Survey-Based Accident Analysis for Human-Powered Three-Wheeled Vehicles

The causes of accidents involving nonconventional bicycle types have hardly been investigated in the literature to date. However, these vehicles could play an important role in reducing the CO2 emissions generated by traffic. As a basis for improving the driving safety of these environmentally friendly vehicles, this article presents the results of a survey on accidents and near-accidents of multitrack bicycle vehicles. More than 120 critical or accident situations of 86 drivers were analyzed. The situations are investigated with respect to the circumstances, the causes, and the consequences of the accidents using manual analysis and multiple correspondence analysis. A distinction is made between single accidents and accidents with another party. The aim of the survey is not to make statistically accurate statements on the frequency and probability of accidents, but rather to analyze the accident or near-accident circumstances. It is shown that the causes of single accidents are usually too high cornering velocities in combination with other factors such as road conditions. In the case of accidents with external involvement, the person who caused the accident is usually the other party involved. The accident opponent is in most cases a passenger car. Here the overlooking of the vehicles is the most frequent cause of accidents. Finally, possibilities to reduce the probability of accidents are briefly discussed for the different situations. As the research shows, most of the situations described occur on the road. This indicates that there are deficits in the bicycle infrastructure for the vehicles considered here. The results also indicate that there are deficits with regard to the perceptibility of the vehicles by other road users.

Near accidents and collisions between pedestrians and cyclists

Cities throughout the world have increasingly promoted walking and cycling as healthy and sustainable modes of travel. However, collisions between pedestrians and cyclists have remained largely unstudied, and existing accident statistics suffer from underreporting. This study aimed to explore near accidents and collisions between pedestrians and cyclists, assess the frequency of near accidents, and evaluate pedestrians’ and cyclists’ sense of safety in traffic. An online survey was directed to inhabitants of Finnish cities with populations greater than 100,000, and the resulting data included 1046 respondents who walk and/or cycle regularly.The main results show that near accidents between pedestrians and cyclists are around 50 times more frequent than collisions. Only 16 survey respondents had been involved in a collision during the 3-year period, whereas roughly a third had experienced at least one near accident. For both near accidents and collisions, the involved parties were usually travelling in the same direction. Most incidents occurred on pedestrian paths and shared pedestrian and bicycle paths. On shared pedestrian and bicycle paths separated by mode of transport, incidents were much rarer. Furthermore, sense of safety and willingness to walk and cycle were lower in environments where near accidents were more frequent.These findings tentatively suggest that spatially separating modes of transport could improve people’s sense of safety and prevent near accidents and collisions. Prevention of near accidents could increase the willingness to walk and cycle.

Understanding and Avoiding AI Failures: A Practical Guide

As AI technologies increase in capability and ubiquity, AI accidents are becoming more common. Based on normal accident theory, high reliability theory, and open systems theory, we create a framework for understanding the risks associated with AI applications. This framework is designed to direct attention to pertinent system properties without requiring unwieldy amounts of accuracy. In addition, we also use AI safety principles to quantify the unique risks of increased intelligence and human-like qualities in AI. Together, these two fields give a more complete picture of the risks of contemporary AI. By focusing on system properties near accidents instead of seeking a root cause of accidents, we identify where attention should be paid to safety for current generation AI systems.

Car-mounted (black box) camera–based prediction and avoidance of intersection collisions for advanced driver assistance systems

This study analyzed video and quantitative data of 471 four-way intersection vehicle collisions obtained from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute near-accidents data and used the analysis results to determine the threshold value for each of the nine types of intersection collisions. The collision cases obtained for this study were categorized into nine groups based on the direction of the car that recorded the video and location of the other car estimated through video analysis. In obscure cases, the aspect rate was additionally used to assign a group. After the group it belongs to is identified, the change rate of aspect ratio and area change rate were used to determine the possibility and specific type of intersection collision. When a collision was imminent, avoidance possibility was calculated to avoid the collision completely, and if the collision was inevitable, partial collision maneuver method that causes the least damage was deduced. The suggested algorithms were verified using the black box video from 16 actual accident cases. With the exception of special cases such as when most of the vehicle was out of view, most of them showed high correspondence.

