Factors Influencing Crash Frequency on Colombian Rural Roads

Traffic crashes in Colombia have become a public health problem causing about 7,000 deaths and 45,000 severe injuries per year. Around 40% of these events occur on rural roads, taking note that the vulnerable users (pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists) account for the largest percentage of the victims. The objective of this research is to identify the factors that influence the frequency of crashes, including the singular orography of the country. For this purpose, we estimated Negative Binomial (Poisson-gamma) regression, Zero-inflated model, and generalized the linear mixed model, thus developing a comparative analysis of results in the Colombian context. The data used in the study came from the official sources regarding records about crashes with consequences; that is, with the occurrence of fatalities or injuries on the Colombian roads. For collecting the highway characteristics, an in-field inventory was conducted, gathering information about both infrastructure and operational parameters in more than three thousand kilometres of the national network. The events were geo-referenced, with registries of vehicles, involved victims, and their condition. The results suggest that highways in flat terrain have higher crash frequency than highways in rolling or mountainous terrain. Besides, the presence of pedestrians, the existence of a median and the density of intersections per kilometre also increase the probability of crashes. Meanwhile, roads with shoulders and wide lanes have lower crash frequency. Specific interventions in the infrastructure and control for reducing crashes risk attending the modelling results have been suggested.</p

A BWS application to identify factors affecting user preferences for parking choices at university campuses

Parking around university campuses has become a major issue in recent decades because of nearby congestion impacts. Objective: To determine the factors influencing parking lot selection, which is crucial to propose adequate parking demand management strategies. Materials and Methods: We evaluate different attributes using a best-worst scaling survey applied at Universidad de la Costa (CUC), Colombia. Using discrete choice modeling techniques, we identified the extent to which selected infrastructure attributes influence parking behavior. Results: Security and cover (roof) availability are the most relevant attributes of parking choice in the case study. Conclusions: Based on our results, we strongly recommend implementing a dynamic pricing rate, roof pricing, removing “reserved spots” and investing in security

Distracted driving in relation to risky road behaviors and traffic crashes in Bogota, Colombia

The growing evidence on road distraction during the recent years has shown how road distractions might be playing a relevant role on traffic crash causation. However, the empirical insights about how it works in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are really limited so far. The case of Colombian non-professional drivers remains virtually unexplored on this regard. This research aims to assess the effect of road distractions, driving-related issues and road behaviors on the self-reported crashes suffered by drivers in Bogotá, Colombia. To do so, a sample of 659 drivers (64% males and 36% females) with a mean age of 37.9 years (SD = 11.7) was gathered, who answered an online survey on road distractions, behaviors and self-reported crash history. Most of the distracting sources reported were found to be rather common among most of the drivers, even though only a few gender differences were found. Structural Equation Models show that there is a significant effect of road distractions on drivers' self-reported crash rates and that young adults are more prone to incur in these behaviors as a consequence thereof. These findings support the design of safety interventions that focus on mitigating the risk of being distracted. In the same vein, authorities should increase the efforts to enforce ICT-related laws while driving, thus contributing to reduce the prevalence and impact of distracting sources while driving

A matter of style? Testing the moderating effect of driving styles on the relationship between job strain and work-related crashes of professional drivers

Different empirical studies suggest that both job strain and driving styles are significant contributors to the work-related traffic crashes suffered by professional drivers. Nevertheless, the current evidence falls considerably short when explaining why driving styles may modify (or not) the relationship between occupational stressors and professional drivers' safety outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine whether driving styles moderate the effect of job strain on professional drivers' Work Traffic Crashes (WTCs). This research was performed using the data collected from a sample of 753 professional drivers, responding to a self-report questionnaire on job strain (work stress indicator of the Job Demand-Control model), driving styles and work-traffic safety outcomes suffered in the past two years. Regression-based moderation analyses suggest that the job strain of professional drivers is positively associated with the occupational traffic crashes they suffer, and that such association is stronger in drivers with ''reckless & careless', ''anxious', and ''angry & hostile' driving styles. Meanwhile, the ''patient & careful' (positive) driving style was not associated with a lower risk of suffering a WTC, nor with a lower vulnerability to stress-related WTCs. The results of this study support the hypothesis that driving styles exert a statistical moderation between the job strain and the occupational traffic crashes suffered by professional drivers. These findings may support the design of evidence-based interventions in both the organizational and individual levels, focused stress-related factors and driving styles as predictors of work traffic crashes

