A Workable Solution for Reducing the Large Number of Vehicle and Pedestrian Accidents Occurring on a Yellow Light

Traffic intersections are incredibly dangerous for drivers and pedestrians. Statistics from both Canada and the U.S. show a high number of fatalities and serious injuries related to crashes at intersections. In Canada, during 2019, the National Collision Database shows that 28% of traffic fatalities and 42% of serious injuries occurred at intersections. Likewise, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) found that about 40% of the estimated 5,811,000 accidents in the U.S. during the year studied were intersection-related crashes. In fact, a major survey by the car insurance industry found that nearly 85% of drivers could not identify the correct action to take when approaching a yellow traffic light at an intersection. One major reason for these accidents is the “yellow light dilemma,” the ambiguous situation where a driver should stop or proceed forward when unexpectedly faced with a yellow light. This situation is even further exacerbated by the tendency of aggressive drivers to inappropriately speed up on the yellow just to get through the traffic light. A survey of Canadian drivers conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation found that 9% of drivers admitted to speeding up to get through a traffic light. Another reason for these accidents is the increased danger of making a left-hand turn on yellow. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), left turns occur in approximately 22.2% of collisions—as opposed to just 1.2% for right turns. Moreover, a study by CNN found left turns are three times as likely to kill pedestrians than right turns. The reason left turns are so much more likely to cause an accident is because they take a driver against traffic and in the path of oncoming cars. Additionally, most of these left turns occur at the driver’s discretion—as opposed to the distressingly brief left-hand arrow at busy intersections. Drive Safe Now proposes a workable solution for reducing the number of accidents occurring during a yellow light at intersections. We believe this fairly simple solution will save lives, prevent injuries, reduce damage to public and private property, and decrease insurance costs.

Road Traffic Accidents in Ghana: A Public Health Concern, and a Call for Action in Ghana, (and the Sub-Region)

This paper highlights the increasing problem of road traffic accident (RTA) related morbidity and mortality in Ghana, and the public health measures needed to control the problem. Descriptive data in the public domain from statutory bodies and media houses reports on country RTA information, as well as academic papers on the problem, were used as source of information about the problem. The observed trend in Ghana indicates that RTA related fatalities and injuries continue to be increasing, as morbidity and mortality factors since the year 2000. Most of the remedial measures suggested in academic papers, and state agencies measures to curb the RTA trend in Ghana to date, have discussed the problem in terms of injury and safety issues/measures. This paper suggests that the increasing RTAs with associated morbidity and mortality in Ghana need to be looked at more as a public health problem and priority that requires prompt tackling using a public health problem orientated approach and measures, than just as a safety problem due to RTAs’, as is currently done.

On the Time Series Forecasting of Road Traffic Accidents in Ondo State of Nigeria

This paper focuses on time series forecasting of monthly occurrence of fatal road accidents in Ondo State of Nigeria. Its aim, however, is to use time series analysis to analyze the data obtained from Federal Road Safety Corps （FRSC）, Ondo State Command; which was considered in two cases： the total cases reported （TCR） and the number of deaths resulted from accidents （NOD）. Various smoothing models for time series were used to analyze the two cases. Based on the models, predictions were made and the results show a steady increase as a result of long-term effects on road accidents for the two cases. It was found also that simple exponential smoothing model is the appropriate model for both TCR and NOD.

Countermeasures for traffic accidents due to road conditions in China

Regarding the postulate of traffic infrastructure and vehicles, much attention should be given to the effect of road conditions on accidents. With large numbers of traffic accidents on Shenda Freeway, Liaoning Province, Harbin City and others in P. R. China, parameters and the effect of accidents caused by horizontal alignment, vertical alignment, cross section and intersection are studied systematically The disciplinary analysis of these effects are presented in this paper. The viewpoint is acknowledged that high sub grade and steep slopes are against traffic safety, which is common and ignored in high-usage highways in China. Design parameters of the current design criteria and the corresponding countermeasures are suggested for safety on our highways.

