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The objective of this study was to describe fatal pedestrian injury patterns in youth aged 15 to 24 years old and correlate them with motor vehicle collision (MVC) dynamics and pedestrian kinematics using data from medicolegal death investigations of MVCs occurring in the current Canadian motor vehicle (MV) fleet. Based on a systematic literature review, MVC–pedestrian injuries were collated in an injury data collection form (IDCF). The IDCF was coded using the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2015 revision. The AIS of the most frequent severe injury was noted for individual body regions. The Maximum AIS (MAIS) was used to define the most severe injury to the body overall and by body regions (MAISBR). This study focused on serious to maximal injuries (AIS 3–6) that had an increasing likelihood of causing death. The IDCF was used to extract collision and injury data from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario (OCCO) database of postmortem examinations done at the Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit (PFPU) in Toronto, Canada, and other provincial facilities between 2013 and 2019. Injury data were correlated with data about the MVs and MV dynamics and pedestrian kinematics. The study was approved by the Western University Health Science Research Ethics Board (Project ID: 113440; Lawson Health Research Institute Approval No. R-19-066). There were 88 youth, including 54 (61.4%) males and 34 (38.6%) females. Youth pedestrians comprised 13.1% (88/670) of all autopsied pedestrians. Cars (n = 25/88, 28.4%) were the most frequent type of vehicle in single-vehicle impacts, but collectively vehicles with high hood edges (i.e., greater distance between the ground and hood edge) were in the majority. Forward projection (n = 34/88, 38.6%) was the most frequent type of pedestrian kinematics. Regardless of the type of vehicle, there was a tendency in most cases for the median MAISBR ≥ 3 to involve the head and thorax. A similar trend was seen in most of the pedestrian kinematics involving the various frontal impacts. Of the 88 cases, at least 63 (71.6%) were known to be engaged in risk-taking behaviors (e.g., activity on roadway). At least 12 deaths were nonaccidental (8 suicides and 4 homicides). Some activities may have been impairment related, because 26/63 (41.3%) pedestrians undertaking risk-taking behavior on the roadway were impaired. Toxicological analyses revealed that over half of the cases (47/88, 53.4%) tested positive for a drug that could have affected behavior. Ethanol was the most common. Thirty-one had positive blood results. A fatal dyad of head and thorax trauma was observed for pedestrians struck by cars. For those pedestrians hit by vehicles with high hood edges, which were involved in the majority of cases, a fatal triad of injuries to the head, thorax, and abdomen/retroperitoneum was observed. Most deaths occurred from frontal collisions and at speeds more than 35 km/h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use this article to introduce the Militarized Interstate Events (MIE) dataset, a new dataset for international conflict with a host of innovative features. The MIE data offers dyadic, event-level information for all militarized interstate confrontations from 1816 to 2014, including major wars as well as all threats, displays, and uses of force between two or more states. The data come with major innovations, including dyadic fatality estimates at the event level and recorded events for general conflicts alongside the battles of the wars of the last two centuries. We discuss how to use these conflict data and provide a replication that demonstrates the dataset's usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Every year, people in Canada are evacuated due to wildland fires to avoid death, injury, and illness from fire and smoke events. Aims: In this paper, we provide an overview of evacuations recorded in the Canadian Wildland Fire Evacuation Database between 1980 and 2021. Methods: Our analysis covers evacuations in Canada from 1980 to 2021. We provide summary statistics including number of evacuations and evacuees, evacuation duration, seasonality, evacuation causes, community types, structure losses, and fatalities. We also investigate temporal and spatial patterns. Key results: Between 1980 and 2021, there were 1393 wildland fire evacuation events with 576,747 people evacuated. During this period, there was an overall increase in frequency of evacuations, number of evacuees, and duration of events. Structure loss occurred during 194 evacuation events, with 4105 homes burned. We estimate wildland fire evacuations cost at least CAD3.7 billion (excluding structural losses), jumping to CAD4.6 billion if we include productivity losses. Indigenous peoples are disproportionately impacted in wildfire evacuations compared to the general Canadian population. Conclusions: Wildland fire evacuations continue to occur across Canada and are increasing. Implications: The findings from this study give us a better understanding of the characteristics of wildland fire evacuations, which can help guide emergency management. This paper summarises data on wildland fire evacuations in Canada between 1980 and 2021. There were 1393 wildland fire evacuation events with 576,747 people evacuated, costing approximately CAD4.6 billion CDN including productivity losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 43-year-old patient who underwent bariatric surgery abroad. It mentions that, initially, the surgery was without complications, but upon returning to the United Kingdom, the patient faced severe wound healing problems and psychological distress. It highlights the risks and challenges associated with medical tourism for bariatric procedures.

