This study explores the association between vehicle occupancy and a driver’s risk of causing a fatal crash, not wearing a seatbelt, and using alcohol. The survey population is the set of drivers represented in the Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) (years 1992 to 2002). The independent variables are driver age, driver gender, passenger age, passenger gender, and vehicle occupancy. The outcome variables are whether the driver was at fault in causing the fatal crash, whether the driver wore a seatbelt, and whether the driver had been using alcohol. For male teenager drivers, driving with teenage passengers correlated with an increase risk of causing a crash. For all female drivers, and for male drivers over age 40, passenger presence correlated with a reduced risk of causing a fatal crash. Drivers age 15 to 30 were less likely to wear a seatbelt when passengers were present, than when driving solo. Drivers age 50 and above had higher seatbelt use rates when passengers were present. This protective effect of passengers was stronger for male drivers than female drivers, and for male drivers the effect increased by age. Drivers age 15-34 accompanied by passengers were more likely to have consumed alcohol than solo drivers of the same age group. These results offer an interesting perspective for research in the area of driver distraction, and update current knowledge on older drivers and the role of seatbelt and alcohol awareness.

A leading cause of death and injury to children is being struck by a motor vehicle. A disproportionate number of injured child pedestrians are of low socioeconomic status. The relationship between socioeconomic status and pedestrian injury is poorly understood. The existing literature is limited by the lack of pedestrian exposure data, a common measure of risk, and a clear conceptual framework for the interaction between socioeconomic status and pedestrian injury. Another issue is the limited availability of injury data. This paper proposes a model for understanding child pedestrian exposure and risk and its relationship to socioeconomic status. The analysis also identifies the need for additional data and research, and makes specific policy proposals.

Many health problems, especially those associated with older age, can have an impact on an individual’s mobility. This paper addresses how specific functional limitations and medical conditions may be associated with driving status, while controlling for age and gender. This paper uses baseline data (N=2025) from a longitudinal survey of adults, ages 55 and older, the Study of Physical Performance and Age-Related Changes in Sonomans (SPPARCS). For the 35 selected medical conditions and functional limitations, this report presents the prevalence, the relative “risk” ratio (i.e., the risk that an individual with that condition no longer drives), and the attributable risk (i.e., the percent of ex-drivers with each condition). Compared to current drivers, ex-drivers had higher rates of physical limitations (ability to ascend one flight of stairs or walk three blocks), cognitive impairment, vision problems and stroke. The conditions with the highest relative risk included personal mobility limitations (such as the ability to transfer onto or from bed and the ability to use the lavatory) and decreased peripheral vision. The relative risks of medical conditions’ effects on driving status offer a perspective on individuals’ mobility choices, and the attributable risks offer a perspective on the most important causes of driving cessation in the elderly population.

Crashes between motor vehicles and pedestrians caused at least 4,882 deaths and about 78,000 injuries in 2001 in the United States. In recognition of these troubling statistics, many public and private institutions look to Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies. Few resources are available to provide a comprehensive summary of the effectiveness of these options. This report reviews previous scientific evaluation of red light enforcement cameras, illuminated walk signal push buttons, automated pedestrian detection systems for traffic signals, flashing crosswalk lights, countdown signals, and animated eyes. The research and policy implications of these summaries provide guidelines for future research as well as a practical outline of options for transportation planners.

The primary objective of this paper is to review the appropriate use of ratio variables in the study of pedestrian injury exposure. We provide a discussion that rejects the assumption that the relationship between a random variable (e.g., a population X) and a ratio (e.g., injury or disease per population Y/X) is necessarily negative. In the study of pedestrian risk, the null hypothesis is that pedestrian injury risk is constant with respect to pedestrian volume. This study employs a unique data set containing the number of pedestrian collisions, average annual pedestrian volume, average annual vehicle volume, and physical intersection characteristics for 247 intersections in Oakland, California. We use a GLM to estimate the expected injury risk given average annual pedestrian volume and other explanatory variables. Consistent with studies by Leden, Ekman and Jacobsen, the null hypothesis is rejected. Indeed, the risk of collision for pedestrians decreases with increasing pedestrian flows, and it increases with increasing vehicle flows. We also find that pedestrians are more likely to be struck by motorists in commercial and mixed areas than in residential areas.

The primary objective of this paper is to review the appropriate use of ratio variables in the study of pedestrian injury exposure. We provide a discussion that rejects the assumption that the relationship between a random variable (e.g., a population X) and a ratio (e.g., injury or disease per population Y/X) is necessarily negative. In the study of pedestrian risk, the null hypothesis is that pedestrian injury risk is constant with respect to pedestrian volume. This study employs a unique data set containing the number of pedestrian collisions, average annual pedestrian volume, average annual vehicle volume, and physical intersection characteristics for 247 intersections in Oakland, California. We use a GLM to estimate the expected injury risk given average annual pedestrian volume and other explanatory variables. Consistent with studies by Leden, Ekman and Jacobsen, the null hypothesis is rejected. Indeed, the risk of collision for pedestrians decreases with increasing pedestrian flows, and it increases with increasing vehicle flows. We also find that pedestrians are more likely to be struck by motorists in commercial and mixed areas than in residential areas.

This report summarizes the information gained from two community forums held in Latino communties in California, provides an analysis of trends in injury and demographic data, and reviews best practices for increasing safety and preventing injury in Latino populations. It highlights pressing traffic safety needs and presents recommendations. It is our goal that this report will serve as a prototype for policy, enforcement and program development to address traffic safety issues for Latinos in California.

In many developing countries, transportation infrastructure development lags behind the tremendous growth in motorization. Road traffic injuries cause enormous morbidity and mortality worldwide, placing heavy burdens on global and national economies. .Underdeveloped transportation infrastructures critical to traffic safety include roadway improvement, occupant protection laws, traffic law enforcement, and emergency medical services (EMS). Highlighting one important aspect of lagging infrastructure, this article focuses on emergency medical services. This research study offers a descriptive evaluation of the existing pre-hospital care system in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The research objectives were (a) to describe how emergency rescue services are organized in Chiang Mai, (b) to examine ongoing public health efforts to improve emergency services, and (c) to document the training, certification, employment, and medical use of pre-hospital personnel. Thailand’s national and local pre-hospital services (i.e., services designed to transfer persons with traffic injuries into the country’s hospital infrastructure) are both insufficient and inefficient. The Thai National Government has promised funding to create a national EMS network by 2006. Research recommendations for Thailand EMS include more professional training for emergency workers, standardization of equipment, centralization of communications, and further analysis of competitive services.

Our work in Toyota GapAdvise is comprised of two interrelated elements: identify driving task challenges, and a pilot study on one particular class of decision support system, an intersection gap advisor. From these elements, we have recommended countermeasures and potential design guidelines for the elderly driving population in the United States.

We performed our work in the following sequence of technical tasks, each corresponding to a section heading in this final report:

Determine Extent of Problem (Task 1). From crash databases and demographic data, we have determined the projected extent of the problem, extending from past work. From our synthesis and interpretation of data and publications, we have ranked causal factors.

Conduct Focus Group and Observational Analysis of Elderly Drivers (Task 2). Through focus groups and observing elderly drivers in their own vehicles, we have developed an understanding of the problems faced by elderly drivers.

Conduct Driving Experiments (Task 3). Using PATH instrumented vehicle and test intersection at the University of California, Berkeley’s Richmond Field Station facility, we have performed in-vehicle experiments to characterize driver behaviors.

Recommend In-Vehicle Design (Task 4). From Tasks 1 – 3, we provide integrated recommendations, to include engineering constraints and design principles, from Tasks 1 – 3.