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Commuting Accidents. A study of commuting accidents and casualities in some Swedish regions during 1971
152
Recent
publications
which should include selection of the type of instructional activities and to plan the actual instructional activity. Once the foregoing have been accomplished, the next step is to implement the instructional activities which include such pedagogic tools as identification of instructors and learners. The final effort relates to evaluation of results. Several aspects of evaluation can be identified; for example, the basic evaluation could be built into the instructional process and can be treated as a part of that instructional process. Evaluation of actual application of learning to job related performance is also significant. These might indicate deficiencies and can be helpful in providing inputs to the first level effort which is analysis of needs. The author has paid considerable attention to the problem of “evaluation” of training. His suggestions are extremely helpful to those who initiate training activities and keep wondering about the effectiveness of their endeavours. On the whole, it is an extremely useful book. The major strengths are twofold. First, the author has taken a comprehensive view of safety and health programmes. He looks at these issues not only from the narrow perspective of a programme designer but encompasses the whole range of man-machine systems, with rerun resources as the focal theme. Secondly, he has paid due attention to the development of programmer+ for improving performance through safety and healthful behaviour. Each step of the programme is lucidly but exhaustively mapped out and is translatable into action. It is a highly readable book and I would recommend it not only to the practitioners of industrial hygiene or safety directors but to all those who have the well-being of the individual in organizations at heart. D. M. PESTONJEE Indian institute of Management Ahmedabad. India
BRIEF NOTICES Arzneimittel und Verkehrss~cherheit. (Drugs and Trafic Safety.) Michael Staak and Giinter Berghaus. Heft 40. Federal Highway Research Institute, Cologne, German Federal Republic, 1983. 144 pp. (In German.) The objective of this paper is a compilation of the available pharmacological and clinical knowledge about the effects of drugs on traffic safety. The following drugs have been found to be signifi~nt in the field of trafhc medicine: anesthetics, hypnotics and tranquilizers, psychotropic drugs, antiepileptics, antihistamines, analgetics, stimulants, antihypertensives, antidiabetics, and ophthalmics (ophthalmological agents or drugs). In order to better comprehend the complexity of this fieId, the authors (1) describe the experimental research undertaken on this problem; (2) interviewed experts, scientific societies, the pharmaceutical industry and institutes; and (3) compiled a sizeable documentation composing roughly 3000 references.
Commuting Accidents. A Study of commuting Accidents and Casualties in Some Swedish Regions during 1971. Ake Forsstrom. University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, 1982. 266 pp. (In English.) The primary purpose of this investigation is to establish the structure of circumstances in commuting accidents with personal injuries with special reference to factors in the physical en~ronment. A secondary aim is to evaluate the possibilities to reduce welfare losses by changing the way of travelling. The concept of commuting accidents includes all casualties resulting from accidents during commuting journeys, while that of road traffic accidents
Recent publications
153
is narrower since such accidents must include at least one vehicle in motion. The usea method is an attempt to put a holistic perspective on the subject. Results of the evaluation indicate that a substantial part of commuter casualties is due to walking accidents. This fact influences the patterns of risk and of loss. A changed view of accident causation is suggested, with environmental elements forming the main area of accident factors and human factors ranking second. This view also has implications regarding the total number of traffic accidents in Sweden. The popular view of reducing commuting accidents by changing commuting habits from car to public means of transport is not supported. Loss reduction is most easily achieved by reducing commuting by mopeds and motor-cycles and by making path-ways clear from ice, snow, holes, curbs and other obstacles.
The Restraint
of Children in Car Impacts
Using Booster
Cushions and Adult Seat Belts.
