A naturalistic study of commuter cyclists in the greater Stockholm area

Few naturalistic studies have been carried out with commuter cyclists to discover the types of problems they encounter on a daily basis. The study presented here has been commissioned by the City of Stockholm municipality and focuses specifically on commuter cyclists in the Greater Stockholm area. The aim of the study was to describe and pinpoint accessibility and safety problems, but also to generate an accessible geographical interface that could serve as a traffic planning tool for cycle network improvement. Statistical surveys in the Stockholm area have shown a rapid growth in the number of cyclists as well as an increase in problems associated with an overburdened cycle infrastructure. Given the heightened emphasis on transport system sustainability, the City of Stockholm is faced with the challenging task of trying to maintain and encourage the upward trend in commuter cycling through a process that involves problem identification, classification, prioritisation and resolution. An innovative methodology involving the use of GPS logging devices and small video cameras was developed and supported with analysis software designed specifically for the purposes of this study. Experienced commuter cyclists were recruited to cycle 17 different major cycle routes to and from the suburbs and inner city area during morning and afternoon peak traffic hours during the main cycle season. Over 500 safety and accessibility/mobility problems were identified and recorded from the data collected from 16 commuter cyclists. The method and representation of data proved successful for strategic traffic planning work at City of Stockholm and has since provided invaluable input for and the development of a new cycle plan for Greater Stockholm. Indirectly, the results of this work have also contributed to longer term safety and environmental targets.     

The use of videos in road safety training: Cognitive and emotional effects

The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of videos in educational programs for improving road safety. Particularly, we evaluated the cognitive and emotional effects of viewing videos taken from cameras placed along Italian highways and showing car crashes or traffic flow images.     

The design of scenario-based training from the resilience engineering perspective: A study with grid electricians

Although scenario-based training (SBT) can be an effective means to help workers develop resilience skills, it has not yet been analyzed from the resilience engineering (RE) perspective. This study introduces a five-stage method for designing SBT from the RE view: (a) identification of resilience skills, work constraints and actions for re-designing the socio-technical system; (b) design of template scenarios, allowing the simulation of the work constraints and the use of resilience skills; (c) design of the simulation protocol, which includes briefing, simulation and debriefing; (d) implementation of both scenarios and simulation protocol; and (e) evaluation of the scenarios and simulation protocol. It is reported how the method was applied in an electricity distribution company, in order to train grid electricians. The study was framed as an application of design science research, and five research outputs are discussed: method, constructs, model of the relationships among constructs, instantiations of the method, and theory building. Concerning the last output, the operationalization of the RE perspective on three elements of SBT is presented: identification of training objectives; scenario design; and debriefing.     

A study on the effect of training interval on the use of computerized emergency operatingprocedures

The increase in complexity and the use of computerized displays in the control systems of nuclear power plants have brought new issues related to the training of operators, especially for emergency situations that are known to be very stressful. This study focuses on how the time interval between training sessions can affect the performance (operation time and error rate) of operators using computerized emergency operating procedures. Three levels of time interval (one week, two weeks, and four weeks) were examined. The results indicate significant influence of time interval on operation performance. In general, frequent training results in shorter operation time but not necessarily lower error rate. Learning and forgetting effects can be seen in the retraining process.     

Industrial and occupational ergonomics in the petrochemical process industry: a regression trees approach

This work is an attempt to apply classification tree methods to data regarding accidents in a medium-sized refinery, so as to identify the important relationships between the variables, which can be considered as decision-making rules when adopting any measures for improvement. The results obtained using the CART (Classification And Regression Trees) method proved to be the most precise and, in general, they are encouraging concerning the use of tree diagrams as preliminary explorative techniques for the assessment of the ergonomic, management and operational parameters which influence high accident risk situations. The Occupational Injury analysis carried out in this paper was planned as a dynamic process and can be repeated systematically. The CART technique, which considers a very wide set of objective and predictive variables, shows new cause-effect correlations in occupational safety which had never been previously described, highlighting possible injury risk groups and supporting decision-making in these areas. The use of classification trees must not, however, be seen as an attempt to supplant other techniques, but as a complementary method which can be integrated into traditional types of analysis.     

