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The article offers a solution to traffic congestion caused by temporary disruptions, such as accidents or road construction, through a method called Congestion Management based on Inflow and Outflow Volumes (COMIO). Topics include the limitations of traditional route control methods, the introduction of COMIO to stabilize traffic flow, and how COMIO manages the balance between traffic inflow and outflow to prevent the recurrence of congestion.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-therapeutic interventions (NPIs), such as traffic restrictions, work stoppages, and school suspensions, have led to a sharp decline in the concentration of air pollutants in the epidemic sites. However, few studies focused on the impact of air pollutant changes on the risk of nonaccidental death. Method: We selected Yancheng City, China, as the study site and applied a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) based on the quasi-Poisson distribution to evaluate the impact of atmospheric pollutants exposure on the nonaccidental death of local residents. The time span of this study was set from January 1, 2013, to December 21, 2022, that is, before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. Results: The concentration of some air pollutants has greatly varied after the outbreak of COVID-19, with a significant decline for PM2.5 (− 43.4%), PM10 (− 38.5%), SO2 (− 62.9%), and NO2 (− 22.6%), but an increase for O3 (+ 4.3%). Comparative analysis showed that PM2.5 contributed to an increased risk of nonaccidental death after the outbreak of COVID-19. With an increase in PM2.5 by 10 µg/m³, the excess relative risks (ER) of nonaccidental death of residents increased by 1.01% (95%CI: 0.19%,1.84%). The stratified analysis revealed that air pollutants impacted nonaccidental deaths in both men and women before the outbreak of COVID-19. After the outbreak of COVID-19, PM10 had a significant effect on male nonaccidental deaths. The concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 increased by 10 µg/m³, the ER of PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 on female nonaccidental death increased by 1.52% (0.38%,2.67%), 0.58% (0.02%,1.13%), and 15.09% (5.73%,25.28%), respectively. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, five air pollutants had an impact on the death of residents from cardiovascular disease (CVD). After the outbreak of COVID-19, only PM10 significantly affected the death risk of CVD. In addition, we discovered that PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 significantly impacted the risk of death due to respiratory diseases before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. Conclusions: Air pollutants have different effects on nonaccidental deaths before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. A decrease in air pollutant concentration due to the NPIs for COVID-19 had a significant effect on the reduction of the risk of nonaccidental death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, the problem of human trafficking has risen to prominence on governmental and advocacy agendas worldwide. This phenomenon has prompted a rapid proliferation of international and national anti-trafficking laws. Within the broad landscape of human trafficking law, there remain many unexplored areas. The enforcement of these laws, in particular, requires further investigation, given the breadth of the subject matter. It remains unclear whether victims' protection and human rights are being adequately upheld according to the law. Hence, this study was conducted using a qualitative approach to analyze anti-trafficking stakeholders' interviews and police investigation documents. The findings reveal that police investigations tend to be narrowly focused on the severity of the offense and the corresponding punishment, using a harmonized legal framework. Meanwhile, victim-centered provisions such as rescue, rehabilitation, compensation, financial assistance, and the privacy of the victim are often overlooked and not effectively implemented within the legal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With governmental use of artificial intelligence ("AI") becoming more prevalent, Americans are at risk of being subjected to the factual and legal findings of ill-equipped AI systems. The possibility of an AI takeover of the judicial branch is an undesirable reality to some individuals who are challenging laws and government programs which utilize AI systems to enforce traffic code violations. This Article considers the procedural fairness, privacy rights, and effectiveness of the various uses of AI systems in traffic code enforcement. By undertaking a thorough review of New York case law, this Article also analyzes the treatment of AI systems in different modes of traffic code enforcement. Based on the current trend of the United States Supreme Court to consult the views of the Founding Fathers on controversial matters of nationwide importance, this Article further considers the ethical, moral, and legal aspects of having an AI-controlled adjudicator as understood by the constitutional framers. Ultimately, this Article concludes by finding that the New York school bus stop-arm camera safety program (Vehicle Traffic Law ("VTL") § 1174-a) is constitutional and passes muster under rational basis review, and that the framers would not likely endorse the prevalent use of AI within the judicial branch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Superior Court of Justice of Madrid is hearing an administrative appeal filed by the Vox municipal group of the City Council of Madrid against Ordinance 10/2021, which establishes traffic restriction measures in Low Emission Zones (ZBE). The constitution of the Mixed Group of the City Council is questioned, as well as the lack of adequate motivation in the adoption of restrictive measures. The judgment determines the partial annulment of the Ordinance, annulling aspects related to the ZBE and ZBEDPE in the Centro District and Plaza Elíptica. The importance of respecting the principles of proportionality, rationality, good administration, and just transition in environmental protection is highlighted. [Extracted from the article]

