Allocating Blame for Airbag Deployment Injuries: Separating Manufacturers' Blame from Personal Responsibility

2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (20) ◽  
pp. 1458-1462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Kalsher ◽  
Kevin J. Williams ◽  
Sarah M. Denio
Keyword(s):  
Personal Responsibility ◽  
Driving Behavior ◽  
Good Faith ◽  
Speed Limit ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
The Road ◽  
Injured Party ◽  
Safety Features ◽  
Side Airbag

This study examined how people allocate blame for injuries sustained from the deployment of a driver-side airbag. Participants read one of several versions of a fictitious scenario in which the driver of an automobile is injured by a deploying airbag after a driver swerves into oncoming traffic to avoid striking a child who has run into the road. The scenarios depicted a driver sitting within the airbag's deployment zone and varied in the following ways: the stature of the injured driver (small or large); severity of the injury resulting from the deployment of the airbag (permanent blindness in one eye versus quadriplegia); vehicle speed at impact (15 m.p.h. above versus driving at the posted speed limit); and the safety-worthiness of the vehicle (an elaborate system of safety features versus the absence of these features). When assigning blame for the injuries sustained in the crash, participants appeared sensitive to both the quality of the vehicle's safety system and the driving behavior of the injured party. The manufacturer of the “safe” vehicle was held significantly less responsible than the manufacturer of the vehicle lacking these safety features. However, driver behavior also exerted a significant effect on allocation of blame. Injured drivers depicted as traveling significantly above the speed limit were assigned significantly more blame than their counterparts depicted as driving at the speed limit. This finding suggests that people take other factors into account, including personal responsibility, when assigning blame. Perhaps the most important finding of this research, and one that supports previous research on this topic, is that safety pays. When companies are perceived as making a good faith attempt to look out for the safety of their customers, their customers, in return, may be less likely to hold them responsible when injuries do occur.

scholarly journals Speed tourism: The German Autobahn as a tourist destination and location of “unruly rules”

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-313
Author(s):  
Matthias Gross
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
The Other ◽  
Speed Limit ◽  
Tourist Destination ◽  
Driving Experience ◽  
Native Culture ◽  
The Road ◽  
The One ◽  
The Ideal

The German Autobahn has inspired many people’s imagination with its lack of a general speed limit, the quality of its road surface as well as its allegedly well-behaved drivers. One of the consequences of this positive reputation has been the emergence of a phenomenon I would like to call “speed tourism.” In this article, I treat speed tourism as a special form of tourism that involves viewing the driving experience as an opportunity for either testing the capacity of one’s own car or driving it at high speed as a way of experiencing the native culture at firsthand. I explore speed tourism as an alternative way of getting to know the real Germany as a tourist. Based on an analysis of several of its peculiarities, I argue that the Autobahn can be understood as a location where tourists can mix with “locals” while keeping a distance from them, since the interaction is restricted to learning and obeying the country’s rules of the road. The Autobahn then becomes a time-bound “dream location” created by the ideal of limitless driving freedom on the one hand and the paradoxical requirement of unruliness in relation to strict rules on the other; together, these are believed to offer an “authentic” driving experience according to local cultural customs.

A Study on Effect of Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) to Bus Drivers

2013 ◽  
Vol 393 ◽  
pp. 982-987
Author(s):  
N.M. Hanif Zamakhshari ◽  
Ahmad Khushairy Makhtar ◽  
M. Hanif Ramli
Keyword(s):  
Speed Limit ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
Speed Profile ◽  
Bus Drivers ◽  
The Road ◽  
Road Speed ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Intelligent Speed Adaptation ◽  
Attention Level ◽  
Local Speed

ntelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) is a system that constantly monitors vehicle speed, local speed limit on a road and implements an action such as giving warning or discourages the drivers when the vehicle is detected to be exceeding the speed limit. A GPS connected to digital speed map allows Intelligent Speed Adaptation technology to continuously update the vehicle speed limit to the road speed limit. The main purpose of this project is to study the speed profile and effect on drivers psychology on Intelligent Speed Adaptation to bus drivers before and after the intervention of ISA technology. An experiment was conducted on GPS-ISA instrument involving about 20 respondents of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam Campus bus drivers from various backgrounds. The instrument used to collect data is GPS-ISA device. The data gained from GPS-ISA device is speed profile to specify the speeding and speed variation. To evaluate drivers psychology, a set of questionnaire was designed. The data gained from questionnaire are attention level, stress level, and ISA acceptance level. The result of total differences for all 20 respondents between the average speed before and after the intervention for Zone 1 to Zone 5 was-8.95 km/h. For drivers psychology results, most of the respondents are willing to use ISA system if given a chance. Majority of respondents did not felt any stress and distraction while driving by using ISA system. For conclusion, the ISA system proved to be efficiently reduced speed of busses in UiTM Shah Alam campus zone and can be used as an initiative in order to assist bus drivers to reduce speed of vehicles especially in campus zone.

