Motor vehicles act

Crush asphyxia involving motor vehicles usually occurs when a victim is trapped beneath a vehicle that slips from a jack while being worked on, or beneath a car that has rolled over during a crash. Two cases are reported where crush asphyxia resulted from quite different circumstances. Case 1: A 58-year-old woman was found dead trapped between her car door and frame. As she was alighting from the vehicle it had rolled forward trapping her between the semi-opened door and car frame when the door had wedged against a second parked vehicle. Case 2: A second 58-year-old woman was found dead, also trapped between her car door and frame. She had been leaning out of her car trying to pick up a newspaper when the car rolled forward. The open driver's door wedged against an adjacent pillar trapping her between the door and the frame. Both victims died from crush asphyxia. This form of automobile door entrapment represents a distinct subset of automobile-related asphyxial deaths and illustrates a particular and unusual set of circumstances that may result in unexpected traumatic death. Getting, or leaning, out of a vehicle that does not have the handbrake engaged may result in wedging of the victim between the semi-opened door and car frame if the car rolls forward and the door impacts against a nearby unyielding object. Correlation of the physical dimensions of the door and frame with markings on the victim's body will assist in reconstructing the terminal events.

Routing systems for motorized vehicles in the internet are well known and widely used. But until recently, there had been no possibility to completely design and individually plan a tourist bicycle tour. This paper describes the conceptual design and implementation of such a bicycle routing system which has been operational since July 2001. Design and implementation of the routing system was done by the Research Center for Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing (FZG) at the University of Vechta in coorporation with the organization 'Verbund Oldenburger Münsterland e.V.'. To achieve the desired goals, a server/client architecture was used which was based on commercial GIS, database system, and internet components. It is planned that in the near future the bicycle routing system 'Fahrradies' will be extended with the data of neighboring tourist regions as well as with new functions. It will also prove necessary to adapt the system to the new developments of the underlying GIS software and emerging internet standards. Other options include the possibility to integrate the routing system with online navigation and positioning data in the field using wireless communication technology.

This work was aimed to record the concentrations of eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): (benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene and chrysene) in meats and fishes sold in Abobo market in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The amount of PAHs present in each sample was quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with ultraviolet (UV) detector. PAHs were present in all samples in variable quantity. More over benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) was present in majority of samples, in quantity above the limit fixed by European Union. With regard to cooking processes, smoking produce more PAHs compared to frying or grilled cooking. Concerning the nature of the matrices, no significant differences were found between meat and fish except benzo[g,h,i]perylene. The study declared that PAHs contamination in the tested foods exceeded the acceptable limit. Health risks linked with the consumption of these foods is a real danger that requires further study.

The advent and incorporation of the air bag into motor vehicles has resulted in the mitigation of many head and truncal injuries in motor vehicle collisions. However, air bag deployment is not risk free. We present a case of sodium azide-induced laryngospasm after air bag deployment. An unrestrained male driver was in a moderate-speed motor vehicle collision with air bag deployment. Medics found him awake, gasping for air with stridorous respirations and guarding his neck. The patient had no external signs of trauma and was presumed to have tracheal injury. The patient was greeted by the Anesthesiology service, which intubated him using glidescope-assisted laryngoscopy. The patient was admitted for overnight observation and treatment of alkaline ocular injury and laryngospasm. Although air bags represent an important advance in automobile safety, their use is not without risk. Bruising and tracheal rupture secondary to air bag deployment have been reported in out-of-position occupants. Additionally, alkaline by-products from the combustion of sodium azide in air bags have been implicated in ocular injury and facial burns. Laryngospasm after sodium azide exposure presents another diagnostic challenge for providers. Therefore, it is incumbent to maintain vigilance in the physical examination and diagnosis of occult injuries after air bag deployment.

