, especially when they carry excessive loads or drive at unwarranted speeds that tend to cause serious accidents. Very few studies in the past have attempted to examine the effect of risk factors on the severity of injury associated with gravel truck crashes. This study intends to assess the impact of risk factors on the severity of injury associated with gravel truck crashes. ⋯ Some policy recommendations to prevent gravel truck-involved crashes that resulted in serious injuries include mandating gravel truck operators and companies to strictly enforce the maximum legal driving hours and improve the wage system of a low pay base and high-bonus by runs, in addition to a required driver training program, mandating gravel truck drivers to attend a traffic safety program for the education and awareness of risky driving behaviors--for example, overloading, speeding, and prolonged driving--before obtaining a professional driver's license.
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This study deals with deaths during the period 2004 to 2009 that occurred during the use of a vehicle known as pat-pat, which is an unusual vehicle, similar to a tractor-trailer used in agricultural production and transportation The records of crime scene investigation and autopsies of 28 cases of death due to pat-pat-related crushes were evaluated. Of all cases, 60.7 percent were drivers and the remaining 39.3% were passengers. The most common cause of death (in 39.3% of cases) was brain-spinal cord injury due to blunt trauma of the head and neck. Implementing legislation regarding safety measures or limitation of the use for transportation should be performed for pat-pats, of which thousands are currently in use.