Bicycle Choice Modeling: A Study Of University Trips In A Small Colombian City

Bicycles and public transportation are modes of sustainable transport that reduce both the increasing levels of pollution and traffic congestion and the worrying statistics concerning obesity and physical inactivity. This article shows results of the application of a stated preferences survey in the city of Ocaña, Colombia, to identify factors that influence the modal choice, introducing the bicycle as an alternative for the trips to and from the University Francisco de Paula Santander Ocaña, using discrete choice models. These results show that the infrastructure availability is a key variable for modal shift and that giving incentives such as meals do not influence modal choice. These results were shared with the local authorities as an argument towards cycle lanes investment and public transportation grants for students

Urban quality of life assessment in the main cities of Colombia

La evaluación de la calidad de vida urbana se desarrolla a través de indicadores denominados índices de calidad de vida urbana (ICVU), que permiten expresarla en escala numérica siendo de gran importancia para investigadores, planificadores y encargados de la gestión pública en la toma de decisiones. En Colombia no se ha realizado trabajos previos que comparen integralmente según su Calidad de Vida Urbana (CVU) las diferentes ciudades, es por ello que en el presente artículo se realiza una evaluación de esta en las seis principales ciudades colombianas, diseñando y evaluando un ICVU que integra cuatro dimensiones (Social, Económica, Ambiental, Servicios y Gestión), se toma en cuenta para ello diez indicadores y cuarenta y nueve sub-indicadores. El estudio comprende datos de los años 2011, 2012 y 2013

Personality traits, risky riding behaviors and crash-related outcomes: findings from 5,778 cyclists in 17 countries

The last few years have brought about a series of substantial changes for mobility on two wheels, especially if the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is considered as a relevant fact for transportation dynamics [1,2]. Social distancing recommendations have promoted the use of individual transportation systems instead of massive transportations means. Consequently, riding a bike for urban trips has become increasingly prevalent in many countries [3-5]. Besides an opportunity to make urban mobility more active and sustainable, this panorama poses the challenge to prevent that, along with its growing use, bicycle crashes ---and their consequences-might continue to increase. In this regard, recent studies have emphasized the role of individual differences and personality-related factors as potential issues influencing both cycling behaviors and traffic crashes suffered while riding [6,7]

Pollution-Aware Walking in 16 Countries:An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)

Background: The current levels of air pollution in European countries reduces life expectancy by an average of 8 months. People who actively travel by walking have a higher level of exposure to air pollution than those who use motor vehicles or electric buses. Some routes have higher air pollution levels than others, but little is known about pollution-aware route choice and intentions to actively avoid walking near polluted roads. An improved understanding of how air pollution influences intentions to walk or avoid polluted routes can inform interventions to decrease exposure. The present investigation has three aims: (1) compare experiences walking near roads with high levels of air pollution across countries; (2) identify groups of countries based on perceptions of air quality; and (3) examine how pedestrians develop their intentions of avoiding pollution using the extended TPB (demographics, social norms, attitudes, perceived control, and perceived risk).Methods: A cross-sectional design was applied. Pedestrians were asked about their experiences walking near roads with high levels of air pollution. To identify groups of countries with different levels of air pollution, a cluster analysis was implemented based on the perceptions of air quality. Finally, regressions were used to predict pedestrians’ intentions to avoid polluted roads per country group using the extended TPB.Results: 6180 respondents (Age M(SD)= 29.4(14.2); Males= 39.2%) ranging from 12.6% from Russia to 2.2% from Finland completed the questionnaire. The proportion of participants who reported never walking near air polluted roads was 12.4% (from 3% in Brazil to 54% in Japan). Seven groups of countries were identified using perceptions of air quality: G1(Japan, Mexico, Colombia, Turkey, Malaysia &amp; Brazil), G2(Spain, Romania &amp; Czechia), G3(Chile, Russia &amp; Peru), G4(China), G5(Australia), G6(Finland), and G7(Portugal). Participants in China (G4) and Australia (G5) reported the worst and best air quality respectively. Across all countries, intentions to avoid polluted roads were associated with perceptions of risk. TPB-psychosocial factors such as social norms and perceived behavioural control also influenced intention in most groups. Favourable TPB-beliefs and low perceived risk increase intentions to avoid polluted routes.Conclusions: The willingness of pedestrians to walk on or near roads with high levels of air pollution differs significantly among countries in this study. Countries can be grouped based on their perceived air quality. Perceived risk was the only common predictor of intention to avoid polluted routes across the different groups of countries

Cross-culturally approaching the cycling behaviour questionnaire (CBQ) : Evidence from 19 countries

Peer reviewe