The Value of Life for Decision Making in the Public Sector

1985 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Usher
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Value Of Life ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Expected Number ◽  
Life And Death ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
Monetary Value ◽  
Gallows Humor ◽  
Expected Increase

The Ministry of Transport is planning for the construction of new roads in its territory. Many projects are being considered, and the Ministry needs to identify the worthwhile projects for which the benefits exceed the costs. Among costs and benefits are the expense of constructing the road, the time saved by motorists using the new road rather than some other road, the time saved through the reduction of congestion on other roads, and the expected increase or decrease in the number of deaths due to traffic accidents. I am concerned in this paper with the last item on the list. It is, of course, difficult to estimate fatalities accurately, but this difficulty is neither unique nor central to our problem. The problem is how best to place a monetary value on fatalities, so that the expected number of fatalities can be compared with other costs and benefits in deciding whether to build a road. However chosen, the monetary value of fatalities for use in this context is what the economist means by “the value of life.” The term is almost a joke, a bit of gallows humor to exorcise the ghoulishness that inevitably clings to analysis of life and death in monetary terms.

scholarly journals Problems of road traffic injuries and road traffic safety in Russia

2020 ◽  
pp. 27-34
Author(s):  
S. S. Aleksanin ◽  
S. V. Shport
Keyword(s):  
Russian Federation ◽  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Alcohol Intoxication ◽  
Road Traffic Accidents ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
Road Traffic Safety ◽  
The Russian Federation

Relevance. The paper is devoted to problems of ensuring road traffic safety in Russia, which is the public task of great importance involving the implementation of the policy for protecting people's health, life, and property.Intention. To look for ways of optimizing and implementing the measures aimed at preventing the technogenic emergencies.Methodology. To analyze the indicators of road traffic accidents in the Russian Federation over five years as well as the federal laws in the field of road traffic safety.Results and Discussion. Risk factors of traffic accidents include: alcohol intoxication, speed limit exceeded, overtaking in the wrong place, driver talking, smoking while driving, driver fatigue. In the Russian Federation, there is a persistent downward trend in the number of accidents. In 2019, 164,358 traffic accidents (-2.2 %; all comparisons vs 2018) occurred, 16,981 (-6.8 %) persons died, 210,877 (-1.9 %) persons were injured. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the number of accidents due violation of the Road Rules by drivers was 146,688 (-1 %); 14,420 (-5.7 %) persons died and 195,037 (-0.8 %) persons were injured. In 2019, road traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers tended to decrease (12,040; -3.5 %); 11,510 (-4 %) persons died and 160,725 (-0.4 %) persons were injured.Conclusion. Drivers' health is directly related to road traffic safety; health promotion would contribute to decreasing the number of road traffic accidents and traffic-related injuries.

ANALYSIS AND RESULTS OF MEASURES TO ENSURE ROAD SAFETY IN UKRAINE FOR THE PERIOD

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (24) ◽  
pp. 134-148
Author(s):  
Evgen Minenko ◽  
◽  
Olexandr Pyna ◽  
Olga Belenchuk ◽  
Tetyana Bondar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Traffic Accident ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Statistical Processing ◽  
Accident Rate ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
Rate Analysis

Introduction. Undesirable consequences of fast increase of the vehicle fleet are an increase in the level of accident rate and the number of deaths and injuries in traffic accidents (hereinafter accidents). The positive experience of other countries shows that objectives indicators for reducing the number of traffic accident victims by implementing reasonable measures to eliminate the dominant causes of accidents is the most effective way to achieve the desired result in improving traffic safety. Problem statement. Considering the enormous economic lost caused by traffic accidents, improving of traffic safety has been a priority in the policies of many countries around the world in recent decades. In this regard, the international community pays considerable attention to the development of targeted programs and implementation of traffic safety measures directed at preventing the road traffic injuries. In particular, on March 2, 2010, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution No. 64/255 «Improving Traffic Safety Worldwide», which proclaimed the 2011–2020 «Decade of Traffic Safety Actions» to reduce deaths from injuries sustained as a result of traffic accident — by 50%. Ukraine, through which seven international transport corridors run [1], did not stay away from solving the common problem and joined in 2011 to the UN initiative regarding reducing the death rate due to traffic accidents by at least 30 % [2]. For evaluation of the achieved result, it is important to analyze the accident statistics and determine whether the planned results were achieved through the implementation of planned measures to improve traffic safety. Purpose. The article considers the dynamics of accident rate and the number of traffic accidents victims in Ukraine for the period 2011–2020, as well as analyzes the main causes of traffic accidents on the public roads, including roads of state importance, to evaluate the outcome of the Decade of Traffic Safety Actions and providing the recommendations for further decreasing of mortality on domestic roads. Materials and methods. The study used the method of statistical processing of data on the number of accidents and their victims in Ukraine and the method of systematic analysis of risk factors that contributed to the accidents. Results. It is determined that the total number of fatalities in traffic accidents for the period 2011–2020 decreased in Ukraine by 27.8 %, and on the public roads — by 44.0 %. However, considering that since 2014 there are no data on traffic accidents in Autonomous Republic of Crimea and partly in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the indicator of decreasing of deaths per 100 traffic accidents and the result shows more modest achievements: in Ukraine it was possible to reduce deaths by 100 traffic accidents per 100 14 %, and on the public roads — only 5.4 %. Conclusions. Accident rate analysis provides an information basis for understanding the scale of the problem of traffic injuries, evaluating the results of implemented measures to improve traffic safety, the dynamics of positive or negative developments, and allows to plan reasonably the measures to improve road conditions to reduce mortality on roads.