D. G. C. Bacon and I. Gazeley. Report No. K42703. The Motor Industry Research Association, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England, 1982. 118 pp. (Available through NTIS.) The restraint of child dummies by adult seat belts alone and in combination with booster cushions was investigated. The child dummies in the age range 3-10 years old were tested in simulated perpendicular and oblique impacts of cars at 30m.p.h. The project was divided into 4 phases in which various aspects of the restraint of child dummies were examined. Phase 1 tests provided baseline data on the way child dummies behave when restrained only by adult belts and also demonstrated the effect of employing simple non-proprietary booster cushions of very hard and very soft consistency. In Phase 2, proprietary booster cushions were tested in simulated perpendicular (head-on) impacts, while phase 3 involved the testing of the child restraint systems in simulated 30” angled barrier impacts. The final phase of testing provided information on various topics, including an investigation of the effect of different anchorage locations on the restraint of the child, comparative tests with recent legislative requirements and tests of other seat belt types. Overall the best combination was a firm tethered booster cushion with a 3-pt automatic seat belt, and this combination was acceptable for the restraint of child dummies in the age range 3-10yr. Differences in restraint performance between the different proprietary designs of booster cushions were small, and it was concluded that the choice for a particular installation may be influenced largely by ease of fitting and convenience of daily use.
Riskmcitt f6r Oskyddade Trajikanter. (Risk Measures for Unprotected Road Users.) G&an Nilsson and Hans Thulin. Report No. 254. National Swedish Road and Traffic Research Institute, Linkiiping, Sweden, 1983. 86 pp. (In Swedish.)
This report comprises both a survey of risk concepts and risk measures relating to unprotected road users-pedestrians, cyclists and moped riders-and a proposed method of calculating risks for these categories. Accidents involving unprotected road users consist mainly of collisions with motor vehicles where the unprotected road user is injured. Using road accidents notified to the police as a basis, concepts such as accident risk and injury risk are therefore synonymous in the case of the unprotected road user. The survey showed that there is a lack of risk measures for unprotected road users arising from a general lack of information on pedestrian and cyclist flows. The report also presents some results from empirical studies at pedestrian crossings concerning the proportion of pedestrians who can cross the street without disturbing or being disturbed by vehicles. This proportion of pedestrians is defined as the degree of separation between vehicles and pedestrians. Video technics were used for the measurements. By comparing the total degree of separation of pedestrians during different periods of the day and accidents for the corresponding periods, relationships between risk and pedestrian flow for different degrees of separation were calculated.
Recent
publications
which should include selection of the type of instructional activities and to plan the actual instructional activity. Once the foregoing have been accomplished, the next step is to implement the instructional activities which include such pedagogic tools as identification of instructors and learners. The final effort relates to evaluation of results. Several aspects of evaluation can be identified; for example, the basic evaluation could be built into the instructional process and can be treated as a part of that instructional process. Evaluation of actual application of learning to job related performance is also significant. These might indicate deficiencies and can be helpful in providing inputs to the first level effort which is analysis of needs. The author has paid considerable attention to the problem of “evaluation” of training. His suggestions are extremely helpful to those who initiate training activities and keep wondering about the effectiveness of their endeavours. On the whole, it is an extremely useful book. The major strengths are twofold. First, the author has taken a comprehensive view of safety and health programmes. He looks at these issues not only from the narrow perspective of a programme designer but encompasses the whole range of man-machine systems, with rerun resources as the focal theme. Secondly, he has paid due attention to the development of programmer+ for improving performance through safety and healthful behaviour. Each step of the programme is lucidly but exhaustively mapped out and is translatable into action. It is a highly readable book and I would recommend it not only to the practitioners of industrial hygiene or safety directors but to all those who have the well-being of the individual in organizations at heart. D. M. PESTONJEE Indian institute of Management Ahmedabad. India
BRIEF NOTICES Arzneimittel und Verkehrss~cherheit. (Drugs and Trafic Safety.) Michael Staak and Giinter Berghaus. Heft 40. Federal Highway Research Institute, Cologne, German Federal Republic, 1983. 144 pp. (In German.) The objective of this paper is a compilation of the available pharmacological and clinical knowledge about the effects of drugs on traffic safety. The following drugs have been found to be signifi~nt in the field of trafhc medicine: anesthetics, hypnotics and tranquilizers, psychotropic drugs, antiepileptics, antihistamines, analgetics, stimulants, antihypertensives, antidiabetics, and ophthalmics (ophthalmological agents or drugs). In order to better comprehend the complexity of this fieId, the authors (1) describe the experimental research undertaken on this problem; (2) interviewed experts, scientific societies, the pharmaceutical industry and institutes; and (3) compiled a sizeable documentation composing roughly 3000 references.
