Training and education

Driver obesity and the risk of fatal injury during traffic collisions

Rice, Thomas M.
Zhu, Motao
2016

Background Few studies have looked at how obesity affects injury outcomes among vehicle occupants involved in traffic collisions.

Objective To estimate the association of obesity with death risk among drivers of passenger vehicles aged ≥16 and to examine effect modification by driver sex, driver seat belt use, vehicle type and collision type.

Methods We conducted a matched-pair cohort study using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. WHO body mass index (BMI) categories were calculated. Data were analysed using conditional...

Trauma Center-Based Surveillance of Nontraffic Pedestrian Injury among California Children

Rice, Thomas M.
Trent, Roger B.
Bernacki, Kate
Rice, Jennifer K.
Lovette, Bonnie
Hoover, Eileen
Fennell, Janette
Aistrich, Anna Zacher
Wiltsek, Dana
Corman, Ellen
Anderson, Craig L.
Sherck, John
2011

Introduction: Every year in the United States, thousands of young children are injured by passenger vehicles in driveways or parking areas. Little is known about risk factors, and incidence rates are difficult to estimate because ascertainment using police collision reports or media sources is incomplete. This study used surveillance at trauma centers to identify incidents and parent interviews to obtain detailed information on incidents, vehicles, and children.

Methods: Eight California trauma centers conducted surveillance of nontraffic pedestrian collision injury to children aged...

The Effectiveness of Child Restraint Systems for Children Aged 3 Years or Younger During Motor Vehicle Collisions: 1996 to 2005

Rice, Thomas M.
Anderson, Craig L.
2009

Objectives. We estimated the effectiveness of child restraints in preventing death during motor vehicle collisions among children 3 years or younger.

Methods. We conducted a matched cohort study using Fatality Analysis Reporting System data from 1996 to 2005. We estimated death risk ratios using conditional Poisson regression, bootstrapping, multiple imputation, and a sensitivity analysis of misclassification bias. We examined possible effect modification by selected factors.

Results. The estimated death risk ratios comparing child safety seats with...

Occupational stressors and hypertension: A multi-method study using observer-based job analysis and self-reports in urban transit operators

Greiner, Birgit A.
Krause, Niklas
Ragland, David R.
Fisher, June M.
2004

This multi-method study aimed to disentangle objective and subjective components of job stressors and determine the role of each for hypertension risk. Because research on job stressors and hypertension has been exclusively based on self-reports of stressors, the tendency of some individuals to use denial and repressive coping might be responsible for the inconclusive results in previous studies. Stressor measures with different degrees of objectivity were contrasted, including (1) an observer-based measure of stressors (job barriers, time pressure) obtained from experts, (2) self-reported...

Addressing Inappropriate Driver Behavior at Rail-Highway Crossings

Cooper, Douglas L.
Ragland, David R.
2008

Driver behavior at rail highway crossings has been the subject of numerous studies, most of which show that violations are relatively commonplace. The focus of this paper will be on those drivers who drive around fully descended gates. Drivers commonly misjudge the speed and distance of trains. They must make a decision about the time remaining before the train arrives based on sensory signals as well as non-sensory factors such as expectations and motivation. At a gated crossing, where drivers have been alerted to the imminent danger by lowered gates, there is more to be gained by...

Removing Barriers for Seniors at Transit Stops and Stations and the Potential for Transit Ridership Growth

Babka, Rhianna JoIris
Zheng, Joseph
Cooper, Jill F.
Ragland, David R.
2008

As the baby boomer generation ages there is an increased need for older adult sensitive transportation. Currently a small percentage of older adults utilize public transit; however, the utilization rates are likely to increase as the corresponding population of older adults increases. Older adults are a diverse population and it is likely that future generations of older adults will require a wider range of transit options.

The current research addresses (i) barriers for older adults at transit stops and stations, and (ii) older adult public transit habits and...

Health Impacts of the School Commute

Lee, Murray
Orenstein, Marla
Richardson, Maxwell J.
Ragland, David R.
2008

A dramatic decline in walking and cycling to school has been observed in many geographic and cultural regions, and most children in the US are now driven to school in private vehicles. There are a number of health implications associated with the choice of commute mode, including traffic safety, exposure to air pollution, and levels of physical activity and obesity, and the risks and benefits of each must be weighed. This paper reviews current evidence on these risks and benefits for each health topic area. From a traffic safety perspective, buses are best, while the risks of private...

High Visibility Enforcement Programs: California’s State and University Traffic Safety Partnership

Cooper, Jill F.
Kan, Irene
Cadet, Akilah
Rauch, Sharleen
Murphy, Christopher J.
2009

Traffic collisions are a leading cause of death and injury in California and the number one cause of death for people between the ages of one and 44. High-visibility enforcement programs (HVEs) are administered nationwide by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and combine intensive enforcement of a particular traffic safety law with widespread media and public education campaigns. HVE programs have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol-impaired driving and promoting seat belt use. A major challenge in implementing HVEs, however, exists among local police...

Safety Performance of High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Facilities: Evaluation of HOV Lane Configurations in California

Jang, Kitae
Chung, Koohong
Ragland, David R.
Chan, Ching-Yao
2009

Collision data from High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) facilities with two different types of access, continuous and limited, are examined in this paper. The findings show that HOV facilities with limited access offer no safety advantages over those with a continuous access. Compared with continuous access HOV lanes, a higher percentage of collisions was concentrated on limited access HOV lanes. Limited access HOV lanes also had higher collision rates. Findings from investigating the relationship between collision rates in HOV lanes with respect to shoulder width, length of access, and the...

Evaluation of an Urban Travel Training for Older Adults

Babka, Rhianna JoIris
Cooper, Jill F.
Ragland, David R.
2009

The size of the aging population in the United States is increasing, and transportation is critical to maintaining older adults mobility, independence, and quality of life. Travel training programs designed to increase individual knowledge are one way to encourage older adult use of fixed- route transit and improve the transportation options for older adults. The analysis conducted in this paper explores characteristics of travel-training participants in Alameda County, California in 2007-2008 and their knowledge and concerns regarding public transit. Specific issues addressed...