scholarly journals Predicting Compliance with Speed Limits using Speed Limit Credibility Perception and Risk Perception Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 2674 (9) ◽  
pp. 450-461
Author(s):  
Yao Yao ◽  
Oliver Carsten ◽  
Daryl Hibberd
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Driving Simulator ◽  
Learning Algorithm ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Driving Behavior ◽  
Speed Limit ◽  
Speed Limits ◽  
The Road ◽  
Boosted Decision Tree

The link between attitudes and behavior shows that driving behavior can be predicted by personal characteristics and individual attitudes, as has been shown in previous research. This study aimed to predict the level of compliance with speed limits by individual drivers by using attitudes data including speed limit credibility perception and risk perception on eight rural single carriageway layouts. This study investigated how the road layout and roadside environment affect speed limit credibility perception and risk perception, and investigated which machine learning algorithm can be used to predict driving behavior based on experimental evidence. This study was carried out in a well-controlled experimental design by using a questionnaire and a driving simulator. The simulated road environment only considered rural single carriageway which has higher risk factors than other road types. The results show that a boosted decision tree algorithm can establish a driving behavior model based on drivers’ credibility perception and risk perception. This result can be used to predict driving behavior in advance for in-vehicle warning system design.

Modelling and simulation of gear synchronisation and shifting in dual-clutch transmission equipped powertrains

2012 ◽  
Vol 227 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul David Walker ◽  
Nong Zhang ◽  
Wenzhang Zhan ◽  
Bo Zhu
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
Dual Clutch Transmission ◽  
Detailed Model ◽  
Limited Impact ◽  
Shift Quality ◽  
The Road ◽  
Mechanism Model ◽  
Shift Control

Dual-clutch transmissions have increased in prevalence through the combination of high efficiency and shift quality. This is achieved through the automation of conventional manual transmission synchronisers for gear selection with automated clutch-to-clutch shift control, minimising loss of traction to the road. This article derives a suitably detailed model of a dual-clutch transmission equipped powertrain for the transient simulation and analysis of combined synchroniser engagement and gear shifts. Models are derived for a powertrain equipped with a wet dual-clutch transmission with particular focus on a detailed synchroniser mechanism model, including speed synchronisation, ring unblocking and indexing stages of engagement. To demonstrate the combination of synchroniser engagement with clutch-to-clutch shifting, several simulations are conducted to study the variation of chamfer alignment, vehicle speed and synchroniser engagement timing on powertrain response. Results indicate that vehicle speed and chamfer alignment have only limited impact on the quality of shifting. Synchroniser timing can have a more significant influence on shift quality, stressing the need for independence of these processes.

Development and Application of Quality Control System for Highway Subgrade Construction

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Detection Method ◽  
System Development ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Development Mode ◽  
The Road ◽  
Whole Process

The compaction quality of the subgrade is directly related to the service life of the road. Effective control of the subgrade construction process is the key to ensuring the compaction quality of the subgrade. Therefore, real-time, comprehensive, rapid and accurate prediction of construction compaction quality through informatization detection method is an important guarantee for speeding up construction progress and ensuring subgrade compaction quality. Based on the function of the system, this paper puts forward the principle of system development and the development mode used in system development, and displays the development system in real-time to achieve the whole process control of subgrade construction quality.