Traffic conflict is frequently utilized as a stand-in for crashes for analyzing traffic safety from a broader perspective for varying roadways and traffic conditions. In Indian heterogeneous traffic conditions, vehicles with various static and dynamic properties interact simultaneously in longitudinal and lateral directions, forming traffic conflicts. To this end, the present study develops crossing conflict-based safety performance functions (C-SPFs) for eight urban un-signalized T-intersections. The video-graphic survey approach was used to gather the necessary traffic data with different intersection and traffic flow characteristics. After that, from the recorded video, traffic conflicts were identified using the Post encroachment time (PET) for the selected eight study intersections. Based on the PET values, crossing conflicts were initially divided into critical conflicts (CC) and non-critical conflicts (NCC). Then, using the Poisson-Tweedie regression technique, crossing conflicts were modeled as a function of traffic flow and intersection-related parameters. The findings showed that the most important factors defining the number of CC and NCC are intersection geometry (with or without Central Island), time of day, traffic volume, and composition (offending and conflicting approach). Based on the study's findings, city planners and traffic engineers estimate the number of CC and NCC; as a result, they may project the necessary laws, rules, and regulations to enhance traffic safety operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove the existence of weak solutions for a class of second-order traffic models with relaxation, without requiring the sub-characteristic stability condition to hold. With the help of numerical simulations, we show how, in this unstable setting, large but bounded oscillations may arise from small perturbations of equilibria, thus reproducing the formation of stop-and-go waves commonly observed in traffic dynamics. An analysis of the corresponding traveling waves completes the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Using benzodiazepines and certain antidepressants is associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes due to impaired driving skills. Hence, several countries prohibit people who use these drugs from driving. Traffic regulations for driving under the influence of these drugs are, however, largely based on single-dose studies with healthy participants. The effects of drugs on chronic users may be different because of potential development of tolerance or by adapting behavior. In this study, we test the effects of anti-depressants, hypnotics, or anxiolytics use on driving performance in patients who use these drugs for different durations and compare the effects to healthy controls' performance. Methods: Sixty-six healthy controls and 82 medication users were recruited to perform four drives in a driving simulator. Patients were divided into groups that used anti-depressants, hypnotics, or anxiolytics, for shorter or longer than 3 years (i.e. LT3− or LT3+, respectively). The minimum term of use was 6 months. Driving behavior was measured in terms of longitudinal and lateral control (speed variability and Standard Deviation of Lateral Position: SDLP), brake reaction time, and time headway. Impaired driving performance was defined as performing similar to driving with a Blood Alcohol Concentration of 0.5‰ or higher, determined by means of non-inferiority analyses. Results: Reaction time analyses revealed inconclusive findings in all groups. No significant performance differences between matched healthy controls, LT3− (n = 2), and LT3+ (n = 8) anxiolytics users were found. LT3+ antidepressants users (n = 12) did not perform inferior to their matched controls in terms of SDLP. LT3− hypnotics users (n = 6) showed more speed variability than their matched healthy controls, while this effect was not found for the LT3+ group (n = 14): the latter did not perform inferior to the healthy controls. Regarding Time Headway, no conclusions about the LT3− hypnotics group could be drawn, while the LT3+ group did not perform inferior compared to the control group. Conclusions: The small number of anxiolytics users prohibits drawing conclusions about clinical relevance. Although many outcomes were inconclusive, there is evidence that some elements of complex driving performance may not be impaired (anymore) after using antidepressants or hypnotics longer than 3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of transportation development, the simultaneous emergence of automated vehicles (AVs) and human-driven vehicles (HDVs) can lead to varied traffic system performance. For the purpose of improving traffic systems, this paper proposes a traffic restriction scheme only for HDVs. We develop a variational inequality (VI) model to describe travel mode and route choices under this restriction scheme and design an algorithm to solve the model. The proposed model and algorithm are applied to a Sioux Falls network example to evaluate the effects of the traffic restriction scheme. Our findings indicate that the scheme improves overall social welfare, with a higher proportion of restricted travelers leading to greater social welfare as well as increased travel demand due to changes in capacity. However, some lower exogenous monetary factors lead to negative social welfare, as the presence of AVs may exacerbate road congestion. Additionally, advancements in technology are needed to adjust the weightings of travel time and congestion level estimates to further enhance social welfare. These results offer valuable insights for traffic demand management in traffic systems with a mix of AVs and HDVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the pattern of craniofacial injuries in victims of fatal road traffic accidents, observed through autopsies conducted at Midnapore Medical College, West Midnapore from January 2021 to December 2023. Methods: It is a retrospective, cross-sectional observational study. Data were collected through a comprehensive analysis of post-mortem reports documenting injuries in alleged road traffic accident cases where victims sustained craniofacial injuries. The study covered a period of three years, from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023. The data were analysed using Microsoft Excel. Conclusion: The study underscores the need for context-specific interventions to address the unique injury patterns observed in road traffic accidents in West Midnapore. Enhancing road infrastructure, increasing traffic safety awareness, and