<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="https://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
  <channel>
    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
    <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
      <url>https://trid.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle.jpg</url>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Speed information on roads and streets from the perspective of traffic fatalities</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1126911</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The aim of the study was to collect existing speed data as comprehensively as possible from the road and street network considered most important in terms of traffic fatalities. The aim was also to determine the appropriate placement of speed measurements on streets and carry out small-scale speed measurements.The placement of speed measurements on streets was obtained from the literature and speed measurements, Speeds were measured on four main street pedestrian crossings and 50 metres before the crossings. The number of pedestrians using a pedestrian crossing was counted at a crossing. Speed data of cars driving directly on three main street sections Were collected from a previous study with GPS-based speed recording. Our studies suggest that pedestrian volume on a pedestrian crossing needs to be fairly substantial to affect the measured average speed of direct traffic flow. With a smaller pedestrian volume, the average speed of direct traffic is the same at a pedestrian crossing and on streets without crossings or intersections. However, other factors like turning vehicles or congestion may reduce the average speed at a crossing with small pedestrian volume. On this basis it is recommended that speed measurements in built-up areas be focused on streets without pedestrian crossings and intersections, as is the case at present. Speed data on the street network were received from four municipalities. On main streets and collector streets in city centres and apartment areas the mean speed was 3l km/h with speed limit 30 km/h, 39 km/h with speed limit 40 km/h, and 46 km/h with speed limit 50 km/h. In less populated areas mean speeds were somewhat higher. On the street network, 25-697o of vehicles were speeding, depending on the speed limit and street type.3-177 % of vehicles exceeded the speed limit by more than l0 km/h. Speed data on roads were collected from the Finnish Transport Agency's automatic measurement points. This data was comprehensive only on main roads, With speed limit 80 km/h the average speed was usually slightly higher than the speed limit; With speed limit 100 km/h it was lower. The average speed was slightly lower on busier roads and in more densely populated areas than on quiet roads in less populated areas. The average speed of free vehicles was I -2 km/h higher than that of all vehicles. An average of 527o of vehicles were speeding, I7 7o of vehicles exceeded the speed limit by more than l0 km/h, and 67o by more than 20 km/h. Driving speed is a key factor in traffic safety. Speed monitoring should be expanded and developed on main streets, collector streets, regional roads and collecting roads. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/KANTOTESTAUS.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:23:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1126911</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Crash violence within the traffic system. Risks and their reduction on regional and connecting roads</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/907202</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The focus of this study was on fatal accidents on Finnish regional and connecting public roads outside built-up areas (other than main roads). The accident data wed was collected by the road accident investigation teams during years 2002-2006. At first stage there is presented an extensive summary of all fatal accidents in which risk behaviour of the motor vehicle driver (illegal presence of alcohol or drugs, failure to use seatbelts or other restraint system, valid right to drive, speeding at least 20 km/h and deaths due to suicide or sickness, e.g. heart attack) was separated. At second stage only the accidents without risk behaviour were included in data. The aim was to identify the main risks of death within the traffic system to which the motor vehicle occupants, bicyclists and pedestrians are exposed. Finally the measures to decrease the number of fatalities were evaluated. On regional and connecting roads outside built-up areas occurred 463 fatal accidents with 5lI fatalities during the years 2002-2006. The most common accident types were single vehicle accidents (47 %), head-on collisions (20 %), pedestrian accidents (6%), bicycle accidents (8 %) and crossing and turning accidents (7 %). The most common accident types without risk behaviour of the driver were head-on collisions, single vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents. Altogether during the period under review 185 road users died in the accidents without risk behaviour. About 50% of the fatalities of motor vehicle occupants and 30o/o of vulnerable road user fatalities occurred on rural areas population density below l5 residents/km). On regional roads the fatal head-on accidents without risk behaviour can be reduced by improving the efficiency of the winter maintenance and by lowering the speed limits. Improving the passive safety of the roadside area is essential in order to reduce the fatalities in single vehicle accidents. The most difficult problem is the fatal accidents at intersections, in which the casualties are very often older persons who come from minor road and collide with vehicles which have right of