Tolfenpyrad, a novel insecticide originating from Japan and first approved in 2002, has been marketed in numerous countries. Data on tolfenpyrad exposure in humans are limited. This study aimed to characterize the clinical features and outcomes of acute poisoning from tolfenpyrad-based insecticides in Thailand. This retrospective study analyzed cases of tolfenpyrad exposure reported to the Ramathibodi Poison Center from 2012 to 2022. A total of seven patients were identified, with the majority being male (n = 5). Deliberate tolfenpyrad exposure accounted for three cases. The median age was 33 (range 1–46) years. Severe systemic effects were evident at presentation in the four patients ingesting tolfenpyrad. These included altered mental status (n = 4), mydriasis (n = 2), cardiac arrest (n = 1), hypotension (n = 4), bradycardia (n = 2), and high anion gap metabolic acidosis (n = 4). The median time from exposure to hospital presentation was 30 (range 15–60) minutes. All four patients ingesting tolfenpyrad died, whereas the three patients exposed via inhalation and dermally developed only mild clinical effects, and all were discharged following supportive care. We observed many of the clinical features reported previously, including vomiting, mydriasis, altered mental status, metabolic acidosis, and hypotension. We also noted a combination of bradycardia and hypotension while not observing respiratory depression. Tolfenpyrad insecticide poisoning has been reported infrequently. Rapid systemic toxicity can follow ingestion, resulting in a high mortality. Larger-scale studies are essential to identify predictors of severity and determine the optimal treatment for tolfenpyrad-poisoned patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are amongst the most frequent disasters in terms of human and economic impacts. This study provides new insights into the frequency of loss of life at the global scale, mortality fractions of the population exposed to floods, and underlying trends. A dataset is compiled based on the EM-DAT disaster database covering the period 1975 until 2022, extending previous studies on this topic. Flood impact data are analysed over spatial, temporal and economic scales, decomposed in various flood types and compared with other natural disasters. Floods are the most frequent natural disasters up to 1000 fatalities, and flash floods lead to the highest mortality fractions per event, i.e. the number of deaths in an event relative to the exposed population. Despite population growth and increasing flood hazards, the average number of fatalities per event has declined over time. Mortality fractions per event have decreased over time for middle- and high-middle-income countries, but increased for low-income countries. This highlights the importance of continuing and expanding risk reduction and adaptation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, vehicle traffic has become a major issue, with a significant increase in the number of vehicles leading to congestion on urban roads and motorways. This has resulted in an increase in accidents, causing more injuries and fatalities. In particular the cases with seriously injured road users who may not survive due to traffic congestion delaying emergency services. This paper tries to analyse the importance of the response time of the emergency services during road accidents, using real data from a hybrid environment (motorway and urban road). The presented model in this research aims to identifying the traffic problems, where the traffic lights are found to cause congestion issues and high travel times, even with low traffic volumes. The implementation of a traffic lights optimization system can be a crucial element in survival chances. The study also shows that an increase in traffic volume leads to drastic traffic congestion, highlighting further the importance of the traffic light optimization system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proportion of government funding allocated to state transportation budgets has declined as a result of budgetary constraints. This has necessitated a disciplined and efficient allocation of funds for various infrastructure development and rehabilitation projects. Annual average crash costs are typically estimated at the national level to inform resource allocation. These resources can then be used to implement measures to mitigate crashes and the associated costs through development of new technologies for continued improvement of road safety. This study specifically considers 10-year cost predictions associated with injuries, fatalities, and property damage resulting from crashes on highway US-16 in Wyoming. For each of these major crash types, cost predictions are generated from forecasts obtained from appropriately specified Seasonal Autoregressive Moving Average (SARIMA) models that identify important predictors, and which select a temporal correlation structure. The resulting cost projections can be used to inform the Wyoming Department of Transportation on the annual dollar amount associated with these major crash outcomes, along with identified risk factors that can then be used for planning and management of limited infrastructure development funds. This study of US-16 over the 10-year period identified winter months, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, heavy trucks, and a few road characteristics as risk factors, which resulted in a total average annual cost estimate of around 865 million dollars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freight transportation, dominated by trucks, is an integral part of trade and production in the USA. Given the prevalence of large truck crashes, a comprehensive investigation is imperative to ascertain the underlying causes. This study analyzed 2017–2021 Texas crash data to identify factors impacting large truck crash rates and injury severity and to locate high-risk zones for severe incidents. Logistic regression models and bivariate analysis were utilized to assess the impacts of various crash-related variables individually and collectively. Heat maps and hotspot analysis were employed to pinpoint areas with a high frequency of both minor and severe large truck crashes. The findings of the investigation highlighted night-time no-passing zones and marked lanes as primary road traffic control, highway or FM roads, a higher posted road speed limit, dark lighting conditions, male and older drivers, and curved road alignment as prominent contributing factors to large truck crashes. Furthermore, in cases where the large truck driver was determined not to be at fault, the likelihood of severe collisions significantly increased. The study's findings urge policymakers to prioritize infrastructure improvements like dual left-turn lanes and extended exit ramps while advocating for wider adoption of safety technologies like lane departure warnings and autonomous emergency braking. Additionally, public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing distracted driving and drunk driving, particularly among truck drivers, could significantly reduce crashes. By implementing these targeted solutions, we can create safer roads for everyone in Texas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The 80 km/h speed limit is associated with a significant reduction in fatalities. • Estimated benefits are between 300 and 350 lives saved. • Estimated effects vary between counties, illustrating the potential impact depending on the local context. • The dynamics of the measure evolve over time. Introduction : Speeding is considered to be a major contributor to road fatalities and injuries worldwide. Inappropriate speeding behavior is associated with a high casualty burden. It could be responsible for at least 30% of road accidents. Method : In 2018, the French authorities decided to introduce a new speed limit. They lowered the speed limit to 80 km/h on the unseparated interurban network. The aim was to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries and to implement some measures in line with international commitments. This paper uses different econometric models applied to time series for different groups of counties. Results : The results show a significant positive contribution of the new speed limit. The estimated number of lives saved is between 300 and 350. The overall reduction in the number of fatalities is 10%. The results also show a differentiated impact according to the local context and the different dynamics at play. Conclusions and Practical Applications : The results of this paper are in line with the scientific literature on speed limit reductions. They represent a validation of a debated public decision, while at the same time consolidating the body of knowledge on the subject, helping the decision-maker to adopt an appropriate measure to improve road safety performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this exploratory pilot study was to reduce marine fatalities in Norton Sound using knowledge shared from Alaska Native salmon set gillnetters in Unalakleet, AK. The following objectives to address this goal were: 1) identify factors that influence safety for Alaska Native commercial set gillnetters in Norton Sound; 2) use findings from objective 1 to improve commercial fishing training, education, and resources; and 3) disseminate and communicate results from objective 1 to commercial fishers in the Norton Sound fleet, commercial fishing safety partners, and the Alaska Native injury prevention community. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with Alaska Native commercial set gillnetters in Unalakleet, AK. We utilized knowledge shared to identify factors that influence safety for their fleet. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Methodology, 10 interviews were recommended for a homogenous sample. Most participants learned to fish at a young age from the family, with safety lessons passed on by family members. Fishing is a lifestyle and interconnected with harvesting and a way of living. Set gillnetters in Norton Sound use open skiffs and have limited access to workable Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) and safety training. Participants reported health benefits but also negative long term physical effects, financial stress, and difficulty fishing with age. Respect and awareness of the ocean was reported as the most important strategy to reduce risk. Stories were shared of falls overboard, capsizing, and local fatalities and hazards, such as being overloaded with fish, entanglement, and maneuvering a small boat in large waves. Stronger winds and shifting weather patterns were experienced from climate change. This exploratory pilot study identified factors that influence safety for Alaska Native commercial set gillnetters. Findings should be used to 1) determine best methods to influence behaviors to reduce risks in this hazardous fishery; 2) increase awareness and promote expanded application of best practices, equipment, and resources; 3) encourage and promote outreach initiatives targeted for this unique population; and 4) develop tailored training programs for commercial fishing in an open skiff. Research with Alaska Native fishing communities will require value and respect of indigenous knowledge, collaboration with local people, and follow-up to bring findings back to the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design standards for the Federal Interstate Highway System in the US are generally higher than those on other roads within most states, making it the safest road system in the US. Federal law prevents states from enforcing vehicle weight limits on interstate highways that deviate from established Federal weight limits or state-specific grandfathered weight limits or exceptions. As a result, trucks hauling logs at state-legal limits must travel on other roads, passing through towns/cities and school zones where they may encounter on-coming traffic and intersections. All these encounters increase the risk of an accident. This study compared fatality rates of log trucks to other heavy trucks in the lower 48 states, road damage cost estimates for interstate and non-interstate roads and assessed the impact of relaxing interstate weight limits on various factors for hauling logs along three travel corridors in Wisconsin and Minnesota, USA. On a per-load basis, log trucks have a lower fatality rate than other heavy trucks in 83% of the lower 48 states. Due to the higher design standards, pavement damage costs are lowest on interstate highways as compared to other road types. Allowing state-legal, loaded log trucks access to federal interstate highways would improve the overall safety and efficiency of timber transportation and reduce pavement damage costs and CO2 emissions within the study areas. Overall, the study findings suggest that allowing state-legal, loaded log trucks to operate on interstate highways would improve the safety and efficiency of timber transportation in Wisconsin and Minnesota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporates must prevent fatal incidents for employees and contract workers, and fulfil business ambitions with the supportive safety culture. It is important that we promote a culture of holistic well-being for every individual in the global industry. Despite efforts, fatalities numbers are still very high: how to stop it? The present qualitative study comprised of field visits to 10 site locations, of which 250 managers and 235 contractors' staff were sampled across diverse Indian locations. Organisations and government must check during regular audits to identify what is lacking to stop fatalities in terms of: multiple actions at all leadership levels, stakeholders levels, stringent rule to imprison occupier of the company in case of fatality, imbibe safety over urgency of work completion, quarterly BBS audit, ensuring that interventions are implemented as planned, re-emphasising basic concepts, rejuvenate safety systems, managers to control the swing safety culture, recognise and accept challenges, combination of business strategy along with safety ethics and change is required at all levels. Managers to be held accountable for lack of safety culture. Identify challenges and effectiveness measures of the corporates' safety culture in terms of: Actions and decisions are not matching with managements' words. Gaps between theoretically drawn safety culture roadmap and its practical implementation to be addressed at sites. A case study of supportive safety culture is also presented for ease of understanding gaps in safety culture implementation at sites. This study reveals that building a robust safety culture ecosystem in any organisation is not as simple and straight forward, as it would involve multiple issues (behavioural, psychological, human and organisational), multiple actions (by all leadership levels) and multiple levels (all stakeholders). Employers need to be little more kind and compassionate, a little above their concerns over production and profits that they can surely act more actively to stop all workplace fatalities. Strengthening beliefs, that the positive safety culture, is not a set of religious or flowery contents, but a behavioural science intervention. In this direction, this paper would guide corporates towards a zero-fatality and zero-harm cultural, ethical, social, management and legal objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the trends in the incidence of opioid-associated motor vehicle fatalities in the United States (US) over the past decade and identify geographic or demographic trends. We conducted a retrospective repeated cross-sectional study utilizing the CDCWONDER Multiple Cause of Death Database to gather data on opioid-associated motor vehicle fatalities from 2010 to 2020. The southern US experienced the highest percent increase in opioid-related fatalities from 2010 to 2020 (263.1%), followed by the Midwest (160.7%), the west (86.3%), and the northeast (10.0%). The use of opioids increases a driver's risk of motor vehicle crash involvement, especially amongst non-Hispanic White males between 25 and 55 years of age who live in the southern states of the US. There is a need for augmented opioid-related policy concerning the potency and intake of prescription opioids to reduce motor vehicle fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite the increase in electric vehicle sales in the US, their impact on injuries and fatalities is still understudied. We aim to evaluate injuries and fatalities associated with electric vehicle collisions in the US. Methods: The study utilized electric vehicle injury and fatality data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). All electric vehicle models available within the FARS database and sold in the US from 2014 to 2020 were selected. Electric vehicle models were matched to analogous motor vehicles when possible. Results: No significant increase in electric vehicle fatality per capita (FPC) was found during the study period (2014: .41 vs 2020: 1.42, per 100 000 electric cars, P = .080). However, 82% of all fatalities occurred on non-intersectional local roadways with 46% occurring in the presence of speeding, 14% in the presence of fire, and 38% involving a driver with an elevated blood alcohol content (BAC). The Tesla Model S, Kia Niro, and Hyundai IONIQ accounted for the most fatality per capita (17.89 vs 10.27 vs 8.42, per 100 000 electric cars). Upon comparison of electric vehicles to analogous motor vehicles produced within the same year, the Hyundai IONIQ had a significantly lower FPC compared to the Hyundai Elantra (7.33 vs 23.51, per 100 000 electric cars P = .034). Conclusion: While no significant increase in electric vehicle fatality per capita (FPC) was found, the total number of electric vehicle fatalities did increase significantly during the study period (2014-2020). Furthermore, a significant proportion of these fatalities is directly related to speeding, fire, and intoxicated driving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Studies from Finland and Taiwan have shown that walking against traffic was beneficial for reducing pedestrian crashes and fatalities. This study examined whether such beneficial effects are consistent across various circumstances. Methods This study aimed to investigate pedestrian fatalities in walking-against or with-traffic crashes by analysing the UK STATS19 crash data for the period between 1991 and 2020. We firstly employed Chi-square tests to examine risk factors for pedestrian injury severity. These variables were then incorporated into stepwise logistic regression models with multiple variables. We subsequently conducted joint effect analysis to investigate whether the beneficial effects of walking against traffic on injury severity vary across different situations. Results Our data contained 44,488 pedestrian crashes, of which 16,889 and 27,599 involved pedestrians walking against and with traffic, respectively. Pedestrians involved in with-traffic crashes were more likely to sustain fatalities (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.542; confidence interval [CI] = 1.139–1.927) compared with those in walking against-traffic crashes. The detrimental effect of walking with traffic on fatalities appeared to be more pronounced in darkness-unlit conditions (AOR = 1.48; CI = 1.29–1.70), during midnight hours (00:00–06:59 am) (AOR = 1.60; CI = 1.37–1.87), in rural areas (AOR = 2.20; CI = 1.92–2.51), when pedestrians were elderly (≥ 65 years old) (AOR = 2.65, CI = 2.16–3.26), and when heavy goods vehicles were crash partners (AOR = 1.51, CI = 1.28–1.78). Conclusions Walking against traffic was beneficial in reducing pedestrian fatalities compared with walking with traffic. Furthermore, such a beneficial effect was more pronounced in darkness-unlit conditions, at midnights (00:00–06:59 am), in rural areas, when pedestrians were elderly, and when heavy goods vehicles struck pedestrians.