promoting the use of protective measures like seat belts and helmets can significantly reduce the incidence of severe craniofacial injuries. The high prevalence of maxillofacial fractures highlights the vulnerability of the face, with substantial long-term physical and psychological repercussions. Effective prevention strategies, including stringent traffic regulations and awareness campaigns about the dangers of distracted or impaired driving, are essential. Despite its limitations, this study offers valuable insights into the patterns of craniofacial injuries in fatal accidents, emphasizing the need for improved road safety measures, stricter traffic laws, and enhanced post-accident care. Interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and policymakers is crucial for developing comprehensive strategies to manage and prevent these injuries. By analysing regional injury characteristics and comparing them with findings from other studies, this research contributes to a broader understanding of craniofacial trauma. The findings have significant implications for improving road safety, trauma care, and forensic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pavement skid resistance plays a crucial role in ensuring road safety and avoiding accidents. In the past, the laboratory evaluation of the skid resistance was carried out by studying only the coarse aggregates of the wearing course. To overcome this drawback, the Wehner-Schulze (WS) machine was developed in Germany in the 1960s. This equipment, composed of a polishing unit and a measuring unit, has great potential in predicting pavement skid resistance and its evolution over time, but is still little known in the pavement community (especially outside Europe). For these reasons, there is a need of a comprehensive review of the existing technical-scientific literature concerning the use of the WS machine. Specifically, this paper focuses on the main factors affecting the skid resistance in WS tests, the correlation of WS data with other laboratory test methods and with field skid resistance/polishing, and the available prediction models that have been validated through WS measurements. The critical analysis of the existing literature highlights that it is possible to correlate WS data with typical skid resistance field measurements as well as WS polishing with traffic polishing, but further efforts are needed in this regard. Future work should focus especially on open-graded mixtures and innovative asphalt mixtures (e.g., containing recycled materials and additives). From the perspective of pavement management, based on a theoretical background, the WS test results could be used as starting point for simplified prediction models of the in-situ skid resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking, the recruitment and transportation of persons by use of force, coercion, or deception for exploitation is one of the largest illicit industries worldwide. In the execution of anti-trafficking policies to combat this phenomenon, nation-states have assigned a decisive role to criminal justice actors as they are not only responsible for the detection, investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators but also for the identification and (legal) protection of victims of human trafficking. However, research has shown that criminal justice actors encounter many challenges whilst carrying out their tasks, which is also reflected in the low numbers of successful prosecutions and identified victims. To our knowledge, the reasons behind this observation have never been studied systematically. This systematic review aims to collect and synthesise empirical literature on factors that influence the criminal justice response to human trafficking to better understand and identify gaps in knowledge. In total, 35 empirical studies were included. Findings were discussed in light of theory and previous research and were used to provide recommendations for policy and future research. These studies suggest that factors such as prevailing stereotypes, an absence of legal guidance and a lack of capacity and expertise interact and even amplify each other and that strengthening the criminal justice response to human trafficking requires a multi-layered approach that simultaneously addresses several challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surge of AI in education raises concerns about measurement downsides. Calls for clear standards are warranted. Fortunately, the psychometrics field has a long history of developing relevant standards—like sample invariance and item bias avoidance—crucial for reliable, valid, and interpretable assessments. This established body of knowledge, not unlike traffic laws for self-driving cars, should guide AI assessment development. Measuring new constructs necessitates stronger construct validity research. Instead of rewriting the rulebook, our focus should be on educating AI developers about these standards. This commentary specifically addresses the concern of empowering instructors not with high-stakes testing but with effective item writing through AI. We explore the potential of AI to transform item development, a key area highlighted by researchers. While AI tools offer exciting possibilities for tackling educational challenges, equipping instructors to leverage them effectively remains paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDriving with anger can result in hazardous driving behaviors, often arising from inadequate communication among Traffic Participants (TPs). Currently, external Human-Machine Interface (eHMI) technology provides a novel channel for enhancing communication among TPs, yet its role in regulating driving emotions remains uncertain. This study investigates the impact of eHMI technology on the regulation of driving anger. We simulated a driving scenario in which the preceding vehicle abruptly applied brakes to elicit anger from the following driver. Three eHMI formats (Symbol, Text, and Symbol + Text) positioned at the rear of the preceding vehicle were implemented to explain the sudden braking event and regulate drivers’ emotions. Objective electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and subjective assessment data were analyzed to assess the effects of eHMIs on driving anger regulation. The results indicate that driving with eHMIs exhibited significant regulatory quality of drivers’ anger. Among the three formats, Symbol + Text eHMI exerted a notable regulatory impact, while both Symbol and Text eHMI contributed to emotional regulation. This study illustrates the positive impact of eHMI on emotion regulation in traffic environments, providing valuable backing for traffic management authorities in developing guidelines and policies, and contributing to the standardization of future eHMI technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the impact of information media on information needs and seeking behavior of tricycle riders in Osubi Axis, Delta State, Nigeria. It employed the use of descriptive survey design. The total population for this study is 87 comprising the commercial tricycle riders in Osubi Axis. The entire 87 commercial tricycle riders were selected using the total enumeration sampling technique due to the small size of the population A questionnaire was used to elicit data from the respondents, and simple percentage and frequency counts used to analyze data generated. The findings reveal that the major information sought by tricycle riders in Osubi Axis include information about more lucrative and safe routes; spare parts and repairs and, traffic regulations using majorly phones, radio, and social media. They also sought information to avoid harassment from policemen, keep abreast with lucrative routes/opportunities, be conversant with traffic situations and road safety practices. Through the use of information media, tricycle riders get authentic and cheaper mechanical parts, keeping abreast with current information among others. The study identifies inadequate knowledge of computers/internet, inability to access newspapers/magazines as major challenges encountered by tricycle riders in the course of using different information media in meeting their information needs. It is imperative that tricycle riders make use of the different information media available to keep them abreast with the necessary information needed to function effectively in their business, and keep them out of trouble with the authorities. This study, therefore, recommends that government should collaborate with tricycle riders' associations to provide them with timely and accurate information on government policies, traffic regulations, and road safety practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LSG1 is a conserved GTPase involved in ribosome assembly. It is required for the eviction of the nuclear export adapter NMD3 from the pre-60S subunit in the cytoplasm. In human cells, LSG1 has also been shown to interact with vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated proteins (VAPs) that are found primarily on the endoplasmic reticulum. VAPs interact with a large host of proteins which contain FFAT motifs (two phenylalanines (FF) in an acidic tract) and are involved in many cellular functions including membrane traffic and regulation of lipid transport. Here, we show that human LSG1 binds to VAPs via a noncanonical FFAT-like motif. Deletion of this motif specifically disrupts the localization of LSG1 to the ER, without perturbing LSG1-dependent recycling of NMD3 in cells or modulation of LSG1 GTPase activity in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Ocular trauma (OT) is a a major cause of ocular morbidity and blindness. This study was systematically conducted to determine the factors contributing to OT in Iran. Methods: In this study, a systematic review of all published articles in Persian and English languages from 2000 to 2023 was conducted to investigate the factors affecting OT in Iran. The included studies encompassed cross‐sectional, cohort, and case‐control designs. Articles were selected from internationally recognized databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, as well as Persian databases such as SID and Magiran. The search strategy involved using keywords aligned with the (MeSH) terms, such as "oculars," "trauma," and "Iran." Initially, 403 articles were identified, and ultimately, 14 articles met the inclusion criteria. To ensure the prevention of bias and assess the quality of the selected articles, the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale was utilized. Result: In the present study, the majority of individuals in the reviewed articles were categorized as having mild eye injuries (13.8%). A higher percentage of injuries was observed in males compared to females, and a higher prevalence of injuries was also observed in the age group of over 30 years compared to other age groups. Among the mechanical causes, sharp trauma had the highest prevalence rate (72.5%), while falls had the lowest prevalence rate (14%), followed by sport‐related injuries (29%). Non‐mechanical injuries were mentioned in only one article and had a prevalence rate of 1.5% Conclusion: The results of the current research have shown that among the mechanical injuries, accidents involving motorcycles and sharp objects are the leading causes of OT in Iranians. Therefore, the use of protective equipment such as goggles and adherence to traffic laws play a particularly important role, especially in men higher the age of 30. These findings highlight the necessity for targeted educational and preventive measures to reduce OT in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The criminal law provision provided for in Art. 286 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is formulated as a violation of the rules of road safety or operation of transport by persons driving vehicles. It is established that the criminal law doctrine is ambiguous in resolving the issue of the place of a vehicle in the structure of elements of a criminal offense. Some scientific positions are expressed as categorical, which indicates insufficient attention to this issue. The author conducts a textual analysis of the legislative definition of the concept of "vehicle" provided for in the note to Article 286 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. It is stated that in the context of determining the content of a vehicle as a sign of a criminal offense, it is necessary to establish compliance with the features of the generic concept of "vehicle" provided for by the Road Traffic Safety Rules, as well as with the special features - the presence of an engine which drives a vehicle or an electric motor with a power of more than 3 kW, while some other types of vehicles can move without such an engine. The