way. On connecting roads the essential measure to reduce the number of fatalities without risk behaviour is lowering the speed limits. In the pedestrian and bicyclist fatal accidents the common recognised risks were high speed limits on the accident scenes, which caused high crash speeds and exceeded crash violence related to human tolerance. Another recognised risk within the traffic system was lack of separated passages or marked cross-walks for vulnerable road users. Lowering the speed limits would be essential for reducing the risk of death for both motor vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users'. The speed limit system of the regional and connecting road network on non built-up areas should be revisited. In order to improve the safety of the pedestrians and bicyclists also the traffic schemes of road sections on dense populated areas should be developed, as well as new more effective, means, to increase the usage of cycling helmets. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/VIOLA_STYT.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:28:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/907202</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Crash violence within the traffic system. Risks and their reduction on motorways</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/907201</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The focus of this study was on fatal accidents on Finnish motorways. The accident data used was collected by the road accident investigation teams during years 2002-2007. At first stage there is presented an extensive summary of all fatal accidents during years 2002-2006 in which risk behaviour of the motor vehicle driver (illegal presence of alcohol or drugs, failure to use seatbelts or other restraint system, valid right to drive, speeding at least 20 km/h and deaths due to suicide or sickness, e.g. heart attack) was separated. At second stage only the accidents without risk behaviour were included in data. Accidents during the year 2007 were added into the data in order to increase the low number of cases. The aim was to identify the main risks of death within the traffic system to which the motor vehicle occupants are exposed. Finally the effective measures to decrease the number of fatalities were evaluated. During years 2002-2006 65 fatalities occurred on motorways. Seven of them were pedestrians and 58 were occupants of the motor vehicle). The common accident type was single vehicle accidents which led to 37 fatalities (64 % of fatalities in motor vehicles). Other significant accident types were pedestrian accidents (12%) and head-on collisions (10 %). Notable is that four of six fatalities in head-on collisions were caused by driving in wrong direction. On second stage of the study the risk-taking was excluded and only the accidents which took place in normal use of traffic system were analysed. The number of fatalities without risk-taking was 26 (3-4 per year). 11 of them (2%) died in single vehicle accidents, six in head-on collisions, three in rear-end collisions, two in overtaking accidents, two in collisions with an elk and four in type 'other' accidents. Typically there was one fatality per an accident, two fatalities occurred in three accidents. Despite the low number of accidents at least two significant risks within the traffic system was recognised. In Finland N2-class W-beam weak-post guardrails are mainly used on motorways. Wrong or insufficient performance of this kind of safety barriers was crucial in at least eight deaths, which is third of the cases. The most common risk factor related to the performance of the safety barriers was the ramped end, from which an errant vehicle climbed onto the top of the barrier or bounced into the air and beyond the barrier. Ramped ends caused half of the fatalities due to safety barrier. In two heavy vehicles and one motorcycle crash the performance of the W-beam guardrail was insufficient and incompatible with the type of crashed vehicle. In one case the poor crashworthiness of an old untested W-beam barrier contributed to the death of an occupant. Driving in wrong direction caused five fatalities. This indicates that these kinds of accidents are significant accident type on motorways. Conclusion is that safety of the roadside areas must be improved with more efficient and specified measures, e.g. by improving old guardrails and installing new safer guardrails and guardrail terminals. All vehicles should be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) to decrease the number of run-off-the-road accidents on slippery surface. Traffic guidance at intersections should be inspected and improved to prevent the driving onto the carriageway with oncoming traffic. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/VIOLA_MO.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:27:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/907201</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Feasibility of median barries for existing roads</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/897625</link>
