The influence of heavy goods vehicle traffic on accidents on different types of Spanish interurban roads

This paper illustrates a methodology developed to analyze the influence of traffic conditions, i.e. volume and composition on accidents on different types of interurban roads in Spain, by applying negative binomial models. The annual average daily traffic was identified as the most important variable, followed by the percentage of heavy goods vehicles, and different covariate patterns were found for each road type. The analysis of hypothetical scenarios of the reduction of heavy goods vehicles in two of the most representative freight transportation corridors, combined with hypotheses of total daily traffic mean intensity variation, produced by the existence or absence of induced traffic gives rise to several scenarios. In all cases a reduction in the total number of accidents would occur as a result of the drop in the number of heavy goods transport vehicles, However the higher traffic intensity, resulting of the induction of other vehicular traffic, reduces the effects on the number of accidents on single carriageway road segments compared with high capacity roads, due to the increase in exposure. This type of analysis provides objective elements for evaluating policies that encourage modal shifts and road safety enhancements

Effect of Driving Breaks and 34-hour Recovery Period on Motor Carrier Crash Odds

This research seeks to contribute to our knowledge of the relationship between truck driver hours of service and motor carrier crash odds. Data were collected from less-than-truckload carriers in 2004-05 and 2010 including the precise hours of service for crash-involved drivers and a random sample of noncrash involved drivers. Time-dependent logistic regression models were formulated to study the probability of a crash after a certain number of hours driving, given survival until that time. In addition to driving time during a trip, the models included presence of 34 hours consecutively off-duty immediately prior to the trip of interest and the use of breaks from driving by the driver. Multi-day driving patterns, developed using cluster analysis, cover the 7 days prior to the day of interest in an attempt to capture the effect of the pattern of driving over many days. Among the findings of this research are: (1) Driving hours 6 through 11 show continuous increases in the crash risk, (2) substantial and consistent benefits for drivers who take breaks compared to drivers who drive without breaks; benefits ranged from 34 to 47 percent reduction in crash odds, depending on the number of breaks taken, (3) drivers who had 34 hours or more off-duty immediately prior to the measurement period had a nearly 43 percent increase in crash odds, and (4) additional investigation shows that drivers have the greatest difficulty immediately after returning from the extended time off; the effect then diminishes with time

The influence of economic incentives linked to road safety indicators on accidents: The case of toll concessions in Spain

The goal of this paper is to evaluate whether the incentives incorporated in toll highway concession contracts in order to encourage private operators to adopt measures to reduce accidents are actually effective at improving safety. To this end, we implemented negative binomial regression models using information about highway characteristics and accident data from toll highway concessions in Spain from 2007 to 2009. Our results show that even though road safety is highly influenced by variables that are not managed by the contractor, such as the annual average daily traffic (AADT), the percentage of heavy vehicles on the highway, number of lanes, number of intersections and average speed; the implementation of these incentives has a positive influence on the reduction of accidents and injuries. Consequently, this measure seems to be an effective way of improving safety performance in road networks

Risk analysis of animal–vehicle crashes: a hierarchical Bayesian approach to spatial modelling

Driving along any rural road within Western Australia involves some level of uncertainty about encountering an animal whether it is wildlife, farm stock or domestic. This level of uncertainty can vary depending on factors such as the surrounding land use, water source, geometry of the road, speed limits and signage. This paper aims to model the risk of animal–vehicle crashes (AVCs) on a segmented highway. A hierarchical Bayesian model involving multivariate Poisson lognormal regression is used in establishing the relationship between AVCs and the contributing factors. Findings of this study show that farming on both sides of a road, a mixture of farming and forest roadside vegetation and roadside vegetation have significant positive effect on AVCs, while speed limits and horizontal curves indicate a negative effect. AVCs consist of both spatial- and segment-specific contributions, even though the spatial random error does not dominate model variability. Segment 15 is identified as the highest risk segment and its nearby segments also exhibit high risk

Injuries to older users of buses in the UK

This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported Licence.The increasing age of the United Kingdom (UK) population coupled with enhanced life expectancy impacts on transport-user demographics and will affect transport planning in the years ahead. Whilst passenger car use is the ultimate means of personal independence, at some point the physiological and psychological impact of age-related conditions will inevitably shift people out of their vehicles and onto public transport systems. Overall, public transport is seen to be vital for social inclusion (Lucas et al 2008) and it is considered a safe means of mobility. However, it is important that the public and, in particular, the elderly perceive it to be so. Injuries (across a spectrum of severities) do occur during public transport use from time to time. In fact, over 5,000 people are injured on UK buses each year alone with over 300 bus-users killed/seriously injured (Department for Transport, 2012). This study was designed to examine the nature of injuries and their causes to older bus-users with the aim being to establish where design countermeasures may be indicated. The study uses descriptive statistics to analyse linked (accident and injury) data involving a sample of older bus-users. Most incidents in the linked dataset were non-collisions (62 per cent) resulting in 1,381 recorded injuries in those aged 60+ years, of which 46 per cent were 'slight' and 54 per cent 'serious'

Telecommunications and Alternative Work Schedules

Transit agencies are currently facing a multitude of problems, including declining ridership, reduced government subsidies, and increased operating costs. Rather than focus exclusively on investments and options that change the characteristics of transportation system supply, agencies can explore options that change the characteristics of the travel market, then trim service to accommodate the resulting, more efficient demand patterns. The effect of two demand management options—alternative work schedules and telecommunications systems—are described from the perspective of travel, employer, employee, and societal impacts. Recommendations for collaboration between the public and private sector are proposed to stimulate and guide the use of these options. </jats:p