author identifies the practical aspects of taking into account the content of the note to Article 286 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine in court practice. The author considers the issue of correlation between such features of a criminal offense as the object, means and instruments of a criminal offense. The author establishes the importance of vehicle use in the mechanism of causing substantial damage to the object of a criminal offense under Article 286 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. It is emphasized that the use of a vehicle should be recognized as a dynamic feature of the criminal offense under consideration. The author concludes that a vehicle in the construction of this corpus delicti is an instrument of a criminal offense, which is due to the following: a) a vehicle has a direct physical impact on the victim, and therefore the use of this instrument is included by the legislator in the mechanism of causing damage to the direct object; b) the nature of a socially dangerous act in the structure of the objective side of the corpus delicti under Article 286 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine makes it expedient to use an auxiliary instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Car dependence has been threatening transportation sustainability as it contributes to congestion and associated externalities. In response, various transport policies that restrict the use of private vehicles have been implemented. However, empirical evaluations of such policies' effects on traffic congestion have been limited. To this end, we compile a fine spatiotemporal resolution data set of the floating vehicle-based traffic performance index to examine the effects of a recent nonlocal vehicle driving restriction policy in Shanghai, one of most populous cities in the world. Specifically, we explore whether and how the policy impacted traffic speeds in the short term by employing a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences modeling approach. We find that: (1) In the first month, the policy led to an increase of network-level traffic speeds by 1.47% (0.352 km/h) during evening peak hours (17:00–19:00) but had no significant effect during morning peak hours (7:00–9:00). (2) The policy also helped improve network-level traffic speeds during some unrestricted hours (6:00, 12:00, 14:00, and 20:00), although the impact was marginal. (3) The short-term effects of the policy exhibited heterogeneity across traffic analysis zones. The lower the density of metro stations, the greater the effects. We conclude that driving restrictions for non-local vehicles alone may not significantly reduce congestion, and their effects can differ both temporally and spatially. However, they can have potential positive side effects such as increased purchase and usage of new energy vehicles, owners of which can obtain a local license plate of Shanghai for free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the progress of the times, cars have become an important means of transportation in our lives. However, with new cars of all kinds, road safety issues still cannot be effectively improved. While countries have responded by enforcing traffic laws and using electronic technology to enhance enforcement, challenges still need to be addressed, including blurred images and misjudgments by police agencies, and even exploiting loopholes in traffic enforcement frameworks to evade consequences through bribery or connections. exacerbating an accident and leaving victims and families in the lurch of the aftermath. To solve this problem, we proposed a data traceability law enforcement system based on blockchain and InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). The system ensures rapid traceability and protects law enforcement data from external attacks. The goal of leveraging blockchain's decentralized nature and smart contracts is to instill accountability and fairness in road safety measures, mitigate the effects of corruption, and pave the way for a safer and more just transportation environment. Our experimental results show that under our stress test of 50 transactions per second, the throughput can be as high as 300 and the maximum delay can reach 2.01s, which is enough to experimentally prove that our system is feasible. Our approach is designed to solve the data corruption problem caused by the centralized server being paralyzed. It applies to all technology enforcement, with high flexibility and scalability for all participants to join or set privileges. we also provide an automated traffic law enforcement system in a smart city. To make the data storage more secure and fair, and not easily damaged by malicious people or tampered with by intentional attackers. This brings a breakthrough to the country's program security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining the super‐efficiency model based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) with the Malmquist index model, this paper evaluated the efficiency of the logistics distribution center comprehensively considering the truck traffic restriction and provided decision suggestions to improve the efficiency of the logistics distribution center. This paper takes 20 logistics distribution centers as the research objects and uses economic factors, transportation factors, quality of distribution center business activities, and quality of customer service as the primary input indicators; selects eight indicators such as construction cost, transportation cost, labor cost, road facilities, accessibility, business demand, number of laborers, and customer satisfaction as the secondary input indicators; chooses distribution time and profit as the output indicators; and measures the static efficiency of logistics distribution centers from two perspectives, including the traditional unconstrained super‐efficiency model and the truck‐ restricted conditions, using the super‐efficiency model of data envelopment analysis (DEA). The Malmquist index model was used to measure the dynamic efficiency and change trend efficiency of the logistics distribution center, and a unified and comprehensive analysis was also made. The results of the case study show that the average efficiency of the logistics distribution center in the driving and nondriving restriction area is 0.872 and 0.914, respectively, and the average efficiency in the driving