The paper presents the results of research aimed at developing a risk assessment process that can be used to more thoroughly characterise risks associated with loader-and dozer-related fatal incidents in US mining. The assessment is based on historical data obtained from the US Mine Safety and Health Administration investigation reports, which includes 77 fatal incidents that occurred from 1995 to 2006. The Preliminary Hazard Assessment method is used in identifying and quantifying risks. Risk levels are then developed using a pre-established risk matrix that ranks them according to probability and severity. The resulting assigned risk value can then be used to prioritise risk control strategies. A total of 10 hazards were identified for loaders. The hazards 'failure to follow adequate maintenance procedure' and 'failure of mechanical/electrical/hydraulic components' were the most severe and frequent hazards and they fell into the category of 'high' risk. The same number of hazards was identified for dozers. The hazard 'failure to identify adverse site/geological conditions' was the most severe and frequent hazard and it fell into the category of 'high' risk.

The objective of the present research was to advance understanding of factors that can protect against range anxiety, specifically range stress in everyday usage of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Range anxiety is a major barrier to the broad adoption of sustainable electric mobility systems. To develop strategies aimed at overcoming range anxiety, a clear understanding of this phenomenon and influencing factors is needed. We examined range anxiety in the form of everyday range stress (ERS) in a field study setting. Seventy-two customers leased a BEV for 3 months. The field study was specifically designed to enable examination of factors that can contribute to lower ERS. In particular, study design and sample recruitment were targeted at generating vehicle usage profiles that would lead to relatively frequent experience of situations requiring active management of range resources and thereby potentially leading to experienced range stress. Less frequent encounter with critical ran...

Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) and near-crashes as reported by emergency medicine (EM) residents following various ED shifts. Methods: A survey was sent to all allopathic EM-2-EM-4 residents in May 1996 asking whether they had ever been involved in an MVC or near-crash while driving home after an ED shift. The residents' night shift schedules, self-reported tolerance of night work, ability to overcome drowsiness, sleep flexibility, and morningness/eveningness tendencies also were collected. Results: Seventy-eight programs participated and 62% of 1,554 eligible residents returned usable surveys. Seventy-six (8%, 95% CI = 6% to 10%) residents reported having 96 crashes and 553 (58%, 95% CI = 55% to 61%) residents reported being involved in 1,446 near-crashes. Nearly three fourths of the MVCs and 80% of the near-crashes followed the

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is an uncommon inflammatory skin disorder in which immune mechanisms, cytotoxic reactions, and delayed hypersensitivity seem to be involved. herein, an unusual case with strange complaint of "bus allergy" is presented, suffering from severe generalized itching and skin lesions, followed by ulcers in his mouth and genitalia. The diagnosis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome was made and appropriate treatment was advised. however, detailed medical history revealed a completely different cause of his allergic reactions, as he had occasionally used dimenhydrinate because of motion sickness in his history. Therefore, adverse drug reaction to dimenhydrinate was considered as the main underlying cause of the disease. in conclusion, thorough medical history should be taken to make a definitive diagnosis and identify the underlying disease, since accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment can prevent further complications.

The aim of this study was to find which drugs and drug combinations were most common in drivers who died, in particular, in single vehicle crashes where the responsibility for the crash would be referred to the driver killed. The study included all available blood samples from drivers, who died within 24 h of the accident, in the years 2001 and 2002 in the five Nordic countries (total population about 24 million inhabitants). The samples were analysed for more than 200 different drugs in addition to alcohol, using a similar analytical programme and cut-off limits in all countries. In three countries (Finland, Norway and Sweden) blood samples were available for more than 70% of the drivers, allowing representative prevalence data to be collected. 60% of the drivers in single vehicle crashes had alcohol and/or drug in their blood samples, compared with 30% of drivers killed in collisions with other vehicles. In single vehicle accidents, 66% of the drivers under 30 years of age had alcohol and/or drugs in their blood (alcohol only -40%; drugs only -12%; alcohol and drugs -14%). The drugs found were mostly illicit drugs and psychoactive medicinal drugs with warning labels (in 57% and 58% respectively of the drivers under 30 with drugs present). Similar findings were obtained for drivers 30-49 years of age (63% with alcohol and/or drugs). In drivers aged 50 years and above, killed in single vehicle crashes (48% with alcohol and/or drugs) illicit drugs were found in only one case, and psychoactive medicinal drugs were detected less frequently than in younger age groups. In 75% of single vehicle crashes, the driver was under 50 years. Thus, the majority of accidents where the drivers must be considered responsible, occurred with drivers who had recently used alcohol, or drugs, alone or in combination. The drugs involved were often illicit and/or psychoactive drugs with warning labels. Therefore a large proportion of single vehicle accidents appear to be preventable, if more effective measures against driving after intake of alcohol and drugs can be implemented.