The effect of infrastructure and demographic change on traffic-related fatalities and crashes: a case study of Illinois county-level data

This paper presents analyses of data from the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) for the State of Illinois. Our analyses focuses on whether various changes in road network infrastructure and geometric design can be associated with changes in road fatalities and reported accidents. We also evaluate models that control for demographic changes. County-level time-series data is used and fixed effect negative binomial models are estimated. Results cannot confirm the hypothesis that changes in road infrastructure and geometric design have been beneficial for safety. Increases in the number of lanes appears to be associated with both increased traffic-related accidents and fatalities. Increased lane widths appears to be associated with increased fatalities. Increases in outside shoulder width appear to be associated with a decrease in accidents. Inclusion of demographic results does not significantly change these results but does capture much of the residual time trend in the models. Potentially mis-leading results are found when the time trend is not included. In this case a negative association between vertical curvature and both accidents and fatalities. No statistical association with changes in safety is found for median widths, inside shoulder widths, and horizontal and vertical curvature.     

The impact of driver age on lost life years for other road users in France: A population based study of crash-involved road users

BACKGROUND: One of the concerns in road safety is the threat older drivers may pose to other road users. Using the rate of lost life years, the present study provides a public health approach to quantify this potential threat. METHODS: A total of 1570686 motorised vehicle drivers or motorcycle riders and 652246 non-drivers, i.e. vehicle passengers, pedestrians and cyclists involved in injury crashes in France between 1996 and 2004, were included in a population based cross-sectional study. Fatality rates and rate of lost life years for each crash-involved driver age class were calculated for the drivers themselves and for other road users. RESULTS: The study has shown a significant reduction in the rate of lost life years for crash-involved other road users (whether passengers, pedestrians, cyclists or opposing drivers) as driver age increases. Other road users lost half as many years of life when involved in crashes with drivers aged over 85 than with drivers under 65 (1.26 and 2.32 per 100 expected remaining life years, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that among road users involved in injury crashes, older drivers are less dangerous for the other road users. By attributing other road users' lost life years to each driver age, this study represents a new contribution to the debate about ageing and road safety.     

Fatal crash involvement of unlicensed young drivers: County level differences according to material deprivation and urbanicity in the United States

Objectives

This study assessed the association between county level material deprivation and urbanization with fatal road traffic crashes involving young unlicensed drivers in the United States (US).

Background

Road traffic crashes have been positively associated with area deprivation and low population density but thus far few studies have been concerned specifically with young drivers, especially those that are unlicensed.

Methods

A county material deprivation index was derived from the Townsend Material Deprivation Index, with variables extracted from the US Census (2000). An urbanicity scale was adapted from the US Department of Agriculture's Rural–Urban Continuum Codes (2003). Data on fatal crashes involving a young unlicensed driver during a seven-year period (2000–2006; n = 3059) were extracted from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The effect of deprivation and urbanicity on the odds of the occurrence of at least one fatal crash at the county level was modeled by conditional and unconditional logistic regression.

Results

The conditional model found a positive association between material deprivation and a fatal crash involving a young unlicensed driver (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.17, 1.21). The interaction between urbanicity and material deprivation was negatively associated in suburban counties for fatal crashes (OR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.90, 0.95).

Conclusions

An association with material deprivation and the likelihood of a fatal crash involving a young unlicensed driver is a new finding. It can be used to inform specific county-level interventions and promote state licensing policies to provide equity in young people's mobility regardless of where they live.     