restriction area is about 4.5% lower than that of the nondriving restriction area, and variance is 1.58 times of the latter. Therefore, it can be concluded that the measures of truck driving restriction have an impact on the efficiency of the logistics distribution center, and the results of the super‐efficiency model with the restriction constraint have a greater impact on the logistics efficiency of the logistics distribution center than the traditional unconstrained super‐efficiency model. According to the evaluation results, suggestions on reasonable assignment of labor and other resources input are put forward for logistics distribution centers in areas where driving is restricted to improve efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Summary: We conducted a group randomized‐controlled trial of an internal dashboard system deployed by the Michigan State Police to determine its effectiveness in reducing traffic stop racial disparities. Informed by a difference‐in‐differences design, analyses of traffic stop data from 2019–2022 indicated that the dashboard had no impact on traffic stop racial disparities. Additional analyses of traffic stops, crashes, and crime revealed that the dashboard had no "de‐policing" effect on traffic patrols, nor were there any significant changes in traffic safety or crime in treatment patrol areas relative to control patrol areas. Qualitative analyses of interview data from more than 40 troopers in the agency revealed unique barriers to program implementation and opportunities for future improvement. Policy Implications: In an era of policing where the capacity and demand for data‐driven decision‐making is on the rise, evidence‐based policy and practice can provide police agencies with informed solutions for addressing traffic stop racial disparities. Yet, the increased demand for evidence‐based reform is fueled by a relatively low supply of evidence‐based research. This study adds to this evidence base by providing unique insights into the effectiveness of a program built specifically to reduce racial disparities in traffic stops, while also highlighting implementation challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We tested additional factors to TPB predicting compliance with traffic rules. • Conditionality and Conformity predicted intentions to always obey traffic laws. • Discourtesy and Sensation Seeking predicted reported drink-driving. • Authority Rejection and Egonomy predicted attitudes towards police checkpoints. In 2022, 30 million traffic offences were recorded by the enforcement authorities on French roads, resulting in more than 16 million penalty points being deducted from driving licences. Why do French drivers not always comply with the rules of the road? Previous studies have shown that Attitudes, Subjective Norms and Perceived Behavioural Control are strong predictors of the intention to obey traffic laws (Theory of Planned Behaviour, TPB, Ajzen, 1991). In this paper, we investigate drivers' relationship with traffic rules in more depth. We identified several other factors as potential extensions of the TPB in explaining compliance with traffic rules. To test the impact of these dimensions on compliance and to understand the motivations behind French drivers' lack of compliance, we conducted an online questionnaire survey among a representative sample of 1021 French drivers (mean age: 44.3, 49.9 % women). In addition to the TPB measures, we used a combination of existing scales (Conformity and Sensation Seeking) and exploratory items specifically designed to measure additional components. We named these four distinct components Conditionality, Discourtesy, Authority Rejection, and Egonomy, respectively. Aside from the TPB components, Conditionality and Conformity predicted intentions to always obey traffic rules; testing the same model on reported drink-driving, we found an effect of Discourtesy and Sensation Seeking, but not of the TPB components measured at a general level ("towards traffic rules"); whereas Authority Rejection, Egonomy and Attitudes towards traffic rules were linked to attitudes towards police checkpoints. These findings open up new perspectives for the study of rule orientation in the field of road safety, raise questions about the relevance of conducting general prevention campaigns targeting specific behaviours, and reveal the difficulty perceived by the participants in 'always' respecting the rules of the road. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the implementation of the ETLE policy in the Greater Jakarta Metro Area Police Jurisdiction. Data has shown that there have been fluctuations in the trend of traffic violations in the Greater Jakarta Metro Area Police Jurisdiction from 2018-2023. This research examines further the implementation of the Electronic Traffic Law Enforcement (ETLE) policy to realize an orderly traffic area in the Greater Jakarta Metro Area Police Jurisdiction. Researchers use Grindle's policy implementation model to look at policy implementation. The researchers used a postpositivist approach by conducting data analysis techniques using illustrative methods on primary data in the form of in-depth interviews. In-depth interviews were conducted with several crucial policymakers, including the Traffic Director at the Greater Jakarta Metro Area Police, who led the ETLE policy in its jurisdiction. The results showed that implementation of the ETLE policy in the Greater Jakarta Metro Area Police jurisdiction has not run optimally in establish an orderly traffic area. Although there is progress in implementation, there are several critical notes that must be addressed to achieve policy objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although they comprise a relatively small subset of all traffic deaths, hit‐and‐run (HR) fatalities are both contemptible and preventable. We analyze longitudinal data from 1982 to 2008 to examine the effects of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) laws on HR traffic fatalities. Our results suggest that lower BAC limits may have an unintended consequence of increasing HR fatalities, whereas a similar effect is absent for non‐HR fatalities. Specifically, we find that the adoption of a 0.08 BAC limit is associated to an 8.3% increase in HR fatalities. This unintended effect is more pronounced in urban areas and during weekends, which are typical settings for HR incidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of artificial intelligence and information communication technology has significantly propelled advancements in autonomous driving. The advent of autonomous driving has a profound impact on societal development and transportation methods. However, as intelligent systems, autonomous driving systems (ADSs) often make wrong judgements in specific scenarios, resulting in accidents. There is an urgent need for comprehensive testing and validation of ADSs. Metamorphic testing (MT) techniques have demonstrated effectiveness in testing ADSs. Nevertheless, existing testing methods primarily encompass relatively simple metamorphic relations (MRs) that only verify ADSs from a single perspective. To ensure the safety of ADSs, it is essential to consider the various elements of driving scenarios during the testing process. Therefore, this paper proposes MetaSem, a novel metamorphic testing method based on semantic information of autonomous driving scenes. Based on semantic information of the autonomous driving scenes and traffic regulations, we design 11 MRs targeting different scenario elements. Three transformation modules are developed to execute addition, deletion and replacement operations on various scene elements within the images. Finally, corresponding evaluation metrics are defined based on MRs. MetaSem automatically discovers inconsistent behaviours according to the evaluation metrics. Our empirical study on three advanced and popular autonomous driving models demonstrates that MetaSem not only efficiently generates visually natural and realistic scene images but also detects 11,787 inconsistent behaviours on three driving models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrian crossings are one of the most essential elements of linear infrastructure in road transportation. A crosswalk is a place where a pedestrian should feel safe crossing to the other side of the roadway. Regardless of what means of transportation each road user utilizes, sooner or later, he or she acts as a pedestrian. Thus, he or she becomes a potential victim of accidents that occur on Polish roads. A large proportion of accidents involving pedestrians occur at crosswalks, and proper signage, lighting, and traffic lights cannot always ensure pedestrian safety at a crossing. Many risks affect traffic safety. These include poor judgment on the part of the driver, failure to obey traffic laws, alcohol consumption, and poor weather conditions. Both the pedestrian and the driver of a vehicle can be victims or perpetrators of accidents. In order to prevent traffic hazards at pedestrian crossings, it is necessary to improve the following: the technical conditions of crossings, their markings, lighting, and the use of islands or footbridges. It is also necessary to conduct repeated educational activities among children, adolescents, and adults on the knowledge of traffic regulations. The purpose of the article is to present issues of road transport infrastructure based on the literature and to assess safety at selected pedestrian crossings in the city of Bielsko-Biala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTA) are major causes for morbidity, mortality and disability among all age group and people of all socioeconomic status. Considering the increased number of people using motorized vehicle leading to rise in road traffic accidents, our cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in northern Karnataka, India Materials and Methods: A pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire for duration of six months aimed to study the socio demographic profile of road traffic injury victims, to find the antecedent factors influencing the road traffic accidents and also to study the pattern of injury in victims. Results: Total of 516 patients were included in the study. In our study we have found that human error is the most common factor responsible for accident 43.4% followed by drunk and drive 30.6% and most of the accidents occurred in highway 21.1% and drivers are most commonly the victims of accident 69.2%. We have also found that skid is the most common manner of accident. It is very alarming to see that only 33.7% of the participants had valid driving licence. Also, among the people who rode two-wheeler only 7% wore helmet and among persons who drew four-wheeler only 10% wore seat belt. Conclusion: Most participants were male (86%), mostly from rural areas (70.3%), and lived with their families (88%). The findings highlight the need for better road safety measures, stricter traffic regulations, increased public awareness, and improved infrastructure to reduce road traffic accidents [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-level ozone (O3) pollution has emerged as a significant concern impacting air quality in urban agglomerations, primarily driven by meteorological conditions and social-economic factors. However, previous studies have neglected to comprehensively reveal the spatial distribution and driving mechanism of O3 pollution. Based on the O3 monitoring data of 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) from 2014 to 2021, a comprehensive analysis framework of spatial analysis-spatial econometric regression was constructed to reveal the driving mechanism of O3 pollution. The results revealed the following: (1) O3 concentrations in the YRD exhibited a general increasing and then decreasing trend, indicating an improvement in pollution levels. The areas with higher O3 concentration are mainly the cities concentrated in central and southern Jiangsu, Shanghai, and northern Zhejiang. (2) The change of O3 concentration and distribution is the result of various factors. The effect of urbanization on O3 concentrations followed an inverted U-shaped curve, which implies that achieving higher quality urbanization is essential for effectively controlling urban O3 pollution. Traffic conditions and energy consumption have significant direct positive influences on O3 concentrations and spatial spillover effects. The indirect pollution contribution, considering economic weight, accounted for about 35%. Thus, addressing overall regional energy consumption and implementing traffic source regulations are crucial paths for O3 pollution control in the YRD. (3) Meteorological conditions play a certain role in regulating the O3 concentration. Higher wind speed will promote the diffusion of O3 