The purpose of this study is an attempt briefly to set up a program of activities for use in the Secondary Schools of Hobbs, New Mexico, in teaching traffic safety and driver training.

The Alcohol Safety Action Program was introduced in the early 1970s as a comprehensive systems approach for reducing alcohol-related automobile crashes. This dissertation gathers evidence and insights helpful to planners, evaluators, policy-makers, and program implementors. Specifically, A.S.A.P. “Level II” effectiveness in reducing the recidivism rate among program participants was examined. A combination of quantitative and qualitative assessments of the program was performed to gain in-depth insight and to determine which program elements seem associated with its success or failure. Quantitative analysis emphasized A.S.A.P. and non-A.S.A.P. participant two-year recidivism rates. Participants from two Virginia localities in 1977-80 were examined. Independent variables commonly held by both types of participants are age, sex, court delay, and prior offense records. Variables unique to each program were also examined. Qualitative insights were gathered through interviews with current A.S.A.P. participants prior to and following program completion, past program participants, and course instructors. An approximate three-to-one difference in recidivism rate was found between A.S.A.P. and non-A.S.A.P. participants. Variables significantly related to recidivism were prior D.W.I. offenses, court delay, prior reckless driving offenses, and age. Differences based on location were also found. The interviews demonstrate basic satisfaction with the course. Participants cited the overall arrest experience as having the largest impact, with the course providing supportive information. The factor emerging to deter future behavior was the negative experience--the “hassle”--associated with the D.W.I. offense. Overall, it appears that the blend of the educational and punitive approaches makes the A.S.A.P. program more effective than the alternative approaches being used. Specific recommendations emerging from the research are of four general types: administrative mechanisms, laws and policies, the A.S.A.P. course, and evaluation. / Ph. D.

Thesis (M.Ing.)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A road safety remedial programme has as an objective the improvement of road transportation safety by applying road safety engineering remedial measures to hazardous road network elements in a manner that will be economically efficient. Since accident data is the primary manifestation of poor safety levels it must be analysed in manner that will support the overall objective of economic efficiency. Three steps in the process of implementing a road safety remedial programme, that rely on the systematic analysis of accident data, are the identification of hazardous locations, the ranking of hazardous locations and the evaluation of remedial measure effectiveness. The efficiency of a road safety remedial programme can be enhanced by using appropriate methodologies to measure safety, identify and rank hazardous locations and to determine the effectiveness of road safety remedial measures. There are a number of methodologies available to perform these tasks, although some perform much better than other. Methodologies based on the Empirical Bayesian approach generally provide better results than the Conventional methods. Bayesian methodologies are not often used in South Africa. To do so would require the additional training of students and engineering professionals as well as more research by tertiary and other research institutions. The efficiency of a road safety remedial programme can be compromised by using poor quality accident data. In South Africa the quality of accident data is generally poor and should more attention be given to the proper management and control of accident data. This thesis will report on, investigate and evaluate Bayesian and Conventional accident data analysis methodologies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van 'n padveiligheidsverbeteringsprogram is om op die mees koste effektiewe manier die veiligheid van onveilige padnetwerkelemente te verbeter deur die toepassing van ingenieursmaatreëls. Aangesien padveiligheid direk verband hou met verkeersongelukke vereis die koste effektiewe implementering van 'n padveiligheidsverbeteringsprogram die doelgerigte en korrekte ontleding van ongeluksdata. Om 'n padveiligheidsverbeteringsprogram te implementeer word die ontleding van ongeluksdata verlang vir die identifisering en priortisering van gevaarkolle, sowel as om die effektiwiteit van verbeteringsmaatreëls te bepaal. Die koste effektiwiteit van 'n padveiligheidsverbeteringsprogram kan verbeter word deur die regte metodes te kies om padveiligheid te meet, gevaarkolle te identifiseer en te prioritiseer en om die effektiwiteit van verbeteringsmaatreëls te bepaal. Daar is verskeie metodes om hierdie ontledings te doen, alhoewel sommige van die metodes beter is as ander. Die 'Bayesian' metodes lewer oor die algemeen beter resultate as die gewone konvensionele metodes. 'Bayesian' metodes word nie. in Suid Afrika toegepas nie. Om dit te doen sal addisionele opleiding van studente en ingenieurs vereis, sowel as addisionele navorsing deur universiteite en ander navorsing instansies. Die gebruik van swak kwaliteit ongeluksdata kan die integriteit van 'n padveiligheidsverbeteringsprogram benadeel. Die kwaliteit van ongeluksdata in Suid Afrika is oor die algemeen swak en behoort meer aandag gegee te word aan die bestuur en kontrole van ongeluksdata. Die doel van hierdie tesis is om verslag te doen oor 'Bayesian' en konvensionele metodes wat gebruik kan word om ongeluksdata te ontleed, dit te ondersoek en te evalueer.