      <description><![CDATA[More than half of the fatalities on two-lane mains roads are caused by head-on collisions. They can be effectively reduced by using median barriers. In association with building up barriers, several costly measures have been implemented (e.g. widening roads). To promote median barriers, we analysed the cheapest possible measures that could be implemented stepwise especially on roads that now have a pavement width of at least 9.5 metres. Median barrier implementation possibilities and their costs and effects were analysed in three different types of cases. Based on the analyses, one could build up median barrier by as cheap as 70 000 EUR/barrier km. Thus far there have been no implementation of a median barrier-only measure in Finland. The costs of projects that have also included median barriers have been 600 000-1 300 000 EUR/km in Finland and 160 000-260 000 EUR/km in Sweden. More than half of the fatalities of a wide main road can be prevented by median barriers. The total costs during the lifespan of a median barrier built on appropriate locations on existing wide roads are evaluated as about 300 000 EUR/saved injury accident and 600 000 EUR/saved fatality. In practice this means that by building up median barriers cost-effectively for existing roads, one could prevent more than twice the amount of injury accidents and more than six times the number of fatalities compared to the effectiveness achieved by the development strategy for main roads. The cost-effectiveness of median barriers is best on road sections that a) are wide enough, b) have no level crossings, c) are not used by farm machines and d) have no pedestrian or bicycle traffic or appropriate arrangements for them have already been implemented. To gain more experience, 1+1+ median barrier-arrangements should be implemented quickly. At the same time one should focus on building up more median barriers, to exploit their good safety effects. This would enable the achievement of the targets of main road network objectives and emphasize the importance of traffic safety. In relation to the stepwise implementation on median barrier roads, one should reconsider the classification of e.g. the width classification of the oversize transport network. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/KESKIVAIHE.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:40:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/897625</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Crash violence within the traffic system. Fatal accidents in built-up areas: overview of fatal accidents and in depth analysis of fatal pedestrian and bicycle accidents</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/886434</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study deals with fatal traffic accidents in built-up areas in the years 2000-2005. The first stage of the study concerns  all traffic fatalities in built-up areas and the classifying factors of them. At the same time, it was examined how the normal situations of using the traffic system differ from a definite conscious risk-taking. Based on the material from built-up areas.In average 88 persons have been killed annually. Motor vehicle occupants' deaths encompass 46%, pedestrians' deaths 31%, cyclists' deaths 21% and moped riders' deaths 2% of all fatalities. The most common accident types of the fatal motor vehicle accidents have been single accidents (61%) as well as intersection accidents (18%). 86 % of the fatal motor vehicle accidents involved conscious risk-taking. In single accidents, an acute illness attack was a risk factor in 30% of the cases, which is a remarkably high percentage. The second stage of the study was focused on pedestrians' and cyclists' fatal accidents.  When the motor vehicle drivers' conscious risk behaviour as well as the individual smaller groups such as the moped riders' accidents were excluded, the research material consisted of 90 pedestrians' and 76 cyclists' fatalities, in which the other party involved was a motor vehicle. Two thirds of the pedestrian accidents happened in intersections. Zebra crossing - mostly without traffic lights- was the accident place of 63% of pedestrian' fatalities. 51% of the pedestrian accidents took place in daylight, 18% in twilight and 31% in darkness. 70% of the pedestrians were older than 60 years of age and 30 % where older than 80 years. About  half of the young and middle-aged pedestrians were strongly under the influence of alcohol. Persons who were older than 85 years had commonly slightly abnormal function ability,  including impairment of senses, slowness of movement, a number of different diseases and the general insufficiency of abilities. The number of elderly people's lethal injuries can not only be explained by a collision in a high speed and an impact onto car structures, but also by   hitting the head onto the street. Bicycle accidents at intersections represent two thirds of bicyclists' fatalities. 59 % of all cyclists' traffic fatalities occurred on the zebra crossings, or on the bicycle paths extensions. 26 % of fatalities occurred in the middle of an intersection area. The passenger car drivers had generally had good circumstances and visibility, however, they had noticed a cyclist's intentions so late that they had not had time enough to halt the vehicle and avoid the collision. In many cases, the truck driver who was driving into the same direction as the cyclist did not see the cyclist when turning to the right. 64 % of the dead cyclists were older than 60 years of age and 13 % were older than 80 years of age. Skull injuries were the most significant causes of deaths in falling down or in the impacts onto a vehicle and also in ending under a heavy vehicle in which cases also the multi-traumas were highlighted. Wearing a cycling helmet was neglected in nearly all cases. This report may be foun at http://www.lintu.info/KOLKUTA.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:50:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/886434</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effect of intensified automatic speed control and decreased tolerance on traffic safety</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/864312</link>