and increase the O3 concentration in the surrounding city. These findings provide valuable insights for designing effective policies to improve air quality and mitigate ozone pollution in urban agglomeration area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciencia y Poder Aéreo is the property of Escuela de Postgrados de la Fuerza Aerea Colombiana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper studies the main factors affecting road traffic accidents (RTAs) using a systematic review. The primary focus is on factors related to road characteristics and driver behaviours. This review also addresses the socioeconomic and demographic factors to provide a clear overview of which groups suffer the most from RTAs. Several factors were found to affect RTAs, notably road characteristics: highways, high-speed roads, unplanned intersections and two-way roads without dividers; driver behaviours: reckless/aggressive driving and riding, excessive speeding, unawareness of traffic laws, and not using safety equipment; and vehicle types: four and two-wheeled. This review found that male and economically productive people with less education were mostly associated with RTAs. In addition, for most of the low and middle-income countries analyzed, there is a lack of quality data relating to RTAs. Nevertheless, this review provides researchers and policy makers with a better understanding of road accidents for improving road safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking thrives in the shadows, and the rise of social media has provided traffickers with a powerful and unregulated tool. This paper delves into how these criminals exploit online platforms to target and manipulate vulnerable populations. A thematic analysis of existing research explores the tactics used by traffickers on social media, revealing how algorithms can be manipulated to facilitate exploitation. Furthermore, the paper examines the limitations of current regulations in tackling this online threat. The research underscores the urgent need for collaboration between governments and researchers to combat algorithmic exploitation. By harnessing data analysis and machine learning, proactive strategies can be developed to disrupt trafficking networks and protect those most at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the influence of different variables on drivers' willingness to accept and use a vehicle-mounted perfume automatic dispersal device (VP-ADD) connected to the vehicle's electronic map. Based on the technical acceptance model, we clarify and condense the explanation of the model used to evaluate the impact of user behavior attitudes and device characteristics on six factors, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude towards use, intention to use, perceived playfulness, and perceived risk, proposing eight hypotheses. Then, we assessed the responses of 562 drivers in China using SPSS for reliability and validity and AMOS for structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses. The findings reveal that the perceived usefulness, ease of use, playfulness, and risk significantly affected the willingness to accept and use the VP-ADD. Furthermore, the perceived risk has a negative influence, while the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived playfulness, and attitude towards use have a positive influence. This research is significant for further development and application of the VP-ADD. It is essential to alleviate driver fatigue, ensure traffic safety, and provide theoretical and empirical support for designing more popular driving assistance devices. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights for developing fatigue driving warning policies, in-vehicle device guidelines, and traffic safety regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient progress in the development of national highways and state highways, coupled with a lack of public awareness regarding road safety, has resulted in prevalent traffic congestion and a high rate of accidents. Understanding the dominant and contributing factors that may influence road traffic accident severity is essential. This study identified the primary causes and the most significant target‐specific causative factors for road accident severity. A modified partitioning around medoids model determined the dominant road accident features. These clustering algorithms will extract hidden information from the road accident data and generate new features for our implementation. Then, the proposed method is compared with the other state‐of‐the‐art clustering techniques with three performance metrics: the silhouette coefficient, the Davies–Bouldin index, and the Calinski–Harabasz index. This article's main contribution is analyzing six different scenarios (different angles of the problem) concerning grievous and non‐injury accidents. This analysis provides deeper insights into the problem and can assist transport authorities in Tamil Nadu, India, in deriving new rules for road traffic. The output of different scenarios is compared with hierarchical clustering, and the overall clustering of the proposed method is compared with other clustering algorithms. Finally, it is proven that the proposed method outperforms other recently developed techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviewed the urban vehicle access control policies derived from disparate spatiotemporal dimensions that aim to eliminate the negative externalities of traffic caused by urbanization. Urban access regulations are important tools often required to achieve the sustainable mobility vision of cities. Employing a systematic literature review methodology, this review summarized and analyzed various urban access control policies to enlighten policymakers and future scientific research. The results indicate that combinations of multiple-dimensional restriction policies (including inter-policy and intra-policy) have more significant effects than implementing a single policy. Classified according to their objectives, control policies were discussed in terms of their benefits and limitations. The authors are inspired to propose and describe five paradoxes of urban access control policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Belügyi Szemle / Academic Journal of Internal Affairs is the property of Ministry of Interior of Hungary and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)