Spatial Disorientation Survey Among Military Pilots

BACKGROUND: Spatial disorientation (SD) remains a significant cause of accidents and near accidents. A variety of training methods have been used to assist pilots to anticipate the SD problem. The value of such training in the prevention of disorientation has been difficult to assess.METHODS: To study transfer of SD awareness training, we related reported incidents to the content and frequency of SD awareness training received. The questionnaire was completed by 368 out of 495 pilots; 189 currently flying fixed-wing, and 150 flying rotary-wing aircraft. On average, their age was 38, and they had 2466 flight hours on-type.RESULTS: Respondents gave high ratings for the importance of SD training and their awareness of SD, the latter being one of the training objectives. The amount of SD training received by respondents was positively correlated with ratings for appreciation and importance. Self-rated awareness was positively correlated with the number of reported SD experiences. Although the correlations were below 0.50, the results provide an indication that SD training is effective. In total, respondents reported 5773 SD experiences, 195 of them resulting in a serious risk for flight safety. Narratives of these serious events show that, in many cases, pilots managed their SD by carefully checking the flight instruments, and also by good crew coordination.DISCUSSION: The results of the survey provide some evidence, although based on subjective reports, for transfer of SD training. The results of the SD experiences can be used to improve the SD training in terms of content and frequency.Pennings HJM, Oprins EAPB, Wittenberg H, Houben MMJ, Groen EL. Spatial disorientation survey among military pilots. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(1):4–10.

DETERMINATION OF SIZE OF PROTECTIVE ZONES TO PROVIDE SECURITY MEASURES DURING TESTS OF ARMING AND ROCKET FORCES AND ARTILLERY MATERIALON TESTING GROUND

The article analyzes the possible risks that can arise when firing artillery and rocket launches. The disadvantages of the method of calculating the protection zones are identified, which taking into account will reduce the likelihood of the occurrence of abnormal situations, which can lead to tragic consequences and damage to objects adjacent to the boundary of the testing ground. Additions to the procedure for determining the protection zones of the test site in the interests of RVIA are proposed and the specified, correct sizes of these zones are provided. Development of rocket troops and artillery (RTaA) of the Armed Forces (AF) of Ukraine is impossible without a permanent improvement and modernisation of types of armament and ammunition to them, development of the new artillery systems and their ground tests. During realization of ground tests of types of armament and military technique (WME) of RTaA firing of artillery and starting of rockets is accompanied by errors or wrong acts of WME attendant and personnel or extraneous persons, the consequences of that must be envisaged, and the risk of their origin is Analysis of the battle firing, including during realization of anti-terror operation and operation of the incorporated forces on east of Ukraine row of ground tests of standards of WME RTaA test if possibility of origin of nonpermanent near-accidents during application of armament of RtaA as a result of rejection of trajectory of flight of projectile (mines) by the direction and distance from the expected targets. Mostly it happens through untaking into account of maximal rejections of meteorological and ballistic terms of firing from tabular or errors in calculations, wrong acquisition of charge, error at aiming of fighting machines, cannons, mortars. There for practice of the battle firing needs taking into account of these errors, that will give an opportunity consider ably to promo test rength security at application of armament of RAaT during testing of standards of WME. Thus, in the article certainly and possible risks that can arise up during realization of firing of artillery and starting of rockets are analysed, related to the lacks of existent methodology of realization of calculations in relation to providing of safety measures during the tests of WME RtaA. Suggestions are brought in, in relation to the improvement of methodology of realization of calculations of sizes of protective zones, that unlike existing more in detail take into account maximal deviations of terms of firing from tabular values. These suggestions for providing of safety measures it will be allowed to decrease probability of origin of situations, that can result in tragic consequences and to causing of damages to the objects that fit closely to the limits of training field. Anoffer adding to the order of determination of protective zones and given specified sizes of the sezones have an important practical value at determination of possibilities of grounds and providing of safety of testing and battle firing (starting) of RtaA.

Application of Bayesian Networks and Information Theory to Estimate the Occurrence of Mid-Air Collisions Based on Accident Precursors

This paper combines Bayesian networks (BN) and information theory to model the likelihood of severe loss of separation (LOS) near accidents, which are considered mid-air collision (MAC) precursors. BN is used to analyze LOS contributing factors and the multi-dependent relationship of causal factors, while Information Theory is used to identify the LOS precursors that provide the most information. The combination of the two techniques allows us to use data on LOS causes and precursors to define warning scenarios that could forecast a major LOS with severity A or a near accident, and consequently the likelihood of a MAC. The methodology is illustrated with a case study that encompasses the analysis of LOS that have taken place within the Spanish airspace during a period of four years.

Development of a Simulator Training Platform for Fish Farm Operations

The Norwegian aquaculture industry is accident prone compared to other industries and employees report a high number of near-accidents. Furthermore, escape of fish is a challenge for the industry. There is a potential for increased safety for both humans and fish if operators can practice operations in a safe environment. Existing simulators are not suited for this context. This paper presents results from a research and development project aimed at developing a realistic simulator-based training platform for demanding fish farm operations. Three objectives guided the development process. First, a description of operations, aimed at identifying challenges and training needs, which formed the basis for selecting training scenarios well suited for aquaculture. Second, the development of mathematical models that could be used in the simulator were developed, and finally, a curriculum for training course modules to complete the platform. Platform thus points to the integration of the simulator and the practical and theoretical education of operators. In this article, the first and second part of the process are presented and discussed.