Abstract Background Limited information is known about the impact of childhood maltreatment on lifetime risk of violent death. This study aimed to compare manner of death, demographics, age at time of death, and the presence of a mental health or substance use disorder among decedents of violent deaths with a history of child maltreatment to those without. Methods This cross-sectional study compared characteristics of pediatric and adult violent deaths with and without a history of child maltreatment that were captured in the National Violent Death Reporting System from 2014 through 2018. Results Decedents who were male, multiracial, and had adulthood substance or mental health disorders were more likely to have a history of maltreatment. All-age decedents with a history of maltreatment were more likely to die by homicide. Adult decedents with a history of maltreatment were more likely to die by suicide. Maltreated decedents died significantly younger than non-maltreated decedents. Conclusions Among victims of violent deaths, an identified history of child maltreatment was associated with increased risk of homicide across the lifespan, adult suicide, and earlier death. A history of child maltreatment was also associated with mental health and substance use disorders, which may reflect one of the pathways through which the child maltreatment-to-death association functions.

Abstract Background A growing body of research has found a link between firearm availability and police shootings of citizens across place. The problem, however, is that the previous studies on the topic tend to suffer from several limitations: a near exclusive focus on citizen fatalities, units of analysis at the state or county levels, and a variety of proxy measures tapping into community-level firearm access. The current study set out to address these issues by examining the relationship between different forms of firearm availability and both fatal and nonfatal injurious police shootings of citizens at the city level. Methods More specifically, it merged The Trace’s “Missing Pieces” measures of guns reported lost and stolen to police as well as licensed firearms dealers across jurisdictions from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as proxies for firearm availability with data on police shootings of citizens in California and Florida from California’s URSUS system and the Tampa Bay Times’ “Why Cops Shoot” database, respectively. Negative binomial regression analyses were performed on a sample of 253 cities across the two states and a sub-sample of cities with licensed firearms dealers. Results Findings uncovered a small positive association between rates of federally licensed guns stores and the number citizens shot by police as well as police shooting incidents while controlling for several community-level measures (e.g., concentrated disadvantage, gun homicide rates). Rates of guns lost or reported stolen were generally not significantly associated with the outcome measures in the multivariate models. Conclusions Firearm availability is a significant correlate of police shootings. Pooled counts of both citizens shot by police and police shooting incidents are heightened in jurisdictions with higher rates of licensed gun dealers, which may be due to the fact that all firearms sold in the USA first make their way to the public through these mechanisms. Such licensed gun dealers must be appropriately monitored and audited to reduce illicit behavior and prevent firearms from making their way into secondary markets. Addressing access to firearms can be meaningful for a host of gun-related morbidity and mortality outcomes, including police shootings of citizens.

Background: Limited information is known about the impact of childhood maltreatment on lifetime risk of violent death. This study aimed to compare manner of death, demographics, age at time of death, and the presence of a mental health or substance use disorder among decedents of violent deaths with a history of child maltreatment to those without. Methods: This cross-sectional study compared characteristics of pediatric and adult violent deaths with and without a history of child maltreatment that were captured in the National Violent Death Reporting System from 2014 through 2018. Results: Decedents who were male, multiracial, and had adulthood substance or mental health disorders were more likely to have a history of maltreatment. All-age decedents with a history of maltreatment were more likely to die by homicide. Adult decedents with a history of maltreatment were more likely to die by suicide. Maltreated decedents died significantly younger than non-maltreated decedents. Conclusions: Among victims of violent deaths, an identified history of child maltreatment was associated with increased risk of homicide across the lifespan, adult suicide, and earlier death. A history of child maltreatment was also associated with mental health and substance use disorders, which may reflect one of the pathways through which the child maltreatment-to-death association functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies from Finland and Taiwan have shown that walking against traffic was beneficial for reducing pedestrian crashes and fatalities. This study examined whether such beneficial effects are consistent across various circumstances. Methods: This study aimed to investigate pedestrian fatalities in walking-against or with-traffic crashes by analysing the UK STATS19 crash data for the period between 1991 and 2020. We firstly employed Chi-square tests to examine risk factors for pedestrian injury severity. These variables were then incorporated into stepwise logistic regression models with multiple variables. We subsequently conducted joint effect analysis to investigate whether the beneficial effects of walking against traffic on injury severity vary across different situations. Results: Our data contained 44,488 pedestrian crashes, of which 16,889 and 27,599 involved pedestrians walking against and with traffic, respectively. Pedestrians involved in with-traffic crashes were more likely to sustain fatalities (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.542; confidence interval [CI] = 1.139–1.927) compared with those in walking against-traffic crashes. The detrimental effect of walking with traffic on fatalities appeared to be more pronounced in darkness-unlit conditions (AOR = 1.48; CI = 1.29–1.70), during midnight hours (00:00–06:59 am) (AOR = 1.60; CI = 1.37–1.87), in rural areas (AOR = 2.20; CI = 1.92–2.51), when pedestrians were elderly (≥ 65 years old) (AOR = 2.65, CI = 2.16–3.26), and when heavy goods vehicles were crash partners (AOR = 1.51, CI = 1.28–1.78). Conclusions: Walking against traffic was beneficial in reducing pedestrian fatalities compared with walking with traffic. Furthermore, such a beneficial effect was more pronounced in darkness-unlit conditions, at midnights (00:00–06:59 am), in rural areas, when pedestrians were elderly, and when heavy goods vehicles struck pedestrians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A growing body of research has found a link between firearm availability and police shootings of citizens across place. The problem, however, is that the previous studies on the topic tend to suffer from several limitations: a near exclusive focus on citizen fatalities, units of analysis at the state or county levels, and a variety of proxy measures tapping into community-level firearm access. The current study set out to address these issues by examining the relationship between different forms of firearm availability and both fatal and nonfatal injurious police shootings of citizens at the city level. Methods: More specifically, it merged The Trace's "Missing Pieces" measures of guns reported lost and stolen to police as well as licensed firearms dealers across jurisdictions from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as proxies for firearm availability with data on police shootings of citizens in California and Florida from California's URSUS system and the Tampa Bay Times' "Why