Commuting Accidents. A Study of commuting Accidents and Casualties in Some Swedish Regions during 1971. Ake Forsstrom. University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, 1982. 266 pp. (In English.) The primary purpose of this investigation is to establish the structure of circumstances in commuting accidents with personal injuries with special reference to factors in the physical en~ronment. A secondary aim is to evaluate the possibilities to reduce welfare losses by changing the way of travelling. The concept of commuting accidents includes all casualties resulting from accidents during commuting journeys, while that of road traffic accidents
Recent publications
153
is narrower since such accidents must include at least one vehicle in motion. The usea method is an attempt to put a holistic perspective on the subject. Results of the evaluation indicate that a substantial part of commuter casualties is due to walking accidents. This fact influences the patterns of risk and of loss. A changed view of accident causation is suggested, with environmental elements forming the main area of accident factors and human factors ranking second. This view also has implications regarding the total number of traffic accidents in Sweden. The popular view of reducing commuting accidents by changing commuting habits from car to public means of transport is not supported. Loss reduction is most easily achieved by reducing commuting by mopeds and motor-cycles and by making path-ways clear from ice, snow, holes, curbs and other obstacles.
The Restraint
of Children in Car Impacts
Using Booster
Cushions and Adult Seat Belts.
D. G. C. Bacon and I. Gazeley. Report No. K42703. The Motor Industry Research Association, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England, 1982. 118 pp. (Available through NTIS.) The restraint of child dummies by adult seat belts alone and in combination with booster cushions was investigated. The child dummies in the age range 3-10 years old were tested in simulated perpendicular and oblique impacts of cars at 30m.p.h. The project was divided into 4 phases in which various aspects of the restraint of child dummies were examined. Phase 1 tests provided baseline data on the way child dummies behave when restrained only by adult belts and also demonstrated the effect of employing simple non-proprietary booster cushions of very hard and very soft consistency. In Phase 2, proprietary booster cushions were tested in simulated perpendicular (head-on) impacts, while phase 3 involved the testing of the child restraint systems in simulated 30” angled barrier impacts. The final phase of testing provided information on various topics, including an investigation of the effect of different anchorage locations on the restraint of the child, comparative tests with recent legislative requirements and tests of other seat belt types. Overall the best combination was a firm tethered booster cushion with a 3-pt automatic seat belt, and this combination was acceptable for the restraint of child dummies in the age range 3-10yr. Differences in restraint performance between the different proprietary designs of booster cushions were small, and it was concluded that the choice for a particular installation may be influenced largely by ease of fitting and convenience of daily use.
Riskmcitt f6r Oskyddade Trajikanter. (Risk Measures for Unprotected Road Users.) G&an Nilsson and Hans Thulin. Report No. 254. National Swedish Road and Traffic Research Institute, Linkiiping, Sweden, 1983. 86 pp. (In Swedish.)
This report comprises both a survey of risk concepts and risk measures relating to unprotected road users-pedestrians, cyclists and moped riders-and a proposed method of calculating risks for these categories. Accidents involving unprotected road users consist mainly of collisions with motor vehicles where the unprotected road user is injured. Using road accidents notified to the police as a basis, concepts such as accident risk and injury risk are therefore synonymous in the case of the unprotected road user. The survey showed that there is a lack of risk measures for unprotected road users arising from a general lack of information on pedestrian and cyclist flows. The report also presents some results from empirical studies at pedestrian crossings concerning the proportion of pedestrians who can cross the street without disturbing or being disturbed by vehicles. This proportion of pedestrians is defined as the degree of separation between vehicles and pedestrians. Video technics were used for the measurements. By comparing the total degree of separation of pedestrians during different periods of the day and accidents for the corresponding periods, relationships between risk and pedestrian flow for different degrees of separation were calculated.