Public participation in transport planning is a recent trend. There is an increasing number of cases in Europe where the public is involved in the decision-making process. In Portugal, where the use of a motor vehicle as a means of transportation still enjoys a deep approval in the society, a participatory approach is an opportunity to change perceptions towards more sustainable transport modes. In Ponta Delgada (Archipelago of the Azores), for the first time in Portugal, the relevant stakeholders were involved in the development process of a sustainable mobility plan. It proved that, on a participatory basis, sustainable transport planning provides more satisfactory and efficient solutions. This paper presents the methodology and results of a participative transport management planning model. This model can be adapted to the specific needs and problems of other small island cities.

The first step has been taken in the effort to develop a microscopic simulation model of mixed motor vehicle and bicycle traffic over an entire network. The primary objective was to develop the main algorithm of BICycle SIMulator and translate it into a working computer program. To achieve the goal, the gaps in the existing literature were filled by data collected at the University of Delaware campus in Newark. An equation of mixed bicycle and motor vehicle following was developed and used for the representation of longitudinal interaction of vehicles. The program was implemented in C+plus; programming language and tested on real-world data. The resulting software is the first in the world to allow the inclusion of bicyclists in the analysis of urban transportation by the means of microscopic simulation.

Despite clear evidence that motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of mortality and severe morbidity among adolescents and young adults, healthcare providers have not been fully engaged in efforts to reduce these rates. A new national awareness and effort to reduce motor-vehicle crashes provides an opportunity to engage healthcare providers and encourage them to play an active role in curbing crash rates. Indeed, research supports the notion that, when provided with adequate knowledge, training, and charting tools or electronic prompts, healthcare providers can increase their rates of screening, educating, and counseling youth and their parents about safe driving and that these efforts can be effective at increasing safety and reducing risk. Healthcare providers' efforts to advocate for safer driving laws and regulations are also important efforts in reducing youth driving risk.

Air quality crisis in cities is mainly due to vehicular emissions. Transportation systems are increasing everywhere and the improvements in technology are insufficient to counteract growth. This paper examines the effect of vehicular emission on urban air quality and human health, and focuses on the unique features of an Indian mega city regarding its air pollution. A fact-finding survey was conducted to evaluate the status of air pollution at traffic intersections and the problem arising out of vehicular emissions in the study area. All the key pollutants are in excess of permitted levels. The severe detrimental effects of this pollution are reviewed. The problems have reached threatening dimensions. Vulnerable analysis (VA) has been carried out to evaluate the air pollution stress at different locations within the study area. Options for controlling mobile sources emissions are discussed and a strategic motor vehicle control strategy has been proposed to mitigate the air pollution in the city. Replacement of old vehicles, reformulating diesel fuel, introduction of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG), massive improvements in infrastructure and radical traffic management measures are among the actions that will need to be brought together to achieve this objective.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 3-33, and rollover crashes have a higher fatality rate than any other crash mode. At the request and under the sponsorship of Ford Motor Company, Autoliv conducted a series of dynamic rollover tests on Ford Explorer sport utility vehicles (SUV) during 1998 and 1999. Data from those tests were made available to the public and were analyzed in this study to investigate the magnitude of and the temporal relationship between roof deformation, lap-shoulder seat belt loads, and restrained anthropometric test dummy (ATD) neck loads. During each of the three FMVSS 208 dolly rollover tests of Ford Explorer SUVs, the far-side, passenger ATDs exhibited peak neck compression and flexion loads, which indicated a probable spinal column injury in all three tests. In those same tests, the nearside , driver ATD neck loads never predicted a potential injury. In all three tests, objective roof/ pillar deformation occurred prior to the occurrence of peak neck loads (F z , M y) for far-side, passenger ATDs, and peak neck loads were predictive of probable spinal column injury. The production lap and shoulder seat belts in the SUVs, which restrained both driver and passenger ATDs, consistently allowed ATD head contact with the roof while the roof was contacting the ground during this 1000 ms test series. Local peak neck forces and moments were noted each time the far-side, passenger ATD head contacted (''dived into'') the roof while the roof was in contact with the ground; however, the magnitude of these local peaks was only 2-13% of peak neck loads in all three tests. ''Diving-type'' neck loads were not predictive of injury for either driver or passenger ATD in any of the three tests.

