Traffic injury prevention
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The "risk compensation" hypothesis suggests that individuals offset perceived gains in safety by increasing their risk-taking behavior to maintain a stable or "homeostatic" level of risk. If this is true for motorcyclists, then helmet use, which reduces the risk of brain injury and death, may lead helmet users to take more risks when they ride. Thus, increased risk-taking by helmet users should show up as overrepresentation in crashes, and accident reconstruction should reveal risky behaviors in the seconds just before the crash. This article examines data from two separate studies involving the on-scene, in-depth investigation and reconstruction of motorcycle crashes: 900 in Los Angeles (1976-1977) and another 1082 in Thailand (1999-2000). ⋯ The data fail to support the hypothesis that the increased safety provided by motorcycle helmet use is offset by more risk-taking while riding. The only evidence of risk compensation was that helmet use increased with greater amounts of travel.
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Traffic injury prevention · Dec 2010
Toward understanding the recent large reductions in U.S. road fatalities.
From 2005 to 2009, U.S. road fatalities dropped by 22 percent (from 43,510 to 33,963). A reduction of such magnitude over such a short time has not occurred since road safety statistics were first kept (starting in 1913), except for the reductions during World War II. ⋯ The report highlights the most interesting patterns of changes for 19 variables.
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Traffic injury prevention · Dec 2010
The contribution of fatal crashes involving teens transporting teens.
We determined the proportion of all fatal crashes of 16- and 17-year-old drivers that involved the presence of teenage passengers from 2004 to 2008. ⋯ A high proportion of teen crashes involve the presence of other teens as passengers at the time of the crash. There is a need to find effective ways to reduce these crashes.
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Traffic injury prevention · Dec 2010
National reported patterns of driver cell phone use in the United States.
To obtain detailed information on patterns of driver cell phone use, including how often drivers talk and text, the extent to which they use hands-free devices, and knowledge of and reaction to state cell phone laws. ⋯ Most drivers reported talking on phones while driving, even though earlier surveys have found that most people think this behavior should be banned. Fewer drivers overall reported texting, but the frequency of texting was higher among young drivers. Laws banning handheld phone use seem to discourage some drivers from talking on any type of phone and motivate some drivers to talk hands-free. Laws banning texting while driving have little effect on the reported frequency of texting while driving in any age group.
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Traffic injury prevention · Dec 2010
Are pedestrian countdown signals effective in reducing crashes?
The time left to cross the street displayed on pedestrian countdown signals can be used by pedestrians as well as drivers of vehicles, though these signals are primarily provided to help pedestrians make better crossing decisions at signalized intersections. This article presents an evaluation of the effect of pedestrian countdown signals in reducing vehicle-pedestrian crashes and all crashes at signalized intersections. ⋯ Based on results obtained, it can be concluded that pedestrians as well as drivers are making better decisions using the time left to cross the street displayed on pedestrian countdown signals at signalized intersections in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.