Responsibility assignment at the workplace: a Finnish and Ghanaian perspective

The study sought to explore management's responsibility in accident causation as perceived by Ghanaian and Finnish industrial workers. It was anticipated that the Ghanaian industrial workers would externalize accident causality more than their Finnish counterparts, and would assign only marginal responsibility to the management for industrial accidents. The predicted difference was based on the premise that the difference in these two cultures on the power-distance cultural dimensions would have an impact on their responsibility assignments. The results confirmed our expectation.     

卡车驾驶员视觉选择性注意研究

采用注意力测验量表,对２８０名男性卡车驾驶员的视觉选择性注意进行了测量。研究发现：事故组与安全组卡车驾驶员的完成时间、漏划数和平均每秒正确删数有很显著差异,错划数有显著差异;事故多发组与安全组卡车驾驶员的完成时间和平均每秒删数有很显著差异,错划数有显著差异;年龄对卡车驾驶员的视觉选择性注意有显著影响,随着年龄的增加,卡车驾驶员完成视觉选择性注意作业的时间增长,漏划数和错划数增多,平均每秒正确删数减少,而４０－５０岁则是卡车驾驶员视觉选择性注意速度和准确性下降的转折点。     

Evaluating small‐scale simulation for training firearm safety skills

There is limited research using small‐scale simulation in applied behavior analysis. We used small‐scale simulation to train firearm safety skills to 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children and assessed whether the skills generalized to the natural environment through in situ assessment. Three participants completed the training, and all participants learned the safety skills from simulation training. Two of the participants acquired the safety skills after the first simulation training, and the third participant required one booster training before demonstrating the safety skills in the natural environment.     

Safety at first sight? – Manual drivers’ experience and driving behavior at first contact with Level 3 vehicles in mixed traffic on the highway

Soon, manual drivers will interact with conditionally automated vehicles (CAVs; SAE Level 3) in a mixed traffic on highways. As of yet, it is largely unclear how manual drivers will perceive and react to this new type of vehicle. In a driving simulator study with N = 51 participants aged 20 to 71 years (22 female), we examined the experience and driving behavior of manual drivers at first contact with Level 3 vehicles in four realistic driving scenarios (highway entry, overtaking, merging, introduction of a speed limit) that Level 3 vehicles may handle alone once their operational domain extends beyond driving in congested traffic. We also investigated the effect of an external marking via a visual external human–machine interface (eHMI), with participants being randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups (none, correct, incorrect marking). Participants experienced each driving scenario four times, twice with a human-driven vehicle (HDV), and twice with a CAV. After each interaction, participants rated perceived driving mode of the target vehicle as well as perceived safety and comfort. Minimum time headways between participants and target vehicles served as an indicator of safety criticality in the interactions. Results showed manual driver can distinguish CAVs from HDVs based on behavioral differences. In all driving scenarios, participants rated interactions with CAVs at least as safe as interactions with HDVs. The driving data analysis showed that manual driver interactions with CAVs were largely uncritical. However, the CAVs’ strict rule-compliance led to short time headways of following manual drivers in some cases. The eHMI used in this study neither affected the subjective ratings of the manual drivers nor their driving behavior in mixed traffic. Thus, the results do not support the use of eHMIs on the highway, at least not for the eHMI design used in this study.     

Understanding the immediate aftereffects of road traffic crashes in Argentina: The role of injury

The current paper reports a field study of 132 Argentinian individuals who experienced a road traffic crash (RTC), focusing on the role of physical injury in the early aftermath of the crash. Three groups of participants were studied: 1) individuals who were <1 month post-RTC who were not injured (<1 mo, Not Injured, n = 89), 2) individuals who were <1 month post-RTC who were injured (<1 mo, Injured, n = 15), and 3) individuals who were 1–3 months post-RTC who were injured (1–3 mo, Injured, n = 28). Examination of PTSD symptoms indicated that with several exceptions, most PTSD symptoms were endorsed at higher levels by the two injured groups, relative to the not injured group. Consideration of post-RTC cognitive and interpersonal factors indicated that the two injured groups reported lower self-efficacy and higher levels of rumination, relative to the Not Injured group. Additionally, the 1–3 mo Injured group reported being more socially isolated, relative to the two other groups. Results are discussed in light of related literature, with elaboration of potential public health interventions designed to target injured survivors of RTCs.     

Behavioral shifts after a fatal rapid transit accident: A multinomial logit model

The Washington, DC Metrorail collision in 2009 presents a rare opportunity to study rapid transit passengers’ responses to a highly publicized rail incident entailing injuries and fatalities. To investigate behavioral responses to the accident, particularly mode shifts, we conducted a web-based survey of approximately 300 commuters traveling on Metrorail after the accident who had used Metrorail in the 6 months prior to the collision. The most common response to the accident was avoidance of the first and last train cars. Some respondents substituted some Metrorail trips with other modes or took fewer Metrorail trips. To investigate factors influencing these behavioral responses, we employ multinomial logit models to explore the statistical association between respondent and travel characteristics and the choice among the options of (1) making no changes, (2) avoiding certain seating locations, (3) changing modes of transportation, and (4) changing both seating locations and modes of transportation. Results suggest that travel inertia, specifically mode inertia, exists, in that respondents generally prefer not to make mode or travel choice changes. However, some mode characteristics, such as cost differences and frequent delays have a statistically significant association with mode switching. Gender and the presence of children in the household correlate with the option selected.     