The Discussion of the Compensation Ability Terms on Traffic Accident Crime

In 2000, the interpretation of the specific application of law on the trial of traffic accident criminal cases was issued by the Supreme People＇ s court. The second article and the fourth article in the judicial interpretation take the ＂no ability of the amount of compensation＂ as conviction and aggravated punishment standard after the traffic accident, causing the academic community fierce controversy. This article briefly states the publishing background, applicable conditions, defects and its positive significance of the two provisions. This paper nresents the immature modification suggestions for the two nrovisions.

Road traffic accidents in hilly regions of northern India: What has to be done?

BACKGROUND: Road traffi c accidents(RTA) are responsible for 1.2 million deaths worldwide each year. RTA will become the 3rd largest contributor to the global burden of diseases after ischemic heart diseases(IHD) and depression. We conducted a retrospective study on RTA in a tertiary center in the hilly district of Uttarakhand in India.METHODS: The number of RTA, pattern of RTA, the number of patients killed and injured, the pattern of injury causing death and disability, the severity of accidents, and the type of disability were noted from December 2009 to November 2011. The accident severity was calculated as the number of patients killed per 100 accidents. The methods for reducing the incidence of RTA were observed, and the role of policy makers was studied.RESULTS: The majority of deaths and disabilities in Uttarakhand were due to road traffic accidents in the hilly districts of the states. The most common cause of RTA was driving fault followed by defective roads.CONCLUSION: Proper designing of roads and minimizing the fault of drivers are essential to prevent road traffi c accidents in hilly regions.

Analysis of Road Traffic Accident Costs in Sudan Using the Human Capital Method

In this study, we used the Human Capital (HC) accident analysis method, to determine the road traffic accident costs in Sudan in two successive years (2010 and 2011) with slight modifications to the recommended and known framework in the way it handles currently and future accident cost components. We evaluated and compared the significance and impact of the economic loss caused by road traffic accidents in Sudan using detailed information on road traffic accident casualties, classified by severity level, vehicle type, and other key parameters such as discount rates and medical and insurance information for Sudan in its entirety. The total cost of road traffic accidents in Sudan in 2010 was estimated at US $391 million, which represents 0.57% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while in 2011 the cost was calculated to reach US $413 million, representing 0.62% of GDP. Findings show that the amount of accident costs is estimated to a certain extent at less than 1% of the total GDP of the country in the two estimation years, but we believe that the evaluation process used fulfilled the eligibility criteria of HC studies and that the produced values for Sudan are valid and reliable. Unit costs for each crash severity level were also estimated in the two years such as death, disability, serious injury, slight injury, and vehicle damage. Death or fatality was equal to US $38,932 and 39,508;disability was equal to US $43,113 and US $45,165;serious injury was equal to US $6963 and US $7596;slight injury was equal to US $2570 and US $3198 and vehicle damage only was equal to US $2268 and US $2579 in the assessment years 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Fatality from Road Traffic Accident in Guinea: A Retrospective Descriptive Analysis

Objectives: Causes and risk factors that result in fatal road traffic accident have not been described at the national level in Guinea yet. The goal of this study is to explore the causes and risk factors related to fatal road traffic accident, identified most vulnerable road users, and inform the road traffic prevention policy in Guinea. Methods: We made a retrospective descriptive analysis based on national fatal road traffic accident data from the Department of Health Information at the Guinean Ministry of Health for year 2011. Results: In 2011, road traffic accident was responsible for an aggregate number of 1655 deaths with an overall death rate of 15.3 per 100,000 population. Male experienced more than twice the risk of death from road traffic accidents (21.9 deaths per 100,000 population) compared with female (9.0 deaths per 100,000 population). While taking the population as a whole, the highest death rate was found among the middle aged in 35 - 49 age group accounting for (29.7 deaths per 100,000 population), followed successively by young adults age group 25 - 34 years (24.6 deaths per 100,000 population), and the middle aged in 50 - 64 age group (22.9 deaths per 100,000 population). Principally, occupants, motorcyclists and pedestrians sustained considerable burden of deaths respectively (9.2;2.9;2.2 per 100,000 population). In re-gional setting, the highest death rate was found in Upper Guinea (19.5 per 100,000 population), followed by Forest Guinea (18.7 per 100,000 population) and Middle Guinea (16.8 per 100,000 population). A large proportion of male was killed as motorcyclist than female while high per-centage of female died as occupant than male for all age group. The regional distribution showed that when a remarkable number of occupant death were observed in Upper and Forest Guinea, more people died as pedestrian and pedal cyclist in Conakry. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that most of the deaths were among occupants, motorcyclists and pedestrians, and the productive workforce aged 25 - 49 years. It was found that majority of the deaths happened in Upper Guinea followed by Forest Guinea. Improvement of roads design, strict enforcement of road safety laws and raising the awareness of general public about the causes and risks factors of road traffic accident through various channels are highly required which will promote economic growth in the local communities and then help people escape the poverty trap.