scholarly journals Analysis of Road Traffic Safety through Direct Relative Indicators for Traffic Accidents Fatality: Case of Republic of Macedonia

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 661-669
Author(s):  
Kire Babanoski ◽  
Ice Ilijevski ◽  
Zlate Dimovski
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
Road Traffic Safety ◽  
Republic Of Macedonia ◽  
Public Risk ◽  
The Republic

In the absence of a detailed profile and assessment of the road traffic safety situation in the Republic of Macedonia, the paper will show the analysis by calculating and comparing the direct relative indicators for deaths from traffic accidents in relation to the total population (public risk), the total number of vehicles (traffic risk) and the total number of passenger-kilometres (dynamic traffic risk). Their established trends in the period 2005-2014 will also be shown and then compared with the levels in other European countries. Within the risks, there is additionally the risk of suffering that takes into account the consequences of accidents to people (human losses, heavy and light bodily injuries), which will be calculated and analysed for the area covered by the eight Sectors for Internal Affairs (SIA) in the Republic of Macedonia. For this purpose maps of the public risk of suffering from accidents on the roads will be made, which will closely show the traffic safety situation in the country. The diagnosing of the traffic safety situation will contribute to the creation of new measures and activities or improving the existing ones by the competent authorities in order to promote the road traffic safety.

scholarly journals PERSEPSI PEJALAN KAKI TERHADAP TROTOAR DI LAPANGAN MERDEKA KOTA MEDAN

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-140
Author(s):  
Nurvita Insani Magdalena Simanjuntak ◽  
Johan Oberlyn Simanjuntak ◽  
Tiurma Elita Saragi ◽  
Titusman Berkat Laoli
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Quantitative Approach ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Immigrant Communities ◽  
High Complexity ◽  
Road Transportation ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
People’S Perceptions

Merdeka Square is one of the icons of Medan City which is continously visited by communities of Medan City or immigrant communities because Medan City is the capital of North Sumatera Province with a high complexity of activities in it. Improvements to the road transportation system facilities, especially sidewalk facilites, are important because the purpose of implementing sidewalks is as a special pedestrian lane with security and safety guarantees against traffic accidents. This study aims to look at people’s perceptions as the main users of sidewalk facilities so that they can encourage people to carry out walking activities as a basic moda of transportation. This research was conducted with a quantitative approach with accidental sampling method, namely primary data is the result of direct interviews in the field to the public using sidewalk facilities at Merdeka Square, Medan City. Based on the result of the analysis conducted on the results of the interview, it was found that the community as users of the sidewalks were not satisfied with the existing sidewalks facilities. So this study aims to provide input in order to improve sidewalk facilities that provide comfort and safety values for pedestrians in order to encourage and increase the number of pedestrians, especially at Merdeka Square, Medan City.

The Road to Iraq

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Idrees Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Iraq War ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
Cohesive Group ◽  
Political Agents

The Road to Iraq is an empirical investigation that explains the causes of the Iraq War, identifies its main agents, and demonstrates how the war was sold to decision makers and by decision makers to the public. It shows how a small but ideologically coherent and socially cohesive group of determined political agents used the contingency of 9/11 to outflank a sceptical foreign policy establishment, military brass and intelligence apparatus and provoked a war that has had disastrous consequences.

scholarly journals Green Deal as a Climate Changes Dam on the Road to Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Jevtic ◽  
C Bouland
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Clinical Medicine ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
National Public Health ◽  
On The Road ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Public health professionals (PHP) have a dual task in climate change. They should persuade their colleagues in clinical medicine of the importance of all the issues covered by the GD. The fact that the health sector contributes to the overall emissions of 4.4% speaks to the lack of awareness within the health sector itself. The issue of providing adequate infrastructure for the health sector is essential. Strengthening the opportunities and development of the circular economy within healthcare is more than just a current issue. The second task of PHP is targeting the broader population. The public health mission is being implemented, inter alia, through numerous activities related to environmental monitoring and assessment of the impact on health. GD should be a roadmap for priorities and actions in public health, bearing in mind: an ambitious goal of climate neutrality, an insistence on clean, affordable and safe energy, a strategy for a clean and circular economy. GD provides a framework for the development of sustainable and smart transport, the development of green agriculture and policies from field to table. It also insists on biodiversity conservation and protection actions. The pursuit of zero pollution and an environment free of toxic chemicals, as well as incorporating sustainability into all policies, is also an indispensable part of GD. GD represents a leadership step in the global framework towards a healthier future and comprises all the non-EU members as well. The public health sector should consider the GD as an argument for achieving goals at national levels, and align national public health policies with the goals of this document. There is a need for stronger advocacy of health and public-health interests along with incorporating sustainability into all policies. Achieving goals requires the education process for healthcare professionals covering all of topics of climate change, energy and air pollution to a much greater extent than before.