Naturalistic field study of the restart break in US commercial motor vehicle drivers: Truck driving,sleep, and fatigue

Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers in the US may start a new duty cycle after taking a 34-h restart break. A restart break provides an opportunity for sleep recuperation to help prevent the build-up of fatigue across duty cycles. However, the effectiveness of a restart break may depend on its timing, and on how many nighttime opportunities for sleep it contains. For daytime drivers, a 34-h restart break automatically includes two nighttime periods. For nighttime drivers, who are arguably at increased risk of fatigue, a 34-h restart break contains only one nighttime period. To what extent this is relevant for fatigue depends in part on whether nighttime drivers revert back to a nighttime-oriented sleep schedule during the restart break. We conducted a naturalistic field study with 106 CMV drivers working their normal schedules and performing their normal duties. These drivers were studied during two duty cycles and during the intervening restart break. They provided a total of 1260 days of data and drove a total of 414,937 miles during the study. Their duty logs were used to identify the periods when they were on duty and when they were driving and to determine their duty cycles and restart breaks. Sleep/wake patterns were measured continuously by means of wrist actigraphy. Fatigue was assessed three times per day by means of a brief psychomotor vigilance test (PVT-B) and a subjective sleepiness scale. Data from a truck-based lane tracking and data acquisition system were used to compute lane deviation (variability in lateral lane position). Statistical analyses focused on 24-h patterns of duty, driving, sleep, PVT-B performance, subjective sleepiness, and lane deviation. Duty cycles preceded by a restart break containing only one nighttime period (defined as 01:00–05:00) were compared with duty cycles preceded by a restart break containing more than one nighttime period. During duty cycles preceded by a restart break with only one nighttime period, drivers showed more nighttime-oriented duty and driving patterns and more daytime-oriented sleep patterns than during duty cycles preceded by a restart break with more than one nighttime period. During duty cycles preceded by a restart break with only one nighttime period, drivers also experienced more lapses of attention on the PVT-B and increased lane deviation at night, and they reported greater subjective sleepiness. Importantly, drivers exhibited a predominantly nighttime-oriented sleep schedule during the restart break, regardless of whether the restart break contained only one or more than one nighttime period. Consistent with findings in laboratory-based studies of the restart break, the results of this naturalistic field study indicate that having at least two nighttime periods in the restart break provides greater opportunity for sleep recuperation and helps to mitigate fatigue.     

Equine road user safety: public attitudes, understandings and beliefs from a qualitative study in the United Kingdom

Horse riders represent a significant group of vulnerable road user and are involved in a number of accidents and near misses on the road. Despite this horse riders have received little attention both in terms of academic research and transport policy. Based on literature on vulnerable road user safety, including attitudes to road user safety and behaviour of drivers and their relationship with cyclists and motorcyclists, this paper examines the attitudes and reported behaviour of drivers and horse riders. A total of 46 participants took part in six focus groups divided into four groups of drivers with little or no horse riding experience and two groups of frequent horse riders. Each group investigated five key topic areas stemming from the literature review on vulnerable road users including hazard perception, risk perception, emotion, attitudes to sharing the road and empathy. It was found that drivers and horse riders are not always aware of the same hazards in the road and that this may lead drivers to under-estimate the risk when encountering horses. Drivers often had good intentions to overtake horses safely, but were unaware of how vulnerable passing very wide and slow made them feel until they had begun the manoeuvre and hence quickly reduced such feelings either by speeding up or cutting in too soon. However, other than this, drivers had good skills when encountering horses. But these skills could be impeded by frustration when encountering a slow moving horse which was further compounded by a feeling, mainly by younger drivers, that horse riding was for leisure and as such should not get in the way of necessary work journeys. There is a need for drivers to be more aware of the potential hazards a horse rider faces on the road and these could be achieved through inducing empathy amongst drivers for horse riders, creating nudges for drivers in the environment and better education for drivers.     