Kinesthetic Aftereffects and Individual Differences in Carryover effects

There is disagreement among researchers about the distinction between dynamic and static spatial performance. Given that dynamic spatial performance is supposed to be important for some occupations, such as air traffic control (ATC), it is germane to have evidence about the likelihood of that distinction. In the present study, a battery of printed static spatial and reasoning tests were applied to 480 applicants for an ATC training course. Two dynamic spatial tests were also applied. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed for testing three models. In Model A, static and dynamic spatial tests were grouped, whereas in Model B, spatial tests were separated according to their static or dynamic character, and in Model C, spatial tests were segregated according to the construct they tapped (visualization or spatial relations). The authors found that Model B, which distinguished static and dynamic spatial tests, showed the best fit. They also discuss some implications of the findings.     

Hand Grip and Load Force Coordination of the Ipsilesional Hand of Chronic Stroke Individuals

Object manipulation depends on a refined control of grip force (GF) and load force (LF). After a brain injury, the GF control is altered in the paretic hand but what happens with the non-paretic hand is still unclear. In this study, we compared the GF control and GF–LF coordination of the non-paretic hand of 10 stroke individuals who suffered right brain damage (RBD) and 10 who suffered left brain damage (LBD), with 20 healthy individuals during lifting and oscillation task, using an instrumented object. GF was recorded with a force transducer, and LF was estimated from the object weight and acceleration. Overall, the ipsilesional hand of stroke individuals, independent of the lesion side, presented similar GF control and GF–LF coordination. However, LBD individuals took longer to start lifting the object, which may be due to the need of more time to obtain somatosensory information from the contact with the object. The findings indicate that stroke individuals preserve their ability to control and coordinate GF and LF when using their ipsilesional hand for object manipulation and the left hemisphere may play an essential role in the processing of somatosensory information needed for the GF control.     

Complex and underreported? A study into the prevalence of suicide by motor vehicle in the state of Queensland

While suicide is recognised as one of the leading causes of death in Australia, it is often presumed that fatal road crashes are primarily accidental in nature. However, international research has indicated that deliberate attempts at self-harm while driving may account for between 1.1% and 7.4% of road crashes. Despite the personal and financial costs associated with such events, few studies have examined the extent of motor vehicle suicides (MVS) or the circumstances surrounding such incidents in Australia. Given this, the current study reviewed coronial, police and toxicology findings of 762 motor vehicle fatalities in Queensland (Australia) during the period 2011 to 2015 to determine the frequency of confirmed cases and explore the prevalence (and characteristics) of possible MVS that remain undetected. In total, 22 confirmed cases were identified, and such events shared significant similarities with 14 possible events, including evidence of recent emotional upset, adversity and mental health diagnoses. In contrast, differences between the groups were limited to confirmed cases being more likely to involve males and contain a suicide note or evidence of past suicidality, while possible cases were more likely to involve a multiple vehicle impact with a truck. Importantly, crucial information regarding the deceased’s psychological state and life circumstances (e.g., psychological autopsy) was not reported in many cases. Corresponding qualitative analysis of the coroners final determination (between the two groups) revealed the occurrence of the word suicide to occur seven times (31.8%) among confirmed cases and five times (35.7%) for possible casers. Furthermore, the coroners final determination of intent to suicide was open or undetermined in six of the possible cases (43%), which further suggests a reluctance (or procedural uncertainty) to categorically identify MVS. The paper further reviews the main findings, illuminates core challenges associated with identifying MVS and proposes a need for future investigations to incorporate a more standardised and evidence-based approach in order to effectively identify such events.     

Factors influencing drivers’ reading and comprehension of on-board traffic messages

IntroductionWhen variable message signs (VMS) or on-board traffic information systems are used, it is essential that while driving, motorists read and understand the information as soon as possible in order to make appropriate decisions to increase road safety and/or facilitate traffic flow. Thus, it is important to investigate the factors that may increase fast reading and comprehension of on-board traffic information.ObjectivesWe examined the influence of the type of message (warnings vs. recommendations), location of the pictogram (top or bottom of the text), type of display device (IPhone, Blackberry, or Tablet) and its position (horizontal or vertical) on drivers’ fast reading and comprehension of on-board messages provided via in-vehicle system. Moreover, we were interested in drivers’ acceptability of in-vehicle system.MethodForty-nine drivers (M_Men = 32, 19–65 years) participated to a reading and comprehension task while travelling on a desktop driving simulator. Participants were exposed to two series of 11 traffic messages displayed on one of the three devices. Reading and comprehension times were measured (= milliseconds) for each message. At the end, they had to fill in a questionnaire on their beliefs about on-board traffic messages and in-vehicle system.ResultsDrivers expressed a positive attitude toward on-board traffic messages and in-vehicle system. Reading and comprehension times were of approximately 4 seconds and were longer for warnings as compared to recommendations. The pictogram placed at the top of the text, the tablet and the vertical display device facilitated fast reading and comprehension.