To contribute to complete the knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of action involved in air pollution particulate matter (PM)induced cytotoxicity, an aerosol was collected in Dunkerque, a French seaside City heavily industrialized. In this work, we focused our attention on its physical and chemical characteristics, its cytotoxicity, and its role in the induction of the volatile organic compound (VOC) and/or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-metabolizing enzymes in human lung epithelial cells (A549). Size distribution showed that 92.15% of the collected PM were PM 2.5 and the specific surface area was 1 m 2 /g. Inorganic (i.e. Fe, Al, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Pb, etc.) and organic (i.e. VOC, PAH, etc.) chemicals were found in collected PM, revealing that much of them derived from wind-borne dust from the industrial complex and the heavy motor vehicle traffic. The thermal desorption study indicated that organic chemicals were not only adsorbed onto the surface but also highly incrusted in the structure of PM. The lethal concentrations at 10% and 50% of collected PM were 23.72 mg/mL (or 6.33 mg/cm 2 ) and 118.60 mg/mL (or 31.63 mg/cm 2 ), respectively. The VOC and/or PAH-coated onto PM induced significant increases in mRNA expressions of cytochrome P450 (cyp) 1a1, cyp2e1, cyp2f1, nadph quinone oxydo-reductase-1, and glutathione s-transferase-pi 1, versus controls. Hence, we concluded that the metabolic activation of the very low doses of VOC and/or PAH-coated onto the inorganic condensation nuclei from Dunkerque City's PM is one of the underlying mechanisms of action closely involved in its cytotoxicity in human lung epithelial cells.

Clinical determinations of causation in cases of intervertebral disk (IVD) injury after a motor vehicle crash (MVC) are often disputed in medicolegal settings. No published systematic guidelines exist for making such determinations, which has resulted in infringement by nonclinical personnel into injury causation evaluations, a traditionally clinical activity. The result is causal determinations that are potentially disconnected from clinical observations of injury. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the current literature on causation, causal determinations after trauma and IVD injury after MVC, and to develop a practicable, logical, and literature-based approach to causation determinations of symptomatic IVD injury after MVC. The results of the review indicate IVD injury can result from any MVC regardless of magnitude, thus meeting the first criteria of causation, biologic plausibility. Individual determinations of causation depend entirely on the temporal association between the collision and the symptom onset (the second criterion) and a lack of a more probable explanation for the symptoms (the third). When these causal elements are met, clinicians can assert causation on a "more probable than not" or "reasonable probability" basis. Because of a lack of an established or reliable relationship between collision force and the probability of IVD injury the investigation of collision parameters is not a useful adjunct to causal determinations.

Traveler attitudes and preferences as well as demographic variables are important components in the travel behavior process. Using travel attitudes a factor and cluster analysis were conducted to segment the sample. Six distinct groups were extracted: Transit Enthusiasts, Anxious Status Seekers, Car-less Riders, Green Cruisers, Frugal Travelers, and Obstinate Drivers. The segments showed unique combinations of attitudes with distinct travel behaviors and varying degrees of intention to use public transport. Gender differences were then investigated and the results suggest that women and men exhibit differences on attitudes, preferences and behavior. The design of strategies to promote alternatives to car use should target the market segments that are most motivated to change, focusing on the attitudes that can induce a change, such as pro transit or sensibility to the environment.