      <description><![CDATA[There is an automatic speed control area on main road 51 between Kirkkonummi and Karjaa. In September 2007, intensified automatic speed control was tested on the same road section. In intensified control, controlled hours were strongly increased, all speeding incidents were reacted to and the public was extensively informed about the control. The current survey examined the effect of intensified control on traffic behaviour, on the number of violations to process and on the workload of the police. As a result of the intensified control and the lowered penal threshold, the average speed of the traffic decreased 3-4 km/h at various measurement points. Later, speeds slightly increased; the long-term effect is thus estimated to be 2-3 km/h. During the survey, the share of both major (more than 20 km/h) and minor speeding dropped to half, and at some measuring points to a third. The traffic speed distribution became narrower, and the distance between vehicles grew slightly. The share of drivers driving fairly slowly or very slowly (more than 10 km/h below the speeding limit) increased a little, but the numbers were still so low that they should have no significant effect on the general fluency of the traffic. During the intensified control experiment, the cameras picked up 3.4% of the traffic volume as speeding, compared to approximately 10% at other times. 0.4% of the traffic volume drove at a significant (more than 10km/h) overspeed, the normal share being approximately 3%. Based on the observed change in average speeds it was estimated that in addition to the effect of previous automatic speed control, intensified automatic control decreases the number of accidents leading to personal injury by approximately 7%, and the number of lethal accidents by 13%. The intensified control of a 43 km road section required the work of 4-6 people. If it were assumed that the results of the survey could be applied as such to the entire road network currently under automatic control, the intensified automatic control would save tax payers approximately 13 million euros, including savings from fewer accidents. This calculation does not include the annual income of more than 40 million euros from fines resulting from intensified control since, in a socioeconomic sense, fines are not considered a saving but an income transfer. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/PUUTTUMISKYNNYS.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:51:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/864312</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Main roads as village thoroughfare. Road safety on main roads in non-built-up areas</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/864311</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The study concerned the mobility modes and habits of residents of non-built-up areas as well as their views on road safety and its significance. In addition, the study assessed the development of transport modelling tools for non-built-up areas. The stretch of main road 4 from Haaransilta to Temmes in the Oulu region, where conflicts arise between long-distance and local traffic, was selected as the target site. The mobility of residents was surveyed through a questionnaire and journal during one dark but snow  free week of November. The response rate was low. The most responses were obtained from the mostly agrarian southern part of the area, the fewest from the more recently settled northern part. Travel in the south is distributed more evenly throughout the day while commuting is more common in the north. The most common mode of transport is the passenger car. Public transport only plays a minor role. Obvious peak hours could be distinguished in the newly settled area of the village school. Most of the traffic peaks on the main road as well specifically involved local traffic. The respondents considered main road 4 too narrow relative to traffic volume. Left turns in particular were considered dangerous. The noise and vibration from heavy goods vehicle traffic and farm vehicles was brought up in the survey. Individual dangerous situations mentioned included overtaking, walking to bus stops on the side of the road, and darkness. Transport models failed to provide much information about mobility in the target area. Traffic in the area includes a large number of slowly moving vehicles and vehicles decelerating for turns, which increase the variation in speeds and contribute to problem situations. The model was unable to uncover these, however. The group interviews with schoolchildren used to study road safety among children and young people proved a successful research method. Perceived risks included crossing the main road on the way to and from school and car traffic in the school area. The schoolchildren considered the main road intersections to be dangerous. According to the teachers, noise also interferes with teaching. The construction of a pedestrian and bicycle lane and an underpass had improved safety. The schoolchildren had a very positive attitude to moped riding, and even children in the lower years had personal experi-ence of motor vehicles. Farmers needed to cross the main road often due to the location of their lands. Issues causing problems included joining the flow of traffic on the main road, the great differences in vehicle speeds and the driving behaviour of others. Road safety should primarily be improved by impact-ing on driving behaviour and by widening the road. Land arrangements to reduce travel demand were supported in principle but were considered unsuitable for one personally. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/HAJATURVA.