Antilock brakes and the risk of driver injury in a crash: a case-control study

While antilock brakes can improve steering and reduce stopping distance in some test situations, there is little evidence that they reduce the risk of crash-related injury. We sought to estimate the association between presence of antilock brakes and the risk of driver injury. We conducted a case-control study using claims data from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Canada, for passenger vehicles insured during July 1, 2003, to June 30, 2004. Cases were 5000 vehicles with a driver crash injury during the study period. Controls were 49,994 vehicles insured at the mid-point of the study interval. The adjusted risk ratio for a crash with driver injury in a vehicle with antilock brakes was 1.06 (95% confidence interval, 0.95-1.17), compared with a vehicle without antilock brakes. If this estimated association is causal, antilock brakes do not prevent crash-related driver injuries.     

The perception of causes of accidents in mountain sports: A study based on the experiences of victims

Each year, accidents involving mountain sports have many repercussions, including alarming public opinion and society. This study outlines the results of a qualitative study on the responses of 135 survivors of accidents that took place while mountaineering, climbing, downhill skiing and ski mountaineering, hiking, cross-country biking, and mountain racing. A content analysis was performed on the textual data obtained from the responses to an online survey. The identified causes were: environmental events, equipment, medical events, behavioral events, and time pressure, but they appear combined in different ways for the analyzed disciplines. Results show that for downhill skiing, direct causes of accidents were mainly behavioral: excessive speed, skiing errors, and fatigue. For ski mountaineering, direct causes were errors in decision-making and skiing. In mountaineering, precursors were unfavorable conditions, fatigue, lack of preparation, and skill errors. In climbing, difficulty is an omnipresent feature, but the precursors are mainly errors. Our results highlight the multi-causal nature of accidents that take place when practicing mountain sports. Finally, we examine the need to promote a mountain sports culture that highlights safety and injury prevention.     

Status of engineering change management in the engineer-to-order production environment: insights from a multiple case study

Engineering Changes (ECs) are a fact of life for companies in the Engineer-To-Order (ETO) production environment. Various Engineering Change Management (ECM) strategies, practices and tools exist, but no explicit distinction has been made regarding ECM in different production environments. Using a multiple case study method, this article investigates how ETO companies manage ECs and how ETO characteristics influence ECM. A generic ECM framework was developed and used to map ECM in the cases. The study showed that ETO companies use similar practices for handling ECs, while ECM tools are either not used by the companies or used to a very limited extent. It was found that the use of some ECM practices and tools is complicated by specific ETO company characteristics. However, no reasons were found for the lack of computer-based tools, change propagation and impact assessment tools, change reduction and front-loading tools, and design tools. This suggests, firstly, that there is vast room for improvement in ETO companies when it comes to ECM; and secondly, that the applicability of such tools should be further tested in the ETO environment. Based on the findings, some suggestions as to how ECM can be improved in ETO companies are given to practitioners.     

Structural study of the initial growth of nanocrystalline CdS thin films in a chemical bath

Nanocrystalline cadmium sulfide CdS thin films with relevance for optical applications were synthesized from aqueous solutions by chemical bath deposition. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction shows that the films formed on glass or silicon substrates are made up of nanocrystalline particles. About 80% of the particles have a diameter of 5 ± 1 nm. The nanoparticles have either sphalerite or wurtzite structure. The presence of the sphalerite phase is a signature of a highly non-equilibrium state of the nanocrystalline film. Kinetic studies show that the size of the nanocrystals and the relative fraction of the two phases do not depend on the deposition time once it exceeds a duration of 30 min. For longer times, the particle characteristics remain constant while the thickness of the film grows. Thermodynamical analysis of ionic equilibria allows to choose the reaction bath composition for the formation of cadmium hydroxide Cd(OH)₂. The experiments provide strong evidence that the beginning of the deposition of CdS is accompanied by a formation of cadmium hydroxide Cd(OH)₂.     