published_or_final_version / Urban Studies / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The huge financial and societal cost associated with traffic crashes and the fact that more than half of them occur at junctions, revealed the need for further research in the field of junction safety. This research aims to investigate the quantitative impact of junctions in relation to other selected parameters, on the frequency of road crashes in urban areas in the State of Florida. Mathematical models were developed with the use of loglinear analysis method for different traffic volumes in and out of junction. In addition, sensitivity analysis was performed in order to better understand the impact of selected parameters to the total number of crashes. The analysis has led to several conclusions such as that angle and left turn collisions have much higher probability of occurrence at junctions and that crashes which occur at junctions are much more probable for low and medium volumes compared to no-junctions. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Licensed drivers arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol have increased rates of vehicle crashes, moving violations, traffic tickets, and contribute to an estimated 120 million occurrences of impaired driving per year (Evans, 2004; Jewett et al., 2015). Survey research on DUI offenders indicates traits of impulsivity (e.g., sensation seeking). Together, these pieces of evidence suggest that DUI offenders display patterns of impulsive action and risk-taking while driving. However, to-date DUI offenders are rarely studied in a laboratory setting, and not much is known about how they respond to a dose of alcohol. The present study examined the degree to which DUI offenders display an increased sensitivity to the acute impairing effects of alcohol on mechanisms of behavioral impulsivity, skill and risk-based driving simulations, and subjective evaluations of driving fitness and perceived intoxication following alcohol consumption. A sample of 20 DUI offenders were compared to a demographically-matched sample of 20 control drivers. All participants attended two dose sessions in which they received either a 0.65 g/kg dose of alcohol or a placebo dose, counterbalanced, on separate days. Results indicated that alcohol affected all of the behavioral outcome measures. More specifically, alcohol increased impulsive choice responses and decreased response inhibition on the behavioral impulsivity tasks. Alcohol also increased risky driving behaviors and decreased driving-related skills. Furthermore, alcohol generally decreased participants’ self-reported willingness and ability to drive a motor vehicle, and increased levels of intoxication and BAC estimations relative to placebo. With regard to group differences, DUI offenders showed an increased sensitivity to the disrupting effects of alcohol on impulsive choices, such that DUI offenders showed a significantly greater preference for impulsive choices under alcohol relative to placebo than controls. Taken together, these findings provide some of the first pieces of evidence that compared to controls, DUI offenders display an increased tendency for impulsive decisions under alcohol, which likely contributes to risky decisions to drive after drinking, despite clear evidence for their behavioral impairment. These findings could have important implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying maladaptive behaviors in this high-risk population, and sheds light on possible targets for intervention to reduce DUI recidivism.

Graduation date: 2004 / Best scan available. Text at top of each page is blurry or missing on original copy.

The transportation system is a growing concern as economic development progresses. It has become one of the major causes of air pollution as well as deaths world-wide. Hence, the transportation system is not a sustainable path in the world today. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a fast developing economy with poor traffic safety. Hence, the purpose of the thesis is to examine the relationship between economic development and traffic safety in the UAE. This is achieved with the support of the Kuznetz Curve Hypothesis, which indicates a positive relationship between economic development and road traffic fatalities initially. However, it will come to change into a negative relationship as the economy develops further. In addition, Institutional Theory states that institutions and organizations contribute to a successful economic development. In order to identify the development of traffic safety in the UAE, the characteristics concerning the issue in the country must be defined. Hence, a comprehensive analysis of the traffic safety in the UAE is carried out with the support of the Kuznetz Curve Hypothesis and Institutional Theory. A regression analysis confirms that there is a relationship between traffic fatalities and economic development. Until today, traffic fatalities have increased with national GDP in the UAE. Yet there is no reason to believe that this relationship has changed for the better. However, according to Institutional Theory, an improvement may be achieved through active work. It is important for the public authorities in the UAE to set explicit goals, so that institutions and organizations are able to integrate and coordinate their struggle for a safer traffic.

Roundabouts have become an alternative for traditional intersections due to the safer operational performance. Previous research has provided crash modification factors (CMFs) as a criterion based on before-after studies as to evaluate the safety performance of roundabouts. One drawback of assessment based on crash modification factors, however, is that a before-after study includes too many variations at a time that it only provides a general idea of the safety performance for roundabouts. Since the industrial world is interested in the safety outcome of converting traditional intersections to roundabouts, safety performance functions (SPFs) will provide more specific details on estimating crashes than that of crash modification factors. This thesis will adopt a similar methodology that has been used in the current Highway Safety Manual (HSM) to develop safety performance functions for roundabouts based on Oregon data. The outcome of this thesis will help the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to evaluate existing roundabouts in the State of Oregon. Furthermore, this thesis will function as an additional case study from Oregon to contribute to the national effort of evaluating the safety performance of roundabouts. / Graduation date: 2013

When a malfunction occurs in a traffic signal controller cabinet, the signal is automatically placed into malfunction flash mode as a safety precaution. During this event, drivers are presented with one of two possible scenarios: flashing yellow on the major street and flashing red on the minor street, or flashing red on all the approaches. Volumes and percentages of car stopping were collected at fifty-one study intersections in the Atlanta regions. By means of the VISSIM microsimulation software a sample of intersections was simulated under the two malfunction scenarios and the signalized one. Based on output data such as delay and queue, the performances of each simulated intersection is compared and recommendations on which mode of flash must be used in case of malfunction are provided.