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A key step in highway safety management is to determine whether the frequency and (or) severity of collisions has been reduced after implementing a specific improvement program. This research focused on evaluating the safety performance of 50 sites that have been improved under the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure's Safety Improvement Program (SIP). SIP projects were designed to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions on provincial highways in rural areas through the implementation of different safety countermeasures. The methodology adopted was an observational before-after study using the full Bayes approach. The results showed that SIP projects reduced total collisions by 14.8% and severe (fatal-plus-injury) collisions by 25.4%. The reduction in property-damage-only collisions was not found to be statistically significant. Crash modification factors (CMFs) for the two most frequent SIP treatments, that is, right-turn lanes and delineation lighting at intersections, were estimated and compared with the results of the literature. Key words: safety management, rural highways, before-after study, full Bayes, linear intervention model. Une etape cle de la gestion de la securite routiere consiste a determiner si la frequence ou la gravite des collisions ont ete reduites apres la mise en reuvre d'un programme d'amelioration specifique. Cette recherche visait a evaluer le rendement en matiere de securite de 50 sites qui ont ete ameliores dans le cadre du Programme d'amelioration de la securite (PAS) du ministere de la Voirie et de l'Infrastructure de la Saskatchewan. Les projets du PAS ont ete con^us afin de reduire la frequence et la gravite des collisions sur les routes provinciales dans les regions rurales grace a la mise en reuvre de differentes contre-mesures de securite. La methodologie adoptee etait une etude d'observation avant-apres avec l'approche complete de Bayes. Les resultats ont montre que les projets du PAS ont entraine une reduction du nombre total de collisions de 14,8 % et de collisions graves (mortelles et plus) de 25,4 %. La reduction des collisions causant des dommages materiels seulement n'a pas ete jugee statistiquement significative. Les facteurs de modification d'accident pour les deux traitements du PAS les plus frequents, c.-a-d., les voies de virage a droite et l'eclairage de delimitation aux carrefours, ont ete estimes et compares aux resultats provenant de la documentation. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: gestion de la securite, routes rurales, etude avant-apres, Bayes complete, modele d'intervention lineaire., Introduction Improving and maintaining acceptable safety standards for rural highways (including rural arterials, collectors, and local roads) is a challenging task for local road agencies. First, their physical features are [...]

Interchange ramps need a proper and consistent geometric design to avoid possible traffic accidents. The objective of this study is to develop guidelines for consistent design of outer connection ramps. As such, 47 ramps were selected from 18 different interchanges in Jordan. Free-flow speed measurements, for different vehicle classes, were taken along ramps and at predefined points. Also, traffic accidents, geometric variables, and traffic volumes were obtained. For circular ramps, the analysis indicated that the operating speed reduction is strongly affected by radius and deflection angle of the curve. The radius of the first curve had the greatest impact on speed reduction on curve-straight-curve ramps. For reverse-curve ramps, the ratio of the radii should be 6:4:9 to achieve a good consistent design for cars, provided that the radius of the first curve exceeds 110 m. Further analysis indicated that speed reduction, geometric variables, and traffic volume influenced the occurrence of accidents. Key words: interchange, outer connection ramps, consistent design, traffic accidents, Jordan. Les bretelles de raccordement requierent une conception geometrique appropriee et logique afin d'eviter les accidents de la circulation. L'objectif de cette etude est d'elaborer des lignes directrices pour la conception logique de bretelles de raccordement exterieur. Ainsi, 47 bretelles ont ete selectionnees parmi 18 echangeurs differents en Jordanie. Des mesures de la vitesse a l'ecoulement libre, pour differentes classes de vehicules, ont ete effectuees le long des bretelles et a des points predefinis. De plus, on a obtenu les donnees sur les accidents de la circulation, les variables geometriques et les debits de circulation. Pour les bretelles circulaires, l'analyse a indique que le rayon et l'angle de deviation de la courbe influent fortement sur la reduction de la vitesse maximale realisable. Le rayon de la premiere courbe a eu la plus grande incidence sur la reduction de la vitesse sur les bretelles en courbe-droite-courbe. Pour les bretelles en courbe inversee, le rapport des rayons devrait etre de 6:4:9 pour obtenir une bonne conception logique pour les voitures, a condition que le rayon de la premiere courbe depasse 110 m. Une analyse plus poussee a indique que la reduction de la vitesse, les variables geometriques et le debit de circulation ont une incidence sur les accidents. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : echangeur, bretelle de raccordement exterieur, conception coherente, accidents de la circulation, Jordanie., Introduction Interchanges are constructed in urban and suburban areas to ease traffic operation and reduce traffic accidents. An interchange is a combination of ramps and grade separations at the intersection [...]