Increasing Road Traffic Throughput through Dynamic Traffic Accident Risk Mitigation

The introduction of vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs) leads to the possibility to re-evaluate many traditional functions and views of road traffic networks. The ability for vehicles and infrastructure to communicate and collaborate will enable many novel solutions for problems as diverse as collision avoidance and traffic management with the view of reducing traffic congestion, increasing the effectiveness of logistics systems etc. In this paper we introduce a novel framework that utilises VANET information to share information about risk factors among road occupants and infrastructure. We introduce the concept of risk limits as a means of traffic accident risk mitigation, whereby vehicles need to adjust their behaviour to maintain a given level of risk. We discuss determination of risk values and detail this process using the NSW traffic accident database. We show how the effects on risk of particular vehicular behaviours such as speed and headway can be calculated and use these results to modify vehicle behaviour in real time to maintain a predefined risk limit. Experiments are carried out using the Paramics Microsimulator. Our results show that it is possible to reduce the accident rate among vehicles while at the same time increasing road network throughput by exploiting the variation in risk between vehicles.

Improving hospital-based trauma care for road traffic injuries in Malawi

BACKGROUND: The mortality rate from road traffic injuries has increased in sub-Saharan Africa as the number of motor vehicles increase. This study examined the capacity of hospitals along Malawi's main north-south highway to provide emergency trauma care.METHODS: Structured interviews and checklists were used to evaluate the infrastructure, personnel, supplies, and equipment at all four of Malawi's central hospitals, ten district hospitals, and one mission hospital in 2014. Most of these facilities are along the main north-south highway that spans the country.RESULTS: Between July 2013 and March 2014, more than 9 200 road traffic injuries(RTIs) and 100 RTI deaths were recorded by the participating hospitals. All of the hospitals reported staff shortages, especially during nights and weekends. Few clinicians had completed formal training in emergency trauma management, and healthcare workers reported gaps in knowledge and skills, especially at district hospitals. Most central hospitals had access to the critical supplies and medications necessary for trauma care, but district hospitals lacked some of the supplies and equipment needed for diagnosis, treatment, and personal protection.CONCLUSION: The mortality and disability burden from road traffi c injuries in Malawi(and other low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa) can be reduced by ensuring that every central and district hospital has a dedicated trauma unit with qualified staff who have completed primary trauma care courses and have access to the equipment necessary to save lives.

Disability to Admit as a Change of Life after a Road Crash: Estimates and Related Factors in Benin for Prevention

Background: Disability is an underestimated issue in public health, with road crashes as leading cause. In Africa, motorcyclists disproportionately bear the burden of road crash injuries, including disability. To contribute to decision-making for disability prevention, this study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with disability at 12 months among motorcyclists involved in road crashes in Benin. Methods: This is a prospective, cross-sectional, analytical study based on 12-month follow-up data from a cohort of road crash victims set up in five hospitals in Benin. Data were collected from November 2020 to January 2021. Sample used for this analysis size was 297 motorcyclists. Disability was assessed using the Washington Group on Disabilities Statistics question set. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for disability in victims 12 months after the crash. Results: The prevalence of disability was 12.5% 95% CI (9.2 - 16.7). Disability occurrence was associated with being over 45 years old (OR = 3.1;95% CI = 1.5 - 6.6), severity of initial injury (OR = 3.3;95% CI = 1.5 - 7.3) and hospitalisation of the victim (OR = 6.9;95% CI = 2.0 - 24). Conclusion: Age over 45 years, severity of initial injuries and hospitalisation of the victim were risk factors for the occurrence of disability among motorcyclists who were victims of road crashes in Benin. User awareness, law enforcement, holistic and early management of road crash victims could contribute to reducing the prevalence of disability among victims in Benin.