This study uses state-level and city-level data from the U.S. to assess the relationship between the homicide rate and the motor-vehicle fatality rate. The analysis of ecological data for a multiyear period reveals that there is a mild to moderate relationship between homicide rates and traffic-fatality rates. The limitations of ecological data are discussed. The authors argue that law enforcement can play a minor but significant role in determining the level of each type of fatality and that public perception of police activity is important. Police are most visible in their patrol and traffic functions and research suggests that controlling traffic flow has an effect on crime. Alternatively, the traffic equivalent to``broken windows'' might be``crumpled fenders.'' Lack of enforcement may send a signal to residents that police are absent or uncaring, leading not only to a disregard of the traffic safety rules and to higher accident rates but also to higher rates of crime in the community generally, as reflected through the homicide statistics.

Automobile fires are consistently among the largest causes of fire death in the United States (about 500 annually) and the U.S. motor vehicle industry and others have spent a significant amount of money in recent years studying this problem. The authors of this review have analyzed the auto industry reports, the scientific literature, and statistical data, and conclude that measures should be taken to improve survivability in automobile fires. The U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 302 (FMVSS 302) was introduced almost 40 years ago to measure the flammability of interior materials, but improvements in the crashworthiness of automobiles and their fuel tanks and the increased use of combustible materials have changed the motor vehicle fire scenario significantly. In particular, the primary threat has changed from ignition of a small quantity of combustible interior materials by a lit cigarette, in 1960, to ignition of a large quantity of combustible interior and exterior materials by an impact-induced fire, at present. The authors therefore suggest that FMVSS 302 is no longer relevant to automobile fire safety and recommend improved standards based on objective criteria for fire safety performance (fireworthiness) at the system/vehicle level as is routinely done for crashworthiness. 254 K. H. DIGGES ET AL. § This calculation is based on materials in a midsize sedan, in which the floor, dashboard, rear deck, and seat bases are the only horizontal, upward facing surfaces.

This paper estimates the effect on health of traffic injury and air and noise pollution from a proposed inner-suburban freeway in Melbourne. We estimated levels of these health problems for the year 2001 using traffic flow projections for the presence and absence of the freeway. For noise and air pollution, it was necessary to use pollutant levels as proxies for levels of associated diseases and health states. In 2001, there will be an increase in all traffic movements in the study area but a decrease of 100,000 vehicle-kilometers per day on major roads, excluding the bypass. This is associated with a projected reduction in the study area of about 100 to 110 injuries of all types. The major air pollution problems associated with motor vehicle emissions are ozone and respirable particulates; sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are unlikely to pose a health hazard. Levels of respirable particulates, lead and polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons are generally low. There sh...

Public transportation systems are an essential component of major cities. The widespread use of smart cards for automated fare collection in these systems offers a unique opportunity to understand passenger behavior at a massive scale. In this study, we use network-wide data obtained from smart cards in the London transport system to predict future traffic volumes, and to estimate the effects of disruptions due to unplanned closures of stations or lines. Disruptions, or shocks, force passengers to make different decisions concerning which stations to enter or exit. We describe how these changes in passenger behavior lead to possible overcrowding and model how stations will be affected by given disruptions. This information can then be used to mitigate the effects of these shocks because transport authorities may prepare in advance alternative solutions such as additional buses near the most affected stations. We describe statistical methods that leverage the large amount of smart-ca...

In Mexico, mobile source emission inventories are traditionally calculated using emission factors and deterioration rates developed by the US-EPA for the US vehicle fleet, fuels and driving conditions. While this method might prove useful to obtain rough estimates of mobile source emissions, it is assumed that these inventories entail a high (and still unidentified) level of uncertainty, which makes it essential to enhance these inventories with the use of field data on vehicle characteristics, driving patterns and fuels prevalent in Mexico.

For some time now, it has been recognised that a major shift is occurring in the population age distributions of most motorised countries resulting in a growing number of older persons with an increasing need for mobility. It is expected that the mobility of older persons will become even more reliant on the motor vehicle as European countries in particular undergo transitions towards decentralisation and suburbanisation and because of the well-established longevity factor. This study compares injury outcomes in passenger car crashes for belted occupants of different ages. The study considers drivers and front seat passengers.National accident data in the UK show that whilst older car occupants are less likely to be involved in a car accident than younger occupants, in the event of a crash, older occupants are more likely to be killed or to sustain serious injury. This, in conjunction with the increasing numbers of older licence holder and car users implies that the protection of the inherently frail elderly should become a priority for the future.Analysis of the UK in-depth accident data revealed that the older car occupants were significantly more prone to serious chest injury than their younger counterparts and that these injuries were predominantly due to forces exerted by the restraint system, particularly in frontal impacts. Since by the year 2030 one in four persons will be aged over 65 in most Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, the results suggest a need for intervention through vehicle design including in-vehicle crashworthiness systems that take into account the reduced tolerance to impact that occurs with ageing.