Cops Shoot" database, respectively. Negative binomial regression analyses were performed on a sample of 253 cities across the two states and a sub-sample of cities with licensed firearms dealers. Results: Findings uncovered a small positive association between rates of federally licensed guns stores and the number citizens shot by police as well as police shooting incidents while controlling for several community-level measures (e.g., concentrated disadvantage, gun homicide rates). Rates of guns lost or reported stolen were generally not significantly associated with the outcome measures in the multivariate models. Conclusions: Firearm availability is a significant correlate of police shootings. Pooled counts of both citizens shot by police and police shooting incidents are heightened in jurisdictions with higher rates of licensed gun dealers, which may be due to the fact that all firearms sold in the USA first make their way to the public through these mechanisms. Such licensed gun dealers must be appropriately monitored and audited to reduce illicit behavior and prevent firearms from making their way into secondary markets. Addressing access to firearms can be meaningful for a host of gun-related morbidity and mortality outcomes, including police shootings of citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of renewable energy production, especially wind power, is one of the cornerstones of our strategy for mitigating climate change. However, there is growing concern about the impacts of this energy source on biodiversity. In particular, very little is known about the impact on groups of fauna such as bats, which are especially sensitive to environmental changes. We investigated the temporal patterns of bat fatalities in wind farms in the province of Cádiz, in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. An eleven-year data set (2009–2019) from a surveillance program of bird and bat mortality in wind farms was analysed. A total of 2,858 fatalities concerning 10 bat genera were reported, although more than 90% of the affected animals were individuals of the genera Pipistrellus, Eptesicus and Nyctalus. Bat mortality occurred mainly during the summer and autumn, especially in August. However, species such as the genus Pipistrellus, present collisions throughout the year, including all winter months in the case of the genus Pipistrellus. The probability of mortality was positively correlated with the maximum daily temperature. According to the model prediction, the probability of fatality begins to increase slightly from 20 °C and then rises sharply when the temperature exceeds 30 °C, that can be interpreted as a consequence of increasing bat activity at local scale. According to the regional projections of global climate models, an increase in maximum temperatures and the arrival of milder winters may lead to an increase in the annual mortality of bats in wind farms in the coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of data on exposure for walking and cycling poses a significant barrier to understanding the injury risk of these road users. Though this data paucity is most prevalent across low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), it remains a challenge in many high-income countries as well. A new and simple method has been proposed to estimate population-level cycling distance travelled, with New Delhi, India as a case study. I used two independent estimates to calculate this distance. First, a ratio of motorcycle volume counts to that of cycle volume counts across major roads, and second, the total annual distance travelled by motorcycles. I validate this method using data from London, where cycling distance estimates are available from city-wide traffic volume counts as well as household travel survey. Combining the distance estimates with annual fatalities of corresponding road users, I found that cyclists have about 2 times greater fatality risk per kilometre than motorcycle occupants and about 40 times greater risk than car occupants. To encourage greater use of cycling, there is an urgent need to narrow this gap between the safety of cyclists and that of car occupants. The proposed method can be used to monitor cycling usage and its risk for many settings where traffic surveillance systems do not exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the short‐ and long‐run impacts of gasoline price, macroeconomic factors and road length on road traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities in Nigeria. Annual data from 1995 to 2019 and autoregressive distributed lag approach were employed. Results suggest that gasoline price, per capita income, road length and population density significantly influence road safety outcomes. Gasoline price has a positive short‐run impact on crashes, injuries, and fatalities contrary to findings in developed countries. Road crashes tend to decrease when income increases in the short term. Population density leads to improvement in road safety outcomes while road length exacerbates it. Government's policy on gasoline price increase could worsen road safety outcomes unless it is accompanied by improvement in road infrastructure, safe public transport and economic growth, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigated snorkelling and breath-hold diving deaths in Australia from 2014-2018 and compared these to those from 2001-2013 to identify ongoing problems and assess the effectiveness of countermeasures. Methods: Media reports and the National Coronial Information System were searched to identify snorkelling/breath-hold diving deaths for 2014-2018, inclusive. Data were extracted from witness and police reports, medical histories, and autopsies. An Excel® database was created and a chain of events analysis conducted. Comparisons were made with the earlier report. Results: Ninety-one fatalities (78 males, 13 females, median age 48 years [range 16-80]) were identified with one third likely doing some breath-hold diving. Fifty-two of 77 with known body mass index were overweight or obese. Approximately two thirds were inexperienced snorkellers and 64 were alone. Fifty-one were tourists. Planning shortcomings, such as solo diving and diving in adverse conditions, as well as pre-existing health conditions and inexperience predisposed to many incidents. Primary drowning was the likely disabling condition in 39% of cases with drowning recorded as the cause of death (COD) in two thirds. Cardiac events were the likely disabling conditions in 31% although recorded as the COD in 21% of cases. Conclusions: Increasing age, obesity and associated cardiac disease have become increasingly prevalent in snorkelling deaths and there is a need for improved health surveillance and risk management. Closer supervision of inexperienced snorkellers is indicated. Apnoeic hypoxia from extended breath-holding and poor supervision remain a problem. The increased risk of harvesting seafood in areas frequented by large marine predators needs to be appreciated and managed appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A previous report revealed an average of 7.2 (0.67 per 100,000 participants) sport-related structural brain injuries (SRSBIs) with macroscopic lesions per year in high school (HS) and college football players. The Lystedt law and other rule changes have been implemented with intent to reduce the risk of brain injury in football. Hypothesis: To update the profile of SRSBIs in HS and college football players and evaluate the efficacy of legislation intended to reduce brain injuries. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 18 academic years (July 2002 through June 2020) of SRSBIs catalogued by the National Registry of Catastrophic Sports Injuries. The incidence of SRSBIs was assessed at the HS level during the pre (July 2002 through June 2009), transitional (July 2009 through June 2014), and post (July 2014 through June 2020) universal adoption time periods of the Lystedt law. In addition, the incidence of SRSBIs during the second half of the study (2011-2012 through 2019-2020) was compared with the first half of the study (2002-2003 through 2010-2011). Results: During the study period, there was a total of 228 SRSBIs (12.7 per year, 1.01 per 100,000 participants): 212 (93%, 11.8 per year, 1.00 per 100,000) in HS athletes and 16 (7%, 0.89 per year, 1.17 per 100,000) in college athletes. There were 52 fatalities (2.9 per year, 0.22 per 100,000 participants) with 46 (2.56 per year, 0.22 per 100,000) in HS athletes and 6 (0.33 per year, 0.43/100,000) in college athletes. There was no significant difference in risk of HS total SRSBIs or fatalities during the 3 Lystedt periods. The risk of combined SRSBI cases [relative risk (RR) = 1.22, P = 0.13] and fatalities (RR = 1.20, P = 0.52) was similar in the second half of the study compared with the first half of the study. Conclusion: Despite implementation of rule changes intended to reduce head injury, in particular the Lystedt law, the incidence of SRSBIs has remained unchanged. Further research is necessary to develop effective prevention programs for SRSBIs. Clinical Relevance: SRSBIs remain a persistent problem in HS and college American football. The recent head injury rule changes have not been effective at reducing SRSBIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though a key factor behind the economic growth of a nation, transportation is associated with negative externalities that directly affect the economic performance of a country: road traffic accidents being one such negative externality. An increase in the number of accidents and related fatalities poses a socio-economic burden to developed and developing countries alike. Hence, quantifying the impact of road traffic fatalities on the national economy has become a popular topic amongst researchers in transportation. The present study was an attempt to quantify the economic burden of premature mortalities associated with road traffic accidents in Sri Lanka, using descriptive analytical tools and employing the Human Capital Approach, upon estimating the Years of Life Lost, an integral component of Disability-adjusted Life Years. The outcomes revealed that road traffic accidents have been a growing threat in Sri Lanka, and that, despite the decreasing number of accidents, fatalities associated with road traffic accidents have increased: this reflects a trend of increasing accident severity. The results also allowed for an estimation of the human capital-related economic cost of fatalities due to road traffic accidents. This was found to be nearly 0.25% of the GDP of the corresponding years: exceeding the capital expenditure of the Government in the health sector and more than half that in the education sector.

Road traffic under the influence of drugs is an important issue of public health and social safety. We aimed to investigate the temporal trends of road traffic accidents (RTAs) involving people who used illicit drugs. A population-based retrospective study was conducted using data from the Taiwan Illicit Drug Issue Database (TIDID) and traffic accident data. We divided road users involved in RTAs during 2007–2016 into people who used nonillicit drugs and people who used illicit drugs and then calculated the rates of RTAs and fatalities. Age, sex, and driving under the influence of alcohol were considered. Poisson regression models were applied to assess possible significant trends over time for these rates. The analyses showed that people who used illicit drugs had higher rates of overall RTAs and drunk driving than people who used nonillicit drugs. While the fatalities of people who used nonillicit drugs decreased significantly (p < 0.0001) from 2007 to 2016, this trend was not observed in people who used illicit drugs (p = 0.380). Males had greater RTA rates and fatalities than females. Elderly people (60 years or older) were overrepresented among the fatalities in both people who used nonillicit drugs and people who used illicit drugs (23.68 and 122.05 age-spec. rates × 100 K population, respectively), while those 17 years or younger were overrepresented among RTAs involving people who used illicit drugs (99.76 age-spec. rates × 1 K population). Drunk driving by people who used illicit drugs was more frequent. Our results demonstrate the traffic safety issues are created by people who use illicit drugs, especially by males on both sides of the age spectrum and substantiate the influence of alcohol and drugs in RTAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There was continuing public and political concern about the loss of life at sea during the second half of the nineteenth century in Britain. New regulatory requirements, introduced to examine the competence of officers, prevent overloading and reduce the risks from hazardous cargoes such as coal, were in place by 1890. However, the effectiveness of these measures was not systematically monitored at the time. This retrospective evaluation reviews subsequent loss of life in the coal trade, the largest sector of British exports by weight. Loss of life remained high; it was more dangerous to export a ton of coal than it was to mine it. Some routes, such as those around Cape Horn and to Scandinavia, carried the highest risk, and losses on European voyages were more common in winter. Over time, the risks reduced as sail gave way to steam and diesel propulsion, and as maritime communications improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Majority of the roads are narrow in India and unrepaired with multiple pits. Heavy traffic, rash and negligent driving lead to injuries to pedestrians and also cause fatal accidents. Method: 450 pedestrians were brought to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Aurangabad, and studied. Out of 450 cases, 63 (14%) had fatal fractures that were studied with an x-ray, CT scan, or MRI. Serious pedestrians were admitted to the ICU; the remaining was treated by Orthopaedics and neurosurgeons. Results: 128 (23.4%) were alcoholics, 54 (12%) had a visual problem, and 15 (3.2%) had Auditory problem: 38(8.44%) were mentally challenged (also included cases with psychiatric illness), 51(11.3%) were on antidepressant treatment, 104 (23.1%) were busy in mobile speaking, and 60 (13.3%) were playing on the roadside. Maximum fractures observed were 107 (22.8%); cranial haemorrhage was followed by 98 (21.7%) fracture of the skull. There were 02 (0.44%) injuries to the kidney superficially or subcutaneously as four wheelers and two wheelers hit the pedestrians at the lumbar region, 3 (0.66%) in the aorta. The fatalities were 63 (14%). Among them, 40 (63.4%) had haemorrhage and shock; 16 (25.3%) had head injuries; 5 (7.93%) had septicaemia; and 2 (3.10%) had uraemia. Conclusion: Well-built roads, fencing or barriers for pedestrians, awareness of traffic rules, and stringent punishment for both pedestrians and drivers of vehicles violating traffic rules can minimize pedestrian road accidents and fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: World Health Organization (WHO) has classified drowning as a major public health problem. The most vulnerable victims of drowning are children from low and middle‐income countries. Previously, it was the primary cause of death among children aged between 1 and 17 years in Bangladesh. Aims: This study explored the surrounding circumstances and associated factors of child drownings in Bangladesh. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approach has been used to conduct the study. Bangladesh was chosen as the study area, and data were gathered using a semi‐structured, open‐ended questionnaire. Using convenience and snowball sampling methods, we have collected data from Dhaka and seven additional districts in Bangladesh. We reached a total of 44 individuals, where 22 agreed to participate in an interview (face‐to‐face and online interviews). The remaining 22 participants were selected in two focus group discussions via the web platform "ZOOM cloud meeting." Results: Our investigation revealed several factors associated with child drowning, including a lack of adequate parental supervision and monitoring, geographic locations and environment, seasonal factors, low living standards, peer pressure and risky behaviors, social stigma and prejudices, and natural disasters and calamities. According to our findings, a lower socioeconomic position is linked to a higher risk of nonfatal drowning. Moreover, this research also indicates a substantial nexus between child drowning fatalities and the socioeconomic conditions of the families of the victims. Conclusion: The study adds to the existing body of knowledge by underlining the associated factors of child drowning fatalities in Bangladesh, which will aid in developing preventive policies. An essential aspect of any drowning prevention program for Bangladesh should be enhanced for community awareness of safe water rescue and resuscitation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the number of severe traffic collisions involving motorcycles, a comprehensive investigation is required to determine their causes. This study analyzed Texas crash data from 2017 to 2021 to determine who was at fault and how various factors affect the frequency and severity of motorcycle collisions. Moreover, the study tried to identify high-risk sites for motorcycle crashes. Utilizing bivariate analysis and logistic regression models, the study investigated the individual and combined effects of several variables. Heat maps and hotspot analyses were used to identify locations with a high incidence of both minor and severe motorcycle crashes. The survey showed that dangerous speed, inattention, lane departure, and failing to surrender the right-of-way at a stop sign or during a left turn were the leading causes of motorcycle crashes. When a motorcyclist was at fault, the likelihood of severe collisions was much higher. The study revealed numerous elements as strong predictors of catastrophic motorcycle crashes, including higher speed limits, poor illumination, darkness during the weekend, dividers or designated lanes as the principal road traffic control, an increased age of the primary crash victim, and the lack of a helmet. The concentration of motorcycle collisions was found to be relatively high in city cores, whereas clusters of severe motorcycle collisions were detected on road segments beyond city limits. This study recommends implementing reduced speed limits on high-risk segments, mandating helmet use, prioritizing resource allocation to high-risk locations, launching educational campaigns to promote safer driving practices and the use of protective gear, and inspecting existing conditions as well as the road geometry of high-risk locations to reduce the incidence and severity of motorcycle crashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field study was designed to determine if traffic offenders were characterised by substance-related and addictive disorders and behavioural addictions, and to examine their prevalence in this population. A total of 268 regular drivers (weekly or daily use) participated in the study; 132 incarcerated traffic offenders and 136 drivers with no criminal background. Subsamples were matched in age, sex, and time elapsed since their driving test. Participants responded to a measure of impulse control and addictions. The results revealed a more-than-problematic effect regarding drug addiction, alcohol consumption, and compulsive purchasing in the population of traffic offenders. In contrast, a trivial effect (insignificant) was observed in addiction to gambling, internet, videogames, eating, and sex. Comparatively, traffic offenders reported higher addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, compulsive purchasing, and sex, but less addiction to internet than controls. As for caseness analysis, a significant prevalence of caseness (>0.05) was observed in traffic offenders in connection to drugs, alcohol, internet, compulsive purchasing, and eating addictions. Moreover, addiction comorbidity or multi-comorbidity was found to be common (=0.50). The implications of the results for interventions with traffic offenders are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Industrial robots became more commonplace in the US workplace during the mid‐ to latter part of the twentieth century. Recent scientific advances have led to the development of new types of robots, resulting in rapidly changing work environments. Information on occupational robot‐related fatalities is currently limited for this developing field. Methods: Robot fatalities were identified by a keyword search in restricted‐access research files from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) surveillance system of the Bureau of Labor Statistics from the years 1992–2017. Results: There were 41 robot‐related fatalities identified by the keyword search during the 26‐year period of this study, 85% of which were males, with the most cases (29%) occurring within the age group 35–44 years. Fatalities occurred primarily with large employers that were geographically clustered, with the Midwest accounting for 46% of the total. Most of the cases involved stationary robots (83%) and robots striking the decedents while operating under their own power (78%). Many of these striking incidents occurred while maintenance was being performed on a robot. Conclusions: The changing nature of robotics in the workplace suggests that emerging technologies may introduce new hazards in the workplace. Emerging technologies have led to an increase in the number of robots in the workplace and to increased human exposure to robotic machinery. These patterns demonstrate that public health professionals will likely face significant challenges to keep pace with developments in robotics to ensure the safety and health of workers across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with problems of freight transport sustainability from the perspective of four key factors: greenhouse gas production, fossil fuel dependence, congestion, and accident rates. It is based on the results of the FreightVision project, in which the author participated as a researcher and member of the design team. The aim was to develop a set of 35 recommendations to serve as a tool for European Union decision-making in transport policy matters at the highest level. The developed measures were prioritized, and a list of individual recommendations was drawn up according to their potentials. Then, the set of measures was processed using multi-criteria analysis tools, and these results were compared with the original list using comparative analysis to identify differences between the two approaches. The contribution of this work is the development of a methodology for evaluating the traffic measures according to their priorities and, at the same time, the verification of the empirical results thus obtained with the results that were the output of the mathematical processing. This work fills a research gap in a similar problem area by working with specific measures systematically developed for the purposes of analysis; these results are used to formulate recommendations for the European Commission whose policy decisions should lead to an increased level of freight transport sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The majority of tornado fatalities occur during severe thunderstorm occurrences that produce a large number of tornadoes, termed tornado outbreaks. This study used extreme value theory to estimate the impact of tornado outbreaks on fatalities while accounting for climate and demographic factors. The findings indicate that the number of fatalities increases with the increase of tornado outbreaks. Additionally, this study undertook a counterfactual analysis to determine what would have been the probability of a tornado outbreak under various climatic and demographic scenarios. The results of the counterfactual study indicate that the likelihood of increased mortality increases as the population forecast grows. Intensified El Niño events, on the other hand, reduce the likelihood of further fatalities. La Niña events are expected to increase probability of fatalities.

