Identification of factors increasing the risk of pedestrian death in road accidents involving a pedestrian with a motor vehicle

Walking is a basic form of activity for every human being and has many advantages, including health, economic and environmental benefits. Every journey made using various means of transport begins and ends on foot. As is well known, the group of road users particularly exposed to the risk of serious injury in road accidents, apart from cyclists, also includes pedestrians. These are the so-called vulnerable road users. Pedestrians are a group of road users that is often deprecated by many drivers of motor vehicles, but very important in road traffic. Pedestrian injuries and pedestrian fatalities have enormous social and economic consequences. The problem of high pedes-trian risk on Polish roads is well known and has been widely described in the scientific literature last few years. However, the reasons for this state of affairs have not been fully explained, as evidenced by the statistics of road traffic incidents. Despite many studies in this area, the causes indicated in the research often differ depending on the area of analysis, the environment in which the incident took place, location, participants of the incident, environmental conditions, behaviorism and many other features. Therefore, the main goal of the article was to determine the factors influencing the formation of fatalities in road traffic accidents among pedestrians in acci-dents involving pedestrians and motor vehicles in the Silesian Voivodeship (Poland) in 2016-2021. The logit model presented in the article allowed for the conclusion that the main attributes influencing the increasing the risk of pedestrian death in road accidents involving a pedestrian with a motor vehicle include such features as driving under the influence of alcohol by the driver, exceeding the speed limit by the vehicle driver, when the road incident involves a heavy vehicle (truck, bus), a pedestrian is a male, pedestrian is over 60 years old, is under the influence of alcohol, the incident took place outside built-up area, at night, i.e. from 10:00 p.m. up to 6:00 a.m, in other than good weather conditions. The obtained results can be used in various activities, campaigns aimed at improving the safety of pedestrian traffic in the area of the analysis

URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITH THE USE OF ELECTRIC BUSES – DEVELOPMENT TENDENCIES

Summary. The programing documents of the European Union determine the direction of transport systems development, including large cities and agglomerations. The context of these actions which aim to transform into ecologically clean and sustainable transport system is a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Assuming that public transport will significantly reduce the use of combustion-powered buses, studies on urban logistic enabling the use of electric buses for public transport are needed. The article presents the variants and scenarios for electric buses implementation in urban public transport, as well as the decision algorithm to support electric bus implementation based on technological, organisational, economic and ecological variables

The effect of flower removal on the growth and quality of bushes of two rose (Rosa L.) varieties

The present study was conducted during the period 2008–2011 in a production nursery without irrigation and established on grey-brown podzolic soil classified as soil class II. The study investigated the effect of regular flower removal on the growth and quality of bushes of the following rose (Rosa L.) varieties: a multi-flowered variety ‘Arthur Bell’ and a large-flowered variety ‘Burgund’. In the case of the multi-flowered variety ‘Arthur Bell’, flower removal was found to have a significant effect on the number and total length of shoots growing from the bud union in bushes. On the other hand, this practice was not shown to have an effect on the growth and quality of bushes of the large-flowered variety ‘Burgund’. In the case of bushes of the studied varieties budded on Rosa multiflora Thunb. rootstock, the study showed significant differences in plant growth and branching between years. In 2009, after spring frosts that damaged young shoots and as an effect of a lower amount of rainfall by about 60 mm during the growing season, a much worse quality of rose bushes was obtained than in the other years

Applying Experts Methods in the Selection Procedures of Foresight Development Programs

Foresight method is gaining support around the world as a powerful tool that creates common views on future development strategies. It is characterized by a unique feature, which is the maximum participation of stakeholders and experts. The paper presents examples of the results of research carried out based upon the expert methods of foresight procedures. Special attention was paid to different methods of identification and involvement of experts in implementing the projects. The methodology of foresight projects was brought closer, with particular emphasis on those methods which are based on expert knowledge - such as the Delphi technique, panel discussion, brainstorming, STEEP and SWOT analysis methods, public consultation and the scenarios formulation. The result of foresight exploration based on knowledge of experts is the formation of a wide vision of the future development of economy and technology, which helps to make decisions on an effective, long-term strategy of the government, enterprises and scientific institutions