Epidemiological Pattern of Injuries Resulting from Road Traffic Accidents in Khartoum, Sudan

Background: Traffic accidents are increasingly becoming a threat to public health and national development in many developing countries. Sudan isn’t an exception, the number of vehicles is rapidly increasing while the road’s widths remain as same as before, so many accidents took place, and serious losses and damages to both human beings and vehicles may occur. This study was aimed at identifying the epidemiological pattern of injuries and determinants that contribute to road traffic accidents (RTA) in Khartoum Teaching Hospital Sudan. Methodology: Hospital based descriptive study was conducted in Khartoum Teaching Hospital. 150 road traffic victims who attended the emergency room or were admitted to the hospital from February-May 2012 and fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study. A pre-test standardized administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: Males were more affected (85%);laborers were the highest among the victims (43%). Sixty three of RTA causes were related to the drivers. Conclusion: Urgent intervention is needed through the involvement of many sectors and specialties. There is an urgent need to setup a database to collect, store and analyze information related to road traffic accidents. This will help the authorities to plan strategically for appropriate interventions across the country.

An In-Depth Analysis of the Causes of Road Accidents in Developing Countries: Case Study of Douala-Dschang Highway in Cameroon

This paper is aimed at identifying the risk factors that mainly contribute to reckless driving and other related causes of road accidents along the Douala-Dschang highway of Cameroon. The research work started with the collection of accident reports for 2018 and 2019 from security officials in charge of road safety and the police stations of the different localities included in the sample of the study. Three hundred and eighty-two (382) road accidents reports were collected and analyzed using the 2020 version logit regression model of XLSTAT. From these analyses, it appears that, of the 382 accidents recorded during this period, six factors were identified and classified as follows: causes of accidents related to speed and carelessness, location of the accident, type of vehicle at fault, day the accident occurred, time of the accident and the age of drivers involved. These results could contribute to reduce the gravity of accidents along the Douala-Dschang highway and develop other policies in the program for road safety. In addition, this study can as much as possible equally contribute to reorienting road construction trends and development techniques in our environment.

Factors and Pattern of Injuries Associated with Road Traffic Accidents in Hilly District of Nepal

Introduction: In 21st century, road traffic accidents (RTA) are considered as increasing epidemic of non-communicable disease which is abandoned and needs special attention to prevent them. The aim of this study was to assess the factors and pattern of injuries associated with road traffic accidents. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 112 RTA victims and 56 drivers in Palpa District of Nepal. The association of factors and pattern of injuries with exposure to accidents was assessed using Fisher’s exact test. Bivariate logistic regression examined the association between driving and socio-demographics factors and exposure to road accidents. Results: Of 112 RTA victims, 50% were in the age group of 21 to 40 years and 71.4% were male. Drivers who were in the age less than or equal to 30 years were more likely (OR: 3.6;95% CI: 1.0, 14.3) to expose to an accident than those who were above 30 years. Similarly, those having driving speed less than 40 km/hr were less likely to expose to an accident than those with speed 40 - 60 km/hr (OR: 6.0;95% CI: 0.8, 73.5) and those with speed more than 60 km/hr (OR 7.8;95% CI: 1.0, 100.1). Moreover, the driving experience was also found positively associated (OR: 5.6;95% CI: 1.1, 35.5) with the exposure to an accident. Conclusion: Being in younger age group, male gender, morning time, the driving speed, driving experiences, and driving hours on the road were positively associated with RTA. The efforts should be made to enforce laws in control of speed targeting experienced drivers and those with younger age groups.