Road crashes have become a leading cause of injury and death and a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Modes of active transportation (AT) such as walking and cycling are often overlooked in the community planning process. The Fused Grid (FG) is an innovative subdivision layout developed by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation with the objective of balancing the needs of safety and health for residents, with those of the automobile and AT, all in pursuit of enhanced community sustainability. This study assesses the effectiveness of the FG model via the application of two recently developed assessment tools: the Canadian Healthy Development Index (HDI), and the Dutch Sustainable Transport Safety (STS) principles (collectively known as i-THRIVE in a new on-line tool). It was found that the FG is a successful model for building sustainably safe and healthy communities as it easily met the criteria of both the HDI and STS principles. However, while the FG model can be applied relatively easily to a new community, retrofitting existing neighbourhoods can be challenging and is the subject of further research. Key words: Fused Grid, Healthy Development Index, sustainable transport safety, active transportation, sustainable community, planning and design, i-THRIVE. Les accidents de la route sont devenus une cause majeure de blessures et de mortalite et une source importante d'emission de gaz a effet de serre. Les modes de transport actifs (TA), tels que la marche et le velo sont souvent negliges lors des processus d'amenagement urbain. L'ilogramme est un systeme de subdivision novateur developpe par la Societe canadienne d'hypotheques et de logement et visant a etablir un equilibre entre les besoins de securite et de sante des residents et ceux lies a l'automobile et aux modes de TA, dans un but d'amelioration de la viabilite urbaine. La presente etude evalue l'efficacite du modele de l'ilogramme a l'aide de deux outils d'evaluation recemment mis au point : l'indice de developpement sain (IDS) canadien et les principes de securite des transports durables (STD) elabores aux Pays-Bas (tous deux regroupes sous la forme d'un nouvel outil disponible en ligne, appele i-THRIVE). On a constate que la modele de l'ilogramme fonctionnait bien dans le cas des ensembles urbains securitaires et sains, car il se conformait a la fois a l'IDS et aux principes de STD. Cependant, meme si le modele de l'ilogramme peut etre applique relativement facilement a un nouvel espace urbain, la modernisation de zones urbanisees existantes peut s'averer compliquee et fait actuellement l'objet de travaux de recherche plus approfondis. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: ilogramme, indice de developpement sain, securite des transports durables, mode de transport actif, espace urbain viable, planification et conception, i-THRIVE., Introduction Road traffic collisions remain a leading cause of injury and death worldwide, responsible for nearly 1.24 million fatalities every year, and rated by the UN and WHO as the [...]