Size distributions of particulate hopanes, steranes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in the exhaust from four heavy-duty diesel vehicles (HDDVs) operated under idle, creep, transient, and two highspeed driving modes. Particulate matter was collected using a chassis dynamometer and a dilution sampling system equipped with cascade impactors and filter samplers. Samples were extracted using organic solvents and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Size distributions of hopanes and steranes were functions of engine load conditions and vehicle technology. Hopanes and steranes peaked in size ranges larger than 0.18 µm aerodynamic particle diameter under light load conditions and less than 0.10 µm aerodynamic particle diameter under heavier load conditions. The eight hopane size distributions emitted from newer technology (>1998) vehicles were unimodal while the four hopane size distributions emitted from older technology vehicles (<1992) were bimodal. Similar trends between older and newer vehicles were not observed for sterane size distributions. The PAH composition emitted from HDDVs was a function of driving cycle and vehicle technology. Light driving cycles produced quantifiable emissions of 3, 4, 5, and 6 ring PAHs (including coronene). Heavier driving cycles produced only the 3 and 4 ring PAHs in quantifiable amounts. PM1.8 and PM0.1 source profiles constructed using the relative abundance of hopanes and steranes to total organic carbon were functions of vehicle load condition. Increasing load reduced the relative abundance of motor oil tracers in the PM1.8 size fraction and increased the abundance of these tracers in the PM0.1 size fraction. The relative abundances of PAHs in the PM0.1 and PM1.8 size fractions emitted from the oldest vehicle tested (1985 HDDV) were significantly higher than for any other vehicle tested.

The Alabama State Department of Education and the Governor's Study Group on School Bus Seat Belts authorized and funded a research project to investigate the effects of lap-shoulder seat belts on Alabama school buses. This article performs an empirical analysis to address an important component of the study -factors that impact students' decisions about wearing seat belts or not on school buses. Discrete choice modeling framework is applied to quantify relative influences of various factors. To obtain the disaggregate level information on individual student's characteristics and trip properties, a new data collection protocol is developed. Eleven variables are investigated and eight of them are found to have significant impacts. They are age, gender, the home county of a student, a student's trip length, time of day, presence and active involvement of bus aide, and two levels of bus driver involvement. The resulting model fits the data well and reveals several trends that have been overlooked or underestimated in the literature. The model can also be used to predict the change of seat belt usage rate caused by the change of impact factors. This is helpful in identifying the most cost-effective ways to improve compliance rate, which is critical to bring the added safety benefit of seat belts into effect. This article is the first to quantify relative impacts of a range of variables using rigorous statistical modeling techniques. This study will contribute to the literature and provide valuable insights to the practice of school transportation management.

Biodiesel is one of the most promising alternative diesel fuels. As diesel emission regulations have become more stringent, the diesel particulate filter (DPF) has become an essential part of the aftertreatment system. Knowledge of kinetics of exhaust particle oxidation for alternative diesel fuels is useful in estimating the change in regeneration behavior of a DPF with such fuels. This study examines the characteristics of diesel particulate emissions as well as kinetics of particle oxidation using a 1996 John Deere T04045TF250 off-highway engine and 100% soy methyl ester (SME) biodiesel (B100) as fuel. Compared to standard D2 fuel, this B100 reduced particle size, number, and volume in the accumulation mode where most of the particle mass is found. At 75% load, number decreased by 38%, DGN decreased from 80 to 62 nm, and volume decreased by 82%. Part of this decrease is likely associated with the fact that the particles were more easily oxidized. Arrhenius parameters for the biodiesel fuel showed a 2-3 times greater frequency factor and ∼6 times higher oxidation rate compared to regular diesel fuel in the range of 700-825°C

Nothing is known about unreported crashes; the information we have is of reported crashes only. Whether a crash gets reported depends on its severity. It follows by logic that, using only data about reported crashes, it is impossible to say whether a change or difference in crash counts reflects a change or difference in crash frequency or in crash severity. This indeterminacy has practical implications. Examples discussed are of the misattribution of over-representation in reported crashes of older drivers and of trucks to causal factors related to the frequency of crash involvement, and of misinterpretation by researchers of findings about the rollover propensity of SUVs.