Implementing of electric buses to public transport – theory and practice

Aktualnie w miastach i aglomeracjach toczy się szeroka dyskusja na temat przyszłości taboru autobusowego wykorzystywanego w publicznym transporcie zbiorowym. Podmioty i instytucje odpowiedzialne za rozwój floty autobusów zmagają się z problemem, który można zdefiniować następująco: w jaki sposób dostosować swoją flotę do narastających wymagań ekologicznych? Jednym z wariantów jest konwersja obecnie użytkowanej konwencjonalnej lub mieszanej floty do floty złożonej wyłącznie z autobusów elektrycznych. W artykule zdefiniowano bariery utrudniające osiągnięcie w publicznym transporcie zbiorowym 100% floty autobusów elektrycznych oraz przedstawiono możliwe strategie wdrażania do eksploatacji autobusów elektrycznych. Autorzy skupili się na uwarunkowaniach praktycznych i organizacyjnych realizacji procesu konwersji floty, abstrahując od analiz ekonomicznych. W artykule przedstawiono także zakończone i aktualnie realizowane prace naukowo-badawcze wspomagające rozwój elektromobilności w Polsce i Europie, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem wprowadzania autobusów elektrycznych do publicznego transportu zbiorowego. Prace te finansowane są przez Narodowe Centrum Badań i Rozwoju, a realizowane w konfiguracji międzynarodowej, w celu lepszego uwzględnienia różnych uwarunkowań lokalnych, występujących w poszczególnych krajach.Currently there is a broad discussion in cities and agglomerations about the future of bus fleets used in public transport. The entities and institutions responsible for the bus fleet development are facing a problem that can be defined as follows: how to adapt the fleet to the growing environmental requirements? One of the options is the conversion of the fleet functioning nowadays – conventional or mixed – to a 100% electric bus fleet. The article defines the barriers hindering the achievement of 100% electric bus fleet in public transport as well as shows possible strategies of introduction of electric buses into operation. The authors focused on practical and organisational factors of the fleet conversion process, not including an economic analysis. The article also presents completed and current research and development works supporting development of implementation of the electric buses to public transport. These works are financed by the National Centre for Research and Development and are realised on the international forum enabling better consideration of different local conditions of different countries

Electromobility development in Poland. Preconditions, goals and barriers

Polska i inne kraje Unii Europejskiej stoją przed wyzwaniem dotyczącym wdrażania pojazdów elektrycznych. Tematem artykułu są kwestie ekonomiczne i społeczne, jakie muszą zostać ustalone w procesie implementacji napędu elektrycznego w motoryzacji. Dokonano przeglądu dokumentów strategicznych oraz światowych publikacji przedmiotowych i na ich podstawie zdefiniowano dylematy ekonomiczne procesu rozwoju elektromobilności. W artykule zwrócono także uwagę na społeczne aspekty tego procesu, zwłaszcza w zakresie akceptacji społecznej innowacyjnej technologii. Wskazano, że rozwój elektromobilności może wspomóc pogłębienie społecznej odpowiedzialności biznesu w aspekcie ochrony środowiska naturalnego przez branżę motoryzacyjną.Poland and other European Union countries face the challenge of the electric vehicles’ implementation. Social and economic challenges that must be solved in the process of electric vehicles’ implementation in the automotive industry are in the scope of the article. Basing on the review of the strategic documents and papers published worldwide, economic dilemmas of the electromobility development process are defined. Attention was also paid to the social aspects of this process, especially in terms of social acceptance of the innovative technology. It is indicated that the development of electromobility can assist in deepening the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in terms of environmental protection by the automotive industry

The Influence of Telematics on the Utility Value of the Silesian Public Transportation

Over the past decade the traffic stream structure has evolved largely, in particular in the urbanised areas. The essence of the change has been that private passenger car traffic has increased to the significant detriment of public transportation. As the congestion effect is increasing significantly, the tendency described above needs to be reversed. The achievable pace of the changes is dependent on the perception of the public transportation by the society. This may be affected by the proper mobility management, creating a new mobility culture. Transformations of the transport systems due to deployment of the information technologies make changes in recognition of such systems by the environment. The article deals with an economical approach to the studies of the influence of the development of telematics on the development of the transport systems. Consideration on the creating, using and recognizing of the value potential of the transport systems is the quality tool of such research

Micromorphology of the epidermis and anatomical structure of the leaves of Scorzonera hispanica L.

In Poland Scorzonera hispanica L. is rare in the wild. This species is used as a vegetable and medicinal plant. Currently, attempts are being made to introduce this plant into cultivation in Poland. In this study, comparative analyses were conducted of the epidermis surface micromorphology and anatomical structure of the leaves of S. hispanica ‘Maxima’ and ‘Meres’. The investigations were performed using fluorescence, light and scanning electron microscopy. The cuticle on the surface of epidermal cells is smooth or striated. In the epidermis, there are anomocytic stomata. The stomatal index in the epidermis of the studied cultivars is 9.3–11%. In the midrib of the leaf, there is an aerial cavity which occupies a substantial area. In this place, cracking and breaking of the leaf blade were observed. Over the aerial cavity under the adaxial epidermis, there is a single layer of collenchyma cells and 1–2 rows of parenchyma cells. Tangential collenchyma is also present between the abaxial epidermis and large vascular bundles located in the midrib and on both sides of the large vascular bundles in the lamina. This tissue strengthens the leaf margin. The mesophyll cells located in the abaxial epidermis of the midrib form protrusions surrounding the large vascular bundles. The leaves of S. hispanica represent the equifacial type