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:51:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/864311</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Cost-effective median barrier arrangements</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/864310</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The cost effectiveness of median barrier solutions is comprised of an as-large-as-possible reduction in especially fatal accidents achieved with a median barrier project on the one hand, and an as-low-as-possible cost of the project on the other hand. The risk of meeting accidents is increased by a large traffic volume, the share of heavy vehicle traffic and a high speed limit. The frequency of meeting accidents is highest on busy highways outside areas of dense roadside settlement. Median barriers significantly decrease the number of serious accidents. Meeting accidents are almost completely eliminated. To some degree, median barriers also lower the number of overtaking accidents and swerving off the road to the left. The costs of median barrier projects implemented in Finland are quite high, at 600,000 - 1,300,000 euros / km. Widening a main highway, improving its structure and installing a median barrier costs 200,000 - 500,000 euros / km. Most of the costs come from junction arrangements, parallel roads and pedestrian and bicycle path arrangements, which often account for over half of the cost of the project. If a road needs to be widened because of the median barrier, the threshold cost of even minor widening in good conditions is relatively high, at 300,000 - 500,000 euros / km. On this basis, sites where a median barrier can be installed without widening the road are clearly the best from the standpoint of cost. Such sites include most existing roads with an overtaking lane but no median barrier. Form the standpoint of cost efficiency, median barrier projects should be centred on busy main highways with a high frequency of meeting accidents. In order to build as many median barriers as possible with scanty funding, it is worth first concentrating on the easiest and least expensive sections of road. Sections with dense roadside settlement requiring a large number of parallel road and junction arrangements and massive grade-separated intersections should be left for a later time, and if necessary, lower speed limits should be used. Median barrier projects can be lightened by making compromises in the cross-sectional measurements of current design guidelines. The number of underpasses can be reduced by using same-grade crossings with centre islands at bus stops and land use arrangements in conjunction with road projects. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/KOTO.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:51:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/864310</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Drivers' social skills in traffic. What are they, how they develop and how these skills are connected to traffic safety</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/840894</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The guiding problems in the research were  what are drivers' social skills like among experienced and among inexperienced drivers and  how the skills are connected to traffic safety? The study methods were a literary survey, a risk factor analysis of fatal motor vehicle accidents studied by accident investigation teams, an interview (n=12) and a questionnaire study (n=1128). Four driver groups differing in driving experience were chosen: average drivers, professional heavy goods vehicle drivers, driving instructors and driving school second phase pupils. Socially skilful behaviour consists according the definition based on the literary survey and the empirical data  the prosocial skills, the predictability skills, and  the emotional skills. Each of these three skills are formed from two lower level skills. The prosocial skills are formed from adapting to the norms and taking others into consideration. Predictability is formed from skills to anticipate others' behaviour and make own behaviour predictable to others. The emotional skills are formed from the skill to express own emotions and the skills to self-regulate the negative effects of one's own emotions. Previous studies concerning social skills in traffic concentrate mainly on communication skills, disobeying traffic rules and aggression and the effects of two last mentioned on the traffic safety. Many immediate risk factors in the fatal accidents were other than drivers' social skills, but the social skills work often as background factors, e. g. as disobeying the traffic rules. The results show that different driver groups have variable social skills which were not explained only by their various driving experience. The study produced new significant information concerning social phenomena in traffic, that can be utilised in planning driver training and driving test. The study also shows the essential meaning of the social skills in the frame of whole traffic system. Better understanding of the social skills also helps in developing police surveillance and in planning safer traffic environments.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:01:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/840894</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Seriousness of injuries in road traffic accidents</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/840893</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Finnish statistics on road traffic accident are among the very few sets of European statistics on road traffic accidents in which injuries are not classified by their severity. This study examined whether injuries sustained in road traffic could be classified into serious and minor injuries by ex-ploiting the data in the care notification register of hospitals (HILMO). The National Research Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) granted Statistics Finland a one-off licence to use this register for the purposes of this study. The study was conducted by linking the data in HILMO with Statistics