The stereotype of women's limited parking skills is deeply anchored in modern culture. Although laboratory tests prove men's average superiority in visuospatial tasks and parking requires complex, spatial skills, underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. Here, we investigated performance of beginners (nine women, eight men) and more experienced drivers (21 women, 27 men) at diVerent parking manoeuvres. Furthermore, subjects conducted the mental rotation test and self-assessed their parking skills. We show that men park more accurately and especially faster than women. Performance is related to mental rotation skills and self-assessment in beginners, but only to self-assessment in more experienced drivers. We assume that, due to diVerential feedback, self-assessment incrementally replaces the controlling inXuence of mental rotation, as parking is trained with increasing experience. Results suggest that sex diVerences in spatial cognition persist in real-life situations, but that socio-psychological factors modulate the biological causes of sex diVerences.

The transport sector contributes significantly to the emission of global greenhouse gases (GHGs) resulting in a rise in global temperature and climate change. A troubling aspect of emissions from the transport sector is that they are increasing rapidly. With the ongoing rapid increase in population, expansion of middle class in developing countries, and availability of cheaper vehicles such as Tata Nano in India, the desire to own private vehicles is within reach now than ever for millions of people in the developing world. This could have a huge implication on ongoing effort towards containment of GHG emissions. We look at the role of urban design forms e settlement density e housing and employment activities and the effects they could have in reducing travel demands, motor vehicle dependency and GHG emissions. Although urban planning has a limited effect on the reduction of GHG emissions, in the short term, due to the time needed to build up the necessary infrastructures, in the long term, it can be very effective through the shift from private vehicle dependency to public and other alternative environmentally friendly modes of transports (such as walking and cycling). A mixture of high residential and employment density could influence shorter commuter journeys and a reduction in private vehicle use if it is supported by an efficient public transport system and appropriate fiscal and regulatory instruments. Among the set of available instruments to reduce GHGs from the transport sector, urban planning, may be equally important, if not more to contain emissions from the transport sector.

Since duration prediction is one of the most important steps in an accident management process, there have been several approaches developed for modeling accident duration. This paper presents a model for the purpose of accident duration prediction based on accurately recorded and large accident dataset from the Korean Freeway Systems. To develop the duration prediction model, this study utilizes the log-logistic accelerated failure time (AFT) metric model and a 2-year accident duration dataset from 2006 to 2007. Specifically, the 2006 dataset is utilized to develop the prediction model and then, the 2007 dataset was employed to test the temporal transferability of the 2006 model. Although the duration prediction model has limitations such as large prediction error due to the individual differences of the accident treatment teams in terms of clearing similar accidents, the results from the 2006 model yielded a reasonable prediction based on the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) scale. Additionally, the results of the statistical test for temporal transferability indicated that the estimated parameters in the duration prediction model are stable over time. Thus, this temporal stability suggests that the model may have potential to be used as a basis for making rational diversion and dispatching decisions in the event of an accident. Ultimately, such information will beneficially help in mitigating traffic congestion due to accidents.

Manuals were designed to provide support and information about the usage and maintenance of the vehicle. In many cases user's manuals are the driver's only guidance. However, lack of clarity and efficiency of manuals lead to user dissatisfaction. In vehicles this problem is even more crucial given that driving a motor vehicle is, for many people, the most complex and potentially dangerous task they will perform during their lifetime. In this paper we present a voice interfaced driver manual that can potentially fix the deficiencies of its alternatives. In addition we aim to provide a case for the integration of such technology in a vehicle to reduce driver distraction, increase driver satisfaction, and manual usability, while also benefiting Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in lowering costs and reducing the documentation process.