Application of GIS for Urban Traffic Accidents: A Critical Review

The analysis of huge data is a complex task that cannot be executed without a proper system. Geographic information systems (GISs) have been used by many transportation agencies and police departments to analyze and manage urban traffic accident (UTA) data and for decision making aimed at decreasing accident rates and increasing safety. The exact location of accidents and environmental characteristics must be analyzed as UTAs occur in specific locations with specific characteristics. ArcGIS software is the best choice for obtaining meaningful information and analysis results from UTAs in an observational time span. GIS technology is a fundamental element for investigating and evaluating the complex spatial relationship among different components and urban traffic accident is one of them. Micro or macro analysis of UTAs through the spatial prospective within the geographical environment and urban structure can make a deep micro understanding of UTAs patterns in addition to assisting in decision making. UTAs can be considered complex events that occur in two aspects which are spatial and temporal or space and time in other word. A GIS can integrate more than two different and unrelated databases. The evaluation among different spatial objects in a geographical environment and associated factors in urban structure which are included but not limited to land use category, road transportation network qualification, population density, etc., is one of the GIS specification. Traffic safety organizations and UTA researchers use GISs as a key technology to support their research and operational needs. In particular, GIS-T is an often-used GIS application used for planning and decision-making in transportation.

Injury Pattern among Road Traffic Accidents’ Victims in Najran City, Saudi Arabia

Traffic accidents constitute the substantial cause of disability and mortality in the young Saudi individuals reaching horrible figures. The aim of this study was to review and identify the pattern of injury among road traffic accident (RTA) victims as well as the peak time of accidents and their implications. This retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the period between April 2016 to March 2017 in King Khalid Hospital, Maternity and Children Hospital and Najran General Hospital, Najran, Saudi Arabia. All RTA victims admitted to the emergency departments of the pre-mentioned hospitals. Data collected from 435 Saudis and non-Saudis’ files were statistically analyzed with regard to age, gender, the timing of road traffic accidents, injury pattern, and neurological deficits incidence. Most of the RTAs’ cases (92%) were male victims with the highest peak in the age group 20 - 29 years. 58% of the RTAs happened in the evening (6:00 PM-9:00 PM) while 20% occurred in the morning. Head injury represented the most frequent pattern (36%) followed by the spinal injury (23%), lower limb injury (23%), upper limb injury (20%), thoracic injury (17%), pelvic injury and abdominal injury (8%). 4.4% of RTAs resulted in death whilst 9% of cases experienced neurological deficits. In conclusion, young male drivers in Najran recorded the highest frequency of RTAs. Initiation of road safety education and expansion of speed detectors (Saher) system deployment is highly recommended.

Relationship between Road Traffic Accidents and Drinking Habits in All 47 Prefectures of Japan

We evaluated the road traffic accidents and drinking habits in all 47 prefectures of Japanby ecological study. Data on traffic accidents were obtained from Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications,Japan. Drinking habits were also obtained from Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare and The General Insurance Association of Japan. The effect of drinking on road traffic accidents was evaluated by ecological study. Road traffic accidents were 15442.0 ± 14404.9 deaths due to road traffic accidents were 103.5 ± 57.5 and injured subjects due to road traffic accidents were 19068.3 ± 17433.6 in 2010 inall 47 prefectures of Japan. Drinking habits was significantly and negatively correlated with injured subjects due to road traffic accidents. However, road traffic accidents due to drinking was positively correlated with injured subjects due to road traffic accidents (r = 0.492, p = 0.0004). In conclusion, drinking habits and road traffic accidents due to drunk driving were closely linked to injured subjects due to road traffic accidents inJapan.

Prediction of the burden of road traffic injuries in Iran by 2030: Prevalence, death,and disability-adjusted life years