Finland's data on road traffic accidents with the help of personal ID numbers, dates of accidents and starting dates of hospital care. A care notification was linked with the data on an accident if the personal ID of a hospital patient matched the personal ID of a person having been involved in a road traffic accident and the care of the patient had started within six days of the accident. The data could be linked and the injuries classified because personal IDs are comprehensively recorded in both the data on road traffic accidents and in HILMO. Technically, injuries could also be classified in routine statistics production. Final annual data become available from HILMO in September of the year following a statistical reference year. If use of the data on care notifications were introduced into statistics production, completion of the final annual data on road traffic accidents would become delayed to a later date than at the moment. According to this study, 3,114 persons were injured seriously and 6,338 persons slightly in Finnish road traffic accidents in 2005. In addition to the described data, the file contained data on 4,546 injuries that had been sustained in traffic but not reported to the police. Because of the large number of such traffic injuries having needed hospital care the study also investigated whether these cases, too, could somehow be included in statistics on road traffic accidents. This study also elaborated on the data collection rights of Statistics Finland and whether by virtue of the Statistics Act the data on care notifications could be utilised in defining how long injuries last. The study concluded that the currently valid legislation does not allow the use of data on the duration of hospital care in routine statistics production.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:01:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/840893</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Traffic offences by heavy goods vehicle drivers and validity of traffic licences</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/840892</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The aim of this study was to investigate if data about fatal accidents in heavy goods traffic and about violations of driving and rest periods is linked to the data in the traffic licence system. Such a link is considered to be a contributing factor to the safety policy of the transport industry. As source material for the study were 1) accident investigators' reports of fatal accidents in heavy goods traffic in 2000-2004 and 2) supervisory data of driving and rest periods collected by occupational health and safety authorities. The data includes information obtained both on the road and in relation to the supervision of transport operators. The study showed that no data about fatal accidents of heavy goods vehicles had been entered in the traffic licence register, not even if the accident involved risk-taking and the reasons behind the risk-taking were occupational and should have been considered when renewing the traffic licences. Furthermore, very few of the offences against driving and rest periods were found in the licence register. Only 5 % of the cases when a fine was imposed on the road, and none of the offences that were detected in business supervision and referred to the police, had been entered in the licence register. The law enables to direct the safety policy of the transport industry by means of the traffic licence system, but the results of the study show that the possibility has not been used. Even serious risk-taking in traffic has no consequences to the businesses involved. In order to improve the situation, more developed information systems and better co-operation and communications between the authorities are needed. Furthermore, legislation on traffic licences and the authorities' directions should be reformed. In improving the flow of information particular attention should be paid to entering detailed data about crimes in the police data system using not only drivers' identity codes, but also the business identity codes of the drivers' employers. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/lintu_VALLULINKKI.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:01:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/840892</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Speed management. Present state and possibilities</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/840882</link>
      <description><![CDATA[High travel speeds are generally considered a benefit, but small speed changes on the road network do not significantly affect the time used for transportation. Usually, the punctuality of the transport, the effectiveness of the terminals and the functioning of the border stations are more important. The effects of speed on safety are well known. According to the Swedish so-called power model, the change in fatal and severe injury accidents is proportional to the third power of speed change and the change in fatal accidents is proportional to the fourth power of speed change. In the next years, the most essential main roads will be selected to form a trunk road network. The purpose of this network is to help achieve a high and consistent level of quality as well as a rather high and steady speed level. In a survey made by Liikenneturva in 2006, almost half of the respondents said they were afraid of speeding motorists, when given alternative choices concerning their fears in traffic. In the report the speed management methods were classified as follows: information and education, road construction engineering, variable traffic signs, speed enforcement and penalties and measures related to vehicle engineering. All of the most important speed management measures were described from the following points of view: legislation, frequency, expected developments, effects and suitability for different traffic environments. Based on present state analysis and a brainstorming session, a plan for the long-span research and development work was formulated, which can be used to create a cost-effective safety improving speed management strategy for Finland. Nine integrated R&D proposals were suggested containing a workload of about 180 man-months. As for the traffic safety vision and the creation of a speed management strategy, projects related to definition of appropriate speed levels for a wide range of conditions, reducing high risks on main roads and further development of speed enforcement were considered the most urgent proposals. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/lintu_NOPHA.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:59:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/840882</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Citizens, decision-makers, traffic safety and decision-making</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/795154</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The study focused on the opinions of the Members of Parliament (MP) concerning traffic safety issues and their conception of the views of ordinary citizens on the same issues. The study was based on a questionnaire, and the MPs' answers were compared to the answers from an earlier, identical citizens' questionnaire. Five MPs and two representatives of interest groups were also interviewed. An analysis was made of the discussion in the Parliament on traffic safety issues, as well as the legislation and the decision-making process between the years 2001-05. The questionnaire was answered by 40 (20%) MPs. Their opinions were traffic safety oriented and mirrored the opinions of the citizens. The MPs were somewhat stricter on some issues compared to the citizens. The interviewed MPs found the goals of the Road Safety Programme for 2001-2005 to be basically sound, although unrealistic. Traffic safety was considered as one value among other competing values (economic considerations, level of service. The analysis of the traffic safety legislation showed that many of the safety measures put forward in the Road Safety Programme has been carried out. The analysis of the decision-making process, and the interviews, showed that hearing of experts and the work conducted in the Transport and Communications Committee is central for the process. The study concluded that the situation is positive as far as improving traffic safety is concerned.Both the MPs and the citizens' proposals for safety measures were targAeted on the drivers as individuals. Measures targeted at the traffic system should be used more in the future so that the whole spectrum of measures is utilized. The importance of traffic safety research should be further developed as a part of the decision-making process. Selection of experts and their hearing plays a central role in the legislation process and the work in the Committee. The information given by these experts, and the opinions they express are important ways to influence the contents of Government bills. Developing the communication and co-operation between the decision-making parties (researchers, experts, interest groups, the Transport and Communications Committee, and MPs) makes it easier to promote traffic safety measures in the future. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/lintu_PAAT.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 Dec 2006 10:13:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/795154</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Testing the fitness-to-drive of sleepy drivers. Pilot studies in field and laboratory settings</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/795148</link>
      <description><![CDATA[According to different estimates, approximately 15-30% of fatal car accidents in Finland are caused by sleepiness. The Police, however, have no means to assess the fitness-to-drive of a driver that seems sleepy. Measuring the cognitive performance of a driver with a short test could be a suitable option for police traffic supervision. Earlier studies have shown that simple reaction test is reasonably sensitive to sleepiness. This study had two parts. The laboratory study involved subjects staying awake through a whole night. Four different tests were administered repeatedly: simple reaction, reaction-inhibition, Mackworth Clock and Trail Making. The objective was to determine, whether one of the other tests could reveal sleepiness faster and more precisely than simple reaction test. The on-road pilots were designed to explore drivers' attitude towards a 5-10 minute simple reaction test, the fluency of research cooperation with the police and the on road usability of the test. In the laboratory study, the simple reaction test seemed to be the most reliable indicator of sleepiness. Mackworth Clock and the reaction-inhibition test revealed sleepiness reasonably well. Trail Making, however, was not sensitive to sleepiness among the rather young population of the experiment. The on-road pilots yielded very few actual results. However, the preceding night's sleep seemed to be related to the number of missed stimuli. The cooperation with the police went along with ease and the results encourage further research. However, in a larger on-road data collection, the locations and times of testing should be completely dictated by the objectives of the study. This report may be found at http://www.lintu.info/VASY.pdf]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 Dec 2006 10:12:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/795148</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>