Infrared (IR) remote sensors calibrated with propane understate volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations in vehicle exhaust by 30-70% when compared to flame ionization detectors (FID). The difference depends on VOC composition and arises because many organic compounds in vehicle exhaust absorb less IR radiation than propane on a per-carbon basis. This study demonstrates an approach for scaling infrared measurements to reflect more accurately total exhaust VOC emissions from on-road motor vehicle fleets. Infrared versus flame ionization detector response to individual VOC was measured in the laboratory for methyl tert-butyl ether and a range of alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics that are prominent in vehicle exhaust. Overall IR/FID response to real exhaust mixtures was calculated by summing the response contributions of all individual VOC constituents. Average IR/FID response factors were calculated for typical onroad vehicle fleets based on VOC speciation profiles measured in several U.S. roadway tunnels. Results indicate that hydrocarbon concentrations measured by remote sensors with 3.4 µm filters should be multiplied by a factor of 2.0 ( 0.1 for light-duty vehicles using either California or federal reformulated gasoline blends and by 2.2 ( 0.1 when conventional gasoline is used.

Samples of fine and coarse fractions of airborne particulate matter were collected at the Farm Gate area in Dhaka from July 2001 to March 2002. Dhaka is a hot spot area with very high pollutant concentrations because of the proximity of major roadways. The samples were collected using a "Gent" stacked filter unit in two fractions of 0-to 2.2-m and 2.2-to 10-m sizes. The samples were analyzed for elemental concentrations by particle-induced X-ray excitation (PIXE) and for black carbon by reflectivity methods, respectively. The data were analyzed by positive matrix factorization (PMF) to identify the possible sources of atmospheric aerosols in this area. Six sources were found for both the coarse and fine PM fractions. The data sets were also analyzed by an expanded model to explore additional sources. Seven and six factors were obtained for coarse and fine PM fractions, respectively, in these analyses. The identified sources are motor vehicle, soil dust, emissions from construction activities, sea salt, biomass burning/brick kiln, resuspended/fugitive Pb, and two-stroke engines. From the expanded modeling, ϳ50% of the total PM 2.2 mass can be attributed to motor vehicles, including two-stroke engine vehicle in this hot spot in Dhaka, whereas the PMF modeling indicates that 45% of the total PM 2.2 mass is from motor vehicles. The PMF2 and expanded models could resolve ϳ4% and 3% of the total PM 2.2 mass as resuspended/fugitive Pb, respectively. Although, Pb has been eliminated from gasoline in Bangladesh since July 1999, there still may be substantial amounts of accumulated lead in the dust near roadways as well as fugitive Pb emissions from battery reclaimation and other industries. Soil dust is the largest component of the coarse particle fraction (PM 2.2-10 ) accounting for ϳ71% of the total PM 2.2-10 mass in the expanded model, whereas from the PMF modeling, the dust (undifferentiated) contribution is ϳ49%.

Objectives: This prospective, nationally representative, multi-centre study was undertaken to assess noncollision injuries sustained by public bus passengers in Israel. Methods: The emergency departments (EDs) of six medical centres, which participated in this eight month study, were chosen to represent both urban and rural catchment areas. All patients diagnosed with injuries sustained on a public bus not involved in a road traffic accident were promptly evaluated for mechanism and nature of injury and demographic parameters. Results: The study cohort consisted of 120 patients (86 were female, 34 were male, age range 3-89 years). Over half were older than 55 years. The most common injuries were to the limbs, vertebral column, and head. The major mechanism of injury was acceleration/deceleration. Most patients were standing when they sustained the injuries. There were no fatalities, and 17 patients were admitted to hospital (9 of 17, 52% older than 55 years). Extrapolation to yearly national statistics suggests a probable total of 729 such injuries. Conclusion: The significant injuries inflicted on passengers of public buses not involved in road traffic accidents warrant decisive preventative measures by transportation authorities.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown racial disparities in outcomes after motor vehicle crashes; however, it is currently unknown if race impacts the likelihood of mortality after a motorcycle crash (MCC). The primary objective of this study was to determine if race is associated with MCC mortality.