scholarly journals From Isolation to Containment: Perceived Fear of Infectivity and Protective Behavioral Changes during the COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6503
Author(s):  
Arielle Kaim ◽  
Maya Siman-Tov ◽  
Eli Jaffe ◽  
Bruria Adini
Keyword(s):  
Vaccination Campaign ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Protective Behavior ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
Israeli Population ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Public Health Officials

In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, maintenance of protective behavior is a continued challenge in the effort to contain the spread of the virus. A cross-sectional study via an internet questionnaire was utilized to elucidate changes in compliance to protective behavior among the Israeli population (n = 1120), after the beginning of the vaccination campaign. Comparison was made between individuals who were previously infected with the virus, those who received one dose of inoculation with the vaccine, and individuals that were neither infected or vaccinated. The study results indicate that those who were previously infected with the COVID-19 virus were less careful about mask wearing (18.8%) and social distancing (29.7%), as compared to the other examined groups (regarding mask wearing, 8.2% and 11.6% respectively, and with regard to social distancing 12.8% and 19.2%) and may require targeted risk communication campaigns to address this population. Furthermore, the study revealed that those that were non-Jewish (as compared to Jewish study counterparts) or that were older (19+) were more vigilant in their protective behavior (29.6% vs. 11.2% respectively for social distancing and 29.6% vs. 11.1% respectively for mask wearing). Despite a successful initial vaccination campaign in Israel, public health officials need to engage all members of the public to unremittingly observe compliance to directed health guidelines, to ensure that the results of previous governmental efforts in fighting the pandemic (such as lockdowns) will be effectively sustained, and the road to containment will be hastened.

Analysis of Vehicle–Pedestrian Interactive Behaviors near Unsignalized Crosswalk

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812199906
Author(s):  
Byeongjoon Noh ◽  
Dongho Ka ◽  
David Lee ◽  
Hwasoo Yeo
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
The Road ◽  
Video Footage ◽  
Premature Deaths ◽  
Vehicle Velocity ◽  
Behavioral Features ◽  
Velocity Changes ◽  
On The Road

Road traffic accidents are a leading cause of premature deaths and globally pose a severe threat to human lives. In particular, pedestrians crossing the road present a major cause of vehicle–pedestrian accidents in South Korea, but we lack dense behavioral data to understand the risk they face. This paper proposes a new analytical system for potential pedestrian risk scenes based on video footage obtained by road security cameras already deployed at unsignalized crosswalks. The system can automatically extract the behavioral features of vehicles and pedestrians, affecting the likelihood of potentially dangerous situations after detecting them in individual objects. With these features, we can analyze the movement patterns of vehicles and pedestrians at individual sites, and understand where potential traffic risk scenes occur frequently. Experiments were conducted on four selected behavioral features: vehicle velocity, pedestrian position, vehicle–pedestrian distance, and vehicle–crosswalk distance. Then, to show how they can be useful for monitoring the traffic behaviors on the road, the features are visualized and interpreted to show how they may or may not contribute to potential pedestrian risks at these crosswalks: (i) by analyzing vehicle velocity changes near the crosswalk when there are no pedestrians present; and (ii) analyzing vehicle velocities by vehicle–pedestrian distances when pedestrians are on the crosswalk. The feasibility of the proposed system is validated by applying the system to multiple unsignalized crosswalks in Osan city, South Korea.

scholarly journals Design, manufacture and testing of a prototype obstacle-detection device at blind corners: an automated highway system technology

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Atombo ◽  
Emmanuel Gbey ◽  
Apevienyeku Kwami Holali
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Effective Area ◽  
Obstacle Detection ◽  
The Road ◽  
Vibration Sensors ◽  
Road Signs ◽  
Sensor Module ◽  
Vehicle Path ◽  
Automated Highway

Abstract Traffic accidents on highways are attributed mostly to the "invisibility" of oncoming traffic and road signs. "Speeding" also causes drivers to reduce the effective radius of the vehicle path in the curve, thus trespassing into the lane of the oncoming traffic. The main aim of this paper was to develop a multisensory obstacle-detection device that is affordable, easy to implement and easy to maintain to reduce the risk of road accidents at blind corners. An ultrasonic sensor module with a maximum measuring angle of 15° was used to ensure that a significant portion of the lane was detected at the blind corner. The sensor covered a minimum effective area of 0.5 m2 of the road for obstacle detection. Yellow light was employed to signify caution while negotiating the blind corner. Two photoresistors (PRs) were used as sensors because of the limited number of pins on the microcontroller (Arduino Uno). However, the device developed for this project achieved obstacle detection at blind corners at relatively low cost and can be accessed by all road users. In real-world applications, the use of piezoelectric accelerometers (vibration sensors) instead of PR sensors would be more desirable in order to detect not only cars but also two-wheelers.

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