CREATING WALKING LED TRANSIT STATIONS FOR WOMEN IN MALAYSIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain ◽  
Nur Farhana Azmi ◽  
Suhaini Yusoff
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
The Other ◽  
Walking Distance ◽  
The Road ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Female User

Transit stations are generally well known as nodes of spaces where percentage of people walking are relatively high. The issue is do more planning is actually given to create walkability. Creating walking led transit stations involves planning of walking distance, providing facilities like pathways, toilets, seating and lighting. On the other hand, creating walking led transit station for women uncover a new epitome. Walking becomes one of the most important forms of mobility for women in developing countries nowadays. Encouraging women to use public transportation is not just about another effort to promote the use of public transportation but also another great endeavour to reduce numbers of traffic on the road. This also means, creating an effort to control accidents rate, reducing carbon emission, improving health and eventually, developing the quality of life. Hence, in this paper, we sought first to find out the factors that motivate women to walk at transit stations in Malaysia. A questionnaire survey with 562 female user of Light Railway Transit (LRT) was conducted at LRT stations along Kelana Jaya Line. Both built and non-built environment characteristics, particularly distance, safety and facilities were found as factors that are consistently associated with women walkability. With these findings, the paper highlights the criteria  which are needed to create and make betterment of transit stations not just for women but also for walkability in general.

The first experience of bipolar transurethral operations in surgery of benign prostatic hyperplasia

2018 ◽  
pp. 10-20
Author(s):  
Н.А. Глотов ◽  
Н.Е. Соколов ◽  
Ю.Б. Смоляков
Keyword(s):  
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia ◽  
Prostatic Hyperplasia ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
The Road ◽  
Surgical Methods ◽  
The Comparative Study ◽  
Endoscopic Methods ◽  
Qualitative Characteristics

Представлены результаты внедрения в хирургическую практику урологического отделения Дорожной клинической больницы г. Ярославль биполярной техники трансуретральной резекции (БТУР) и энуклеации простаты (ТУЭБ) для лечения доброкачественной гиперплазии предстательной железы (ДГПЖ) средних и больших размеров. В сравнительное исследование включено 164 пациента, разделенных по методам операции на 2 основные группы (ТУЭБ - 33 человека, БТУР - 49) и 2 контрольные (открытая простатэктомия - ОПЭ - 38 и монополярная ТУР - 44). Для новых эндоскопических методов установлено значимое снижение объема кровопотери, частоты геморрагических осложнений, сроков послеоперационной катетеризации и госпитализации. Для количественной оценки различий средних и относительных показателей использо-вали непараметрический критерий Манна-Уитни, оценка качественных признаков проводилась с применением критерия Пирсона (χ2), уровень значимости различий для исследования выбран р ≤ 0,05. Анализ послеоперационной динамики клинических показателей в среднесрочной перспективе показал сходную радикальность и эффектив-ность сравниваемых методов. Установленные меньшая инвазивность, большая безопасность и лучшая переносимость биполярных эндоскопических операций демонстрируют перспективность их внедрения взамен бывших стандартных хирургических методов, что позволит повысить качество оперативного лечения и сократить затраты стационара. The results of the introduction into surgical practice of the urological Department of the road clinical hospital of Yaroslavl bipolar technique of transurethral resection (BTTR) and enucleation of the prostate (EOTP) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) of medium and large sizes are presented. The comparative study included 164 patients, divided by the methods of surgery into 2 main groups (EOTP - 33 people, BTTR - 49) and 2 control (open prostatectomy - OPE - 38 and monopolar TTR - 44). For new endoscopic methods, a significant reduction in the volume of blood loss, the frequency of hemorrhagic complications, the timing of postoperative catheterization and hospitalization was established. Nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was used to quantify the differences in mean and relative indicators, qualitative characteristics were evaluated using Pearson test (χ2), the significance level of the differences for the study was chosen p ≤ 0.05. Analysis of postoperative dynamics of clinical parameters in the medium term showed similar radicality and effectiveness of the compared methods. The lower invasiveness, greater safety and better tolerability of bipolar endoscopic operations demonstrate the prospects of their implementation instead of the former standard surgical methods, which will improve the quality of surgical treatment and reduce the costs of the hospital.

scholarly journals Smartphone monitoring of in-ambulance vibration and noise

2021 ◽  
pp. 095441192098599
Author(s):  
Tom Partridge ◽  
Lorelei Gherman ◽  
David Morris ◽  
Roger Light ◽  
Andrew Leslie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transport Systems ◽  
Vertical Acceleration ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
The Road ◽  
Neonatal Transport ◽  
Mass Data ◽  
Transport Team ◽  
Vertical Accelerations ◽  
Noise Vibration