Hashish resin is a narcotic prepared from a concentrated extract of cannabis flowers and leaves. It can cause confusion, anxiety, panic, paranoia, and even psychosis. This study's goal was to assess the hazards associated with abuse of hashish resin, its chemical composition and possible role in forensic cases involving violence in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. For this purpose, all forensic cases in Jazan, from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively investigated. The data were collected from the OTARR electronic system using the data collecting form. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze the chemical composition of seized hashish. The percentage of cases having positive results for hashish in fatal cases were 1, 2, and 5% and in crime cases these were 29, 26, and 31% in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. Homicide and suicide were the major manners of death among fatalities involving hashish. More than one-third of the crimes were related to hashish use/abuse. Amphetamine and ethanol were most used drugs in combination with hashish. The average level of THC (the active compound in hashish) in crimes and fatalities was determined. The relationships between chemical composition of seized hashish, mental diseases and violence were investigated and discussed.

Simple Summary: The aim of this study was to characterize the RHU competencies according to the distance (short vs. long), causes of deaths, and associated risk factors. The studied population comprised 16,856 horses that participated in RHU rides from 2007 to 2018. During the entire period, there were 99 fatalities. The percentage of inexperienced horses and those who completed the ride was greater in short races than in long races. In both types of rides, more horses died during than after the ride, and inexperienced horses were more likely to be dead than horses with prior experience in the sport. Short rides were associated with increased risk of sudden death, while long rides were associated with increased risk of death due to metabolic alterations. RHU is the oldest endurance sport in Uruguay. However, despite 80 years of racing, there are no studies to characterize this type of competition, explore rates and causes of death, and identify the associated risk factors. The aim was to characterize the Raid Hipico Uruguayo (RHU) competencies according to the distance (short (SR, 60 km) vs. long (LR, 80–115 km)), the causes of deaths, and the associated risk factors. The study population comprised horses (n = 16,856) that participated in RHU rides from 2007 to 2018. LR were more frequent than SR (p < 0.001). The average speed of winners was higher in SR (32.12 km/h) than in LR (28.14 km/h) (p < 0.001). There were 99 fatalities (5.9 per 1000 starts). SR had greater frequency of high comfort index (CI = Temp [°F] + Humidity [%]) than LR, and LR had greater frequency of low CI than SR (p < 0.001). The percentage of inexperienced horses and those who completed the ride was greater in SR than in LR (p < 0.001). In both types of rides, more horses died during than after the ride, and inexperienced horses were more likely to suffer fatalities than horses with prior experience in the sport (p < 0.05). SR were associated with increased risk of sudden death, while LR were associated with increased risk of death due to metabolic alterations. The high fatality index shown in this work warrants urgent investigation in this sport to minimize mortality associated with RHU-specific diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses temperature and snow patterns of winters (December–February) averaged for the territory of the Czech Republic during the 1961–2021 period and their broad environmental impacts and responses. Series of mean, maximum, minimum, absolute maximum and absolute minimum temperatures show significant increasing linear trends, while decreasing trends were detected in numbers of frost, ice and extremely cold days, duration of cold waves, snowfall days, sums of heights of new snow, days with snow depths ≥1 cm, mean and maximum snow depths. The winter severity, derived from five temperature and five snow variables and expressed by temperature/snow scores, indicates decreasing severity of winters for 1961–2021, in which temperature severity is more pronounced than that of snow. Decreasing winter severity is in line with decreasing frequency of cyclonic and directional circulation types according to objective classification, while the trend in anticyclonic types was opposite. Types with maritime airflow from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean contribute to milder and types with continental airflow from the east to colder winters. The coldest winters, 1962/1963 and 1984/1985, and the mildest winters, 2006/2007 and 2019/2020, were analysed in greater detail. Concerning of different analysed environmental impacts, they are influenced not only by severe winter weather, but also by political, socioeconomic and general environmental changes in the country. In line with decreasing winter severity were only statistically significant decreasing trends in proportions of traffic accidents connected with snow and glaze ice on the roads and volumes of damaged wood due to high weights of snow and ice deposit, expressed as salvage felling. Series of other environmental impacts (e.g., fatalities attributed to weather, impacts on the economy and society) reflect rather severity of individual winters and express high interannual variability without any representative trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslide databases are a potential tool for the analysis of landslide susceptibility, hazard, and risk. Additionally, the spatio-temporal distribution of landslides and their correlation with their triggering factors are inputs that facilitate the evaluation of landslide prediction models and the determination of thresholds necessary for early warning systems (EWS). This study presents an analysis of four widely known global databases—the International Disaster database (EM-DAT), the Disaster Inventory System (DesInventar), the Global Landslide Catalog (GLC), and the Global Fatal Landslide database (GFLD)—which contain relevant landslide information for different regions of the world. These databases were analysed and compared by means of the spatio-temporal distributions of their records. Subsequently, these databases were merged and depurated to obtain a more robust database, namely the Unified Global Landslide Database (UGLD), with 161 countries, 37,946 landslides, and 185,753 fatalities registered between 1903 and 2020. The merging process among the databases resulted in a small number of repeated landslides, indicating that the databases collect very different landslide information and complement each other. Finally, an update of the spatial and temporal analysis of landslides in the world was performed with the new database, in which patterns, trends, and the main triggers were presented and analysed. The results obtained from the analysis of the UGLD database show the American and Asian continents as the continents with the highest number of landslides and associated fatalities, showing a bimodal and unimodal annual temporal pattern, respectively. Regarding the most frequent triggers of landslides, rainfall, anthropogenic intervention, and earthquakes stand out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]