Performance measurement of cross-culture supply chain partnership: a case study in the Chinese automotive industry

This study explores a performance measurement system for a dynamic supply chain partnership in a cross-cultural context. An initial framework is constructed by reviewing the existing literature, followed by an in-depth case study in the Chinese automotive industry, where the framework is refined to address the multi-cultural setting. A performance measurement, system which includes the relationship strategy and operational measurement criteria for a supply chain partnership, has been developed. The relationship strategy contains elements of strategy orientation, management style, interdependence, mutual organisational characteristics and common goals. The operational measurement criteria consist of commitment, trust, communication behaviour, information sharing, participation decision, quality, production performance, delivery, cost, supplier strength, attitude, compromise and loyalty. The last three operational measurement criteria are found to be particularly relevant to the cross-cultural feature. While existing studies tend to focus on either specific measures or individual organisations, this paper for the first time proposes a comprehensive framework to measure the performance of supply chain partnerships. The cross-cultural perspective provides a further unique view on how a performance measurement system can be responsive to the dynamics in practice.     

Factors associated with rear seating of children in motor vehicles: a study in two low-income, predominantly Hispanic communities

This study examined child seating patterns in two predominantly low-income, Hispanic communities in Massachusetts. The purpose was to determine the factors associated with child rear seating in the community as a whole and for a subset of Hispanic motorists. Five hundred and five vehicles carrying child passengers and no adult other than the driver were observed in parking lots of fast food restaurants and grocery stores. Four hundred and thirty-two vehicle drivers agreed to be interviewed. A child was defined as a passenger younger than age 12 as determined by appearance and height (head below the vehicle headrest when seated). Variables under study included driver gender, age, ethnicity, and educational attainment; driver shoulder belt use; driver perception of passenger-side airbag presence; and the number and ages of children in the car. Overall, 51% of vehicles were observed with all children seated in the rear. In a bivariate analysis, child rear seating was strongly associated with female drivers ( P = 0.01), younger drivers ( P = 0.02) driver shoulder belt use ( P < 0.00), perceived presence of a passenger-side airbag ( P < 0.00), all children in the vehicle 相似文献   

Crystallization of glass in fireclay refractories: part II: Detailed study on the mullite crystal content of the ‘synthetic’ glass

A glass of composition similar to that found in fireclay refractories was synthesized and subsequently nucleated with Cr₂O₃, V₂O₅ and TiO₂. These glasses were heat-treated for crystallization of the mullite phase. The mullite content, the crystallization of mullite and the effect of temperature on the rate were investigated. The concentration of the nucleating oxides and the size and charge of their cations influence both the mullite content obtained and the crystallization rate.     

Identifying critical factors that affect the application of information technology in construction management: A case study of China

The new mode for managing construction projects with information technology (IT) has attracted worldwide attention because it can help managers and workers perform tasks and bring potential benefits, such as high-quality products and accident-free production, effectively. However, the application of IT in site have not achieved expected results because it is faced with many constraints caused by internal factors from enterprises and projects and external factors from the government and environment. Although many relevant studies have discussed the constraints of implementing different IT and devices in the construction industry or site, few articles have specifically focused on identifying and analyzing the indicator system. In this work, we took China as the background, scientifically identified 23 influential factors that affect the implementation of IT in construction management through literature review and expert interviews. Subsequently, questionnaires were issued, and Delphi method was used to obtain empirical data that aimed at four different management fields. Then, an efficient and convenient method called DEMATEL was used to deal with these data. Afterward, the factors were divided into four categories, namely, core, diving, independent, and impact factors. Finally, the similarities and differences of the analysis results from the four fields were compared, and the key factors were identified. Results show that the cross-domain talent ability, concept and value cognition, and organization structure are core factors in all management fields that should be managed first along with the IT innovation ability in the enterprise. The formulation of technical standards and related device and training input are also critical in specific fields. Strategic planning plays a role in macro control and promotion. Data management and application, platform construction, solution, and collaboration have direct impacts on information management. The research results provide suggestions not only for the government to formulate effective policies for IT application and promotion in construction industry, but also for enterprises to take measures in improving management efficiency in the construction site and realizing its substantial benefits.