Traffic injury prevention
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
The result of a baseline survey on drink driving in Nanning and Liuzhou of Guangxi Province, China.
Because the official data in China on drink-driving accidents as well as related fatalities and injuries are much lower than many of the developed and developing countries in the world, the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) decided to conduct a baseline survey to understand the prevalence of drink driving and related accidents in Nanning and Liuzhou, both in Guangxi Province, in order to develop targeted interventions. ⋯ Valuable information was obtained from the baseline survey to provide a better understanding of the drink driving situation in Nanning and Liuzhou. From the survey data it can be seen that drinking and driving was a major issue in both cities. A drink driving intervention was developed with both components of public education/social marketing and enforcement activities after the survey, which was conducted in 2008. However, this article will focus on the methodology and results of the baseline survey, not the activities and outcome of the intervention.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
Head injuries to restrained occupants in single-vehicle pure rollover crashes.
Studies performed previously of seat-belted occupants in real-world passenger vehicle rollover-only crashes have identified the head as one of the body regions most often seriously injured. However, there have been few studies investigating how these head injuries occur in any detail. This study aims to investigate the characteristics and patterns of head injury to seat-belted occupants in real-world rollover-only crashes and to identify possible biomechanical mechanisms responsible for head injury to aid in the development of a dynamic rollover test protocol. ⋯ Serious brain injuries appear to occur frequently as a result of loading to the periphery of the head from contact with the roof assembly. Two mechanisms of injury for basal skull fractures in rollover crashes were identified. The injury patterns and locations of contact to the head are sensitive to the seated position of the occupant.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
The effect of earlier or automatic collision notification on traffic mortality by survival analysis.
This article explores the effects of earlier emergency medical services (EMS) or automatic collision notification (ACN) and EMS arrival on passenger/driver survivability within the short time frame following traffic crashes. ⋯ This article obtains the driver/passenger survival probability differences over time under different conditions of collision notifications, EMS arrivals, and crash locations; furthermore, this analysis provides an estimation of the lives that could potentially be saved (approximately 154 to 290 per year) due to earlier ACN.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
Truck drivers' opinion on road safety in Tanzania--a questionnaire study.
Even though the traffic fatality risk (fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants) in Tanzania is quite low, the fatality rate (fatalities per 10,000 vehicles) is one of the highest in the world. With increasing vehicle density this means that the number of people dying in traffic will increase dramatically in the near future. Therefore, it is important to implement measures to increase traffic safety as soon as possible, and in order to be able to do this in an efficient way, it is important to investigate where the main problems lie. ⋯ The results indicate that countermeasures should be implemented in an integrated fashion, taking into account aspects such as driver, vehicle, infrastructure, legislature, and other road users.
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Traffic injury prevention · Jan 2013
Scooter crashes at university: intervention tactics for modified behavior and helmet use.
Mopeds and scooters are defined as 2-wheeled vehicles with engine displacement ranging from 49 to 250 cm(3). These vehicles have experienced a resurgence in modern culture and are especially popular on large university campuses. Increased operation of mopeds and scooters has been a contributor to increased accidents and in some cases fatalities. Available statistics indicate that a majority of individuals involved in scooter crashes were not wearing helmets. The objective of this study was to explore perceptions of helmets and the significance of behavioral intention related to attitude toward helmet use among operators of these potentially dangerous motor vehicles. ⋯ University students who operated scooters were principally untrained in safe operation measures and in many cases ignored traffic laws. Though perceptions of helmets as a safety device were significant, they were viewed as uncomfortable, most often among female operators. Key psychological indicators of attitudes toward helmet use were perceived norms and control in making choices. The best course of action is messages that (1) introduces modern features that make helmets more user adaptable to comfort; (2) promote a positive outcome through users' motivation to comply to norms (i.e., parental influence); and (3) encourage the perceived empowerment that emanates from control in decision making.