OBJECTIVES: Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are a leading cause of death for Canadian Aboriginal peoples; developing effective interventions should be a public health priority. While intervention research has been conducted outside of Canada, few formal program evaluations have been conducted in Canada. We reviewed Canadian and non-Canadian Indigenous road safety initiatives to inform future program development in Canada. METHODS: A systematic review of the published and grey literature examining MVC intervention programs in Indigenous communities was performed. Studies published after 1980 reporting pre-post comparisons of MVC interventions in Indigenous communities were included in the review. These studies were assessed using a modified Participatory Action Research quality assessment tool. Haddon's Matrix of injury epidemiology and prevention was used to categorize crash-related risk factors targeted in the MVC interventions. SYNTHESIS: A total of 11 studies met inclusion criteria, including 1 Canadian study and 10 non-Canadian studies. Successful intervention components included focus groups, training community members, educational activities, distribution of safety devices, collaboration with local law officials to enhance enforcement, driver-licensing courses, and incentive programs. Potential barriers to successful implementation and evaluation involved lack of incorporation of cultural and contextual factors, enforcement factors, and methodological limitations. CONCLUSION: Several effective strategies to reduce MVCs can be adapted and implemented at the community and national levels. Future directions might include using multiple intervention components and incorporating a collaborative, culturally and contextually appropriate approach, while promoting evaluation initiatives and widespread dissemination of findings. KEY WORDS: Review; indigenous population; traffic accidents; accident prevention; Canada OBJECTIFS: Les accidents d'automobile sont l'une des principales causes de mortalite pour les Autochtones du Canada; elaborer des interventions efficaces devrait donc etre une priorite pour la sante publique. On effectue de la recherche d'intervention hors du Canada, mais on mene peu d'evaluations formelles des programmes canadiens. Nous avons examine des initiatives canadiennes et non canadiennes de securite routiere indigene afin d'eclairer l'elaboration future de programmes au Canada. METHODE: Nous avons mene une revue systematique de la litterature publiee et de la litterature grise portant sur les programmes de prevention des accidents d'automobile dans les communautes indigenes. Nous avons inclus dans cette revue les etudes publiees apres 1980 etablissant des comparaisons pre/post des interventions portant sur les accidents d'automobile dans les communautes indigenes. Ces etudes ont ete evaluees a l'aide d'un outil modifie d'evaluation de la qualite de la recherche-action. La matrice de Haddon appliquee a l'epidemiologie et a la prevention des blessures a servi a categoriser les facteurs de risque d'accident cibles par les interventions portant sur les accidents d'automobile. SYNTHESE: En tout, 11 etudes ont repondu a nos criteres d'inclusion, dont une etude canadienne et 10 etudes non canadiennes. Les elements des interventions fructueuses etaient les groupes de discussion, la formation des membres de la communaute, les activites educatives, la distribution de dispositifs de securite, la collaboration avec les agents locaux de la force publique pour ameliorer l'application de la loi, les cours d'obtention du permis de conduire et les programmes d'incitation. Les obstacles possibles a la mise en oeuvre fructueuse et a l'evaluation etaient le manque d'integration des facteurs culturels et contextuels, les facteurs d'application de la loi et les contraintes methodologiques. CONCLUSION: Plusieurs strategies de reduction des accidents d'automobile efficaces peuvent etre adaptees et mises en oeuvre a l'echelle communautaire et nationale. Les orientations futures peuvent inclure l'utilisation d'outils d'intervention multiples et l'integration d'une approche concertee, appropriee sur les plans culturel et contextuel, tout en favorisant les initiatives d'evaluation et la diffusion generalisee des constatations. MOTS CLES: revue de la litterature; population d'origine amerindienne; accidents de la circulation; prevention des accidents; Canada, Motor vehicle crash (MVC) mortality, hospitalization and injury rates are twice as high in Aboriginal populations as in the general Canadian population. (1) MVC rates in Canada are higher for [...]

Byline: Ramesh. Sharma [INLINE:1] 'Mahajano Yen gata sa pantha' ('Follow the path tread by great wise people') The Mahabharata (Vana -parva 313.117) 'Dr. Balakrishnan was a scholarly and modest man. [...]

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among young adults. Although automobile fatalities have declined in recent years, motorcycle fatalities are rapidly increasing. The purpose of our research was to quantify the relationship between changing fuel prices and motorcycle fatalities. Our findings suggest that people increasingly rely on motorcycles to reduce their fuel costs in response to rising gasoline prices. We estimate that use of motorcycles and scooters instead of 4-wheeled vehicles results in over 1500 additional motorcycle fatalities annually for each dollar increase in gas prices. Motorcycle safety should receive more attention as a leading public health issue. (Am J PublicHealth. 2009;99:1753-1758. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009. 159590)