Transferring sick premature infants between hospitals increases the risk of severe brain injury, potentially linked to the excessive exposure to noise, vibration and driving-related accelerations. One method of reducing these levels may be to travel along smoother and quieter roads at an optimal speed, however this requires mass data on the effect of roads on the environment within ambulances. An app for the Android operating system has been developed for the purpose of recording vibration, noise levels, location and speed data during ambulance journeys. Smartphone accelerometers were calibrated using sinusoidal excitation and the microphones using calibrated pink noise. Four smartphones were provided to the local neonatal transport team and mounted on their neonatal transport systems to collect data. Repeatability of app recordings was assessed by comparing 37 journeys, made during the study period, along an 8.5 km single carriageway. The smartphones were found to have an accelerometer accurate to 5% up to 55 Hz and microphone accurate to 0.8 dB up to 80 dB. Use of the app was readily adopted by the neonatal transport team, recording more than 97,000 km of journeys in 1 year. To enable comparison between journeys, the 8.5 km route was split into 10 m segments. Interquartile ranges for vehicle speed, vertical acceleration and maximum noise level were consistent across all segments (within 0.99 m . s−1, 0.13 m · s−2 and 1.4 dB, respectively). Vertical accelerations registered were representative of the road surface. Noise levels correlated with vehicle speed. Android smartphones are a viable method of accurate mass data collection for this application. We now propose to utilise this approach to reduce potential harmful exposure, from vibration and noise, by routing ambulances along the most comfortable roads.

scholarly journals Cortical Activity Linked to Clocking in Deaf Adults: fNIRS Insights with Static and Animated Stimuli Presentation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Sébastien Laurent ◽  
Laurence Paire-Ficout ◽  
Jean-Michel Boucheix ◽  
Stéphane Argon ◽  
Antonio Hidalgo-Muñoz
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Time Estimation ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Deaf People ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
The Road ◽  
Deaf Adults

The question of the possible impact of deafness on temporal processing remains unanswered. Different findings, based on behavioral measures, show contradictory results. The goal of the present study is to analyze the brain activity underlying time estimation by using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) techniques, which allow examination of the frontal, central and occipital cortical areas. A total of 37 participants (19 deaf) were recruited. The experimental task involved processing a road scene to determine whether the driver had time to safely execute a driving task, such as overtaking. The road scenes were presented in animated format, or in sequences of 3 static images showing the beginning, mid-point, and end of a situation. The latter presentation required a clocking mechanism to estimate the time between the samples to evaluate vehicle speed. The results show greater frontal region activity in deaf people, which suggests that more cognitive effort is needed to process these scenes. The central region, which is involved in clocking according to several studies, is particularly activated by the static presentation in deaf people during the estimation of time lapses. Exploration of the occipital region yielded no conclusive results. Our results on the frontal and central regions encourage further study of the neural basis of time processing and its links with auditory capacity.

scholarly journals Automatic Roadway Features Detection with Oriented Object Detection

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 3531
Author(s):  
Hesham M. Eraqi ◽  
Karim Soliman ◽  
Dalia Said ◽  
Omar R. Elezaby ◽  
Mohamed N. Moustafa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Object Detection ◽  
Safety Evaluation ◽  
Autonomous Driving ◽  
Detection Accuracy ◽  
The Road ◽  
Detection Model ◽  
Detection Approach ◽  
Roadway Safety ◽  
Safety Features ◽  
Oriented Object

Extensive research efforts have been devoted to identify and improve roadway features that impact safety. Maintaining roadway safety features relies on costly manual operations of regular road surveying and data analysis. This paper introduces an automatic roadway safety features detection approach, which harnesses the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) computer vision to make the process more efficient and less costly. Given a front-facing camera and a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, the proposed system automatically evaluates ten roadway safety features. The system is composed of an oriented (or rotated) object detection model, which solves an orientation encoding discontinuity problem to improve detection accuracy, and a rule-based roadway safety evaluation module. To train and validate the proposed model, a fully-annotated dataset for roadway safety features extraction was collected covering 473 km of roads. The proposed method baseline results are found encouraging when compared to the state-of-the-art models. Different oriented object detection strategies are presented and discussed, and the developed model resulted in improving the mean average precision (mAP) by 16.9% when compared with the literature. The roadway safety feature average prediction accuracy is 84.39% and ranges between 91.11% and 63.12%. The introduced model can pervasively enable/disable autonomous driving (AD) based on safety features of the road; and empower connected vehicles (CV) to send and receive estimated safety features, alerting drivers about black spots or relatively less-safe segments or roads.

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