Purpose:Road traffic accidents pose a global challenge with substantial human and economic costs.Iranexperiences a high incidence of road traffic injuries,leading to a significant burden on society.This studyaims to predict the future burden of road traffic injuries in Iran until 2030,providing valuable insights forpolicy-making and interventions to improve road safety and reduce the associated human and economiccosts.Methods:This analytical study utilized time series models,specifically autoregressive integrated movingaverage(ARIMA)and artificial neural networks(ANNs),to predict the burden of road traffic accidents byanalyzing past data to identify patterns and trends in Iran until 2030.The required data related toprevalence,death,and disability-adjusted life years(DALYs)rates were collected from the Institute forHealth Metrics and Evaluation database and analyzed using R software and relevant modeling andstatistical analysis packages.Results:Both prediction models,ARIMA and ANNs indicate that the prevalence rates(per 100,000)of allroad traffic injuries,except for motorcyclist road injuries which have an almost flat trend,remaining ataround 430,increase by 2030.Based on estimations of both models,the rates of death and DALYs due tomotor vehicle and pedestrian road traffic injuries decrease.For motor vehicle road injuries,estimatedtrends decrease to approximately 520 DALYs and 10 deaths.Also,for pedestrian road injuries these ratesreached approximately 300 DALYs and 6 deaths,according to the models.For cyclists and other roadtraffic injuries,the predicted DALY rates by the ANN model increase to almost 50 and 8,while predictionsconducted by the ARIMA model show a static trend,remaining at 40 and approximately 6.5.Moreover,these rates for the prediction of death rate by the ANN model increased to 0.6 and 0.1,while predictionsconducted by the ARIMA model show a static trend,remaining at 0.43 and 0.07.According to the ANNmodel,the predicted rates of DALY and death for motorcyclists decrease to 100 and approximately 2.7,respectively.On the other hand,predictions made by the ARIMA model show a static trend,with ratesremaining at 200 and approximately 3.2,respectively.Conclusion:The prevalence of road traffic injuries is predicted to increase,while the death and DALYrates of road traffic injuries show different patterns.Effective intervention programs and safety measuresare necessary to prevent and reduce road traffic accidents.Different interventions should be designedand implemented specifically for different groups of pedestrians,cyclists,motorcyclists,and motorvehicle drivers.

Risk factors and predictive model of cerebral edema after road traffic accidents-related traumatic brain injury

Purpose:Cerebral edema(CE)is the main secondary injury following traumatic brain injury(TBI)caused by road traffic accidents(RTAs).It is challenging to be predicted timely.In this study,we aimed to develop a prediction model for CE by identifying its risk factors and comparing the timing of edema occurrence in TBI patients with varying levels of injuries.Methods:This case-control study included 218 patients with TBI caused by RTAs.The cohort was divided into CE and non-CE groups,according to CT results within 7 days.Demographic data,imaging data,and clinical data were collected and analyzed.Quantitative variables that follow normal distribution were presented as mean±standard deviation,those that do not follow normal distribution were presented as median(Q1,Q3).Categorical variables were expressed as percentages.The Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to identify risk factors for CE.Logistic curve fitting was performed to predict the time to secondary CE in TBI patients with different levels of injuries.The efficacy of the model was evaluated using the receiver operator characteristic curve.Results:According to the study,almost half(47.3%)of the patients were found to have CE.The risk factors associated with CE were bilateral frontal lobe contusion,unilateral frontal lobe contusion,cerebral contusion,subarachnoid hemorrhage,and abbreviated injury scale(AIS).The odds ratio values for these factors were 7.27(95%confidence interval(CI):2.08-25.42,p=0.002),2.85(95%CI:1.11-7.31,p=0.030),2.62(95%CI:1.12-6.13,p=0.027),2.44(95%CI:1.25-4.76,p=0.009),and 1.5(95%CI:1.10-2.04,p=0.009),respectively.We also observed that patients with mild/moderate TBI(AIS≤3)had a 50%probability of developing CE 19.7 h after injury(χ^(2)=13.82,adjusted R2=0.51),while patients with severe TBI(AIS>3)developed CE after 12.5 h(χ^(2)=18.48,adjusted R2=0.54).Finally,we conducted a receiver operator characteristic curve analysis of CE time,which showed an area under the curve of 0.744 and 0.672 for severe and mild/moderate TBI,respectively.Conclusion:Our study found that the onset of CE in individuals with TBI resulting from RTAs was correlated with the severity of the injury.Specifically,those with more severe injuries experienced an earlier onset of CE.These findings suggest that there is a critical time window for clinical intervention in cases of CE secondary to TBI.