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Characterizing the Role of Wind and Dust in Traffic Accidents in California.

ABSTRACT: Wind is a common ground transportation hazard. In arid regions, wind-blown dust is an added risk. Here, we analyzed the relationship between accidents and wind speed, dust events to study how they may have contributed to vehicular accidents in California. The California Highway Patrol reports information about weather conditions that potentially contributed to traffic accidents, including a code for wind but not for reduced visibility due to dust. For the three counties that contain the major dust source regions in California (the Mojave Desert and the Imperial Valley), we found greater daily maximum wind speed for days with accidents coded for wind compared to all days with accidents. The percentage of people injured in accidents attributed for weather other than wind and coded for wind were the same; however, the percentage of people who died in wind-related accidents was about double the deaths in accidents caused by weather other than wind. At ground meteorological stations closest to accidents, we found lower median minimum visibility for days with wind-related accidents compared to all days with accidents. Across the region, wind speed recorded at ground meteorological stations increased the probability of high satellite-derived dust optical depth values. Over the period of 2006 to 2016, the correlation between daily minimum visibility and daily maximum satellite-estimated dust optical depth was negative. Our analysis of the correlation between dust and accidents shows that with increased wind storm and dust-event frequency in the future, the risk of traffic incidents due to wind and dust could increase.

SUBMITTER: Bhattachan A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7007095 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundCyclists are vulnerable traffic users and studying the cycling behavior of professional and elite cyclists, their previous history of traffic accidents combined with the current knowledge on high-risk behaviors of this group can be a useful basis for further studies on ordinary cyclists. This study aimed to determine the relationship between cycling behavior and the previous history of traffic accidents among members of the Cycling Federation of Guilan province in 2022.MethodsA descriptive-analytical study was performed in which the Bicycle Rider Behavior Questionnaire (BRBQ) constructed in the Porsline platform was distributed using the WhatsApp social network. All participants were asked to self-report their cycling behavior. The final analysis was performed by using STATA software (version 14).ResultsThe study subjects included a total of 109 cyclists with a mean age of 38.62 ± 10.94 years and a mean cycling experience of 13.75 ± 11.08 years. Using the logistic regression model, the relationship between gender (P = 0.039), years of cycling experience (P = 0.000), and education level (P ≤ 0.00), with previous traffic accidents, was found significant. There was also a significant relationship between stunts and distractions (P = 0.005), signaling violation (P = 0.000), and control error (P = 0.011) with previous traffic accidents. A significant association existed between stunts and distractions (P = 0.001) and signaling violation (P = 0.001) with a previous history of traffic injury within the last 3 years.ConclusionsThe findings of this study can be used to establish cyclist safety and preventative planning in society. In behavior change intervention programs, it is best to target male cyclists with higher-level education. In addition, the behavior of the cyclists whose predominant term of signaling violations must be corrected should be targeted. It is necessary to shape information campaigns and educational programs aimed for cyclists with common high-risk behaviors, especially signaling violations.

Dataset Information

Characterizing the Role of Wind and Dust in Traffic Accidents in California.

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