Elementi sistema koji čine saobraćaj, okolina, vozilo i čovek, predstavljaju i sastavni deo svake nastale nezgode. Pored mnogobrojnih inovacija i unapređenja vozila, širenja i poboljšanja putne infrastrukture, broj nesreća se povećava. Glavni krivac je čovek koji, sa učešćem u 57 % (dok u kombinaciji sa ostalim faktorima čini preko 90 %) nezgoda, predstavlja najslabiju kariku u lancu. Radom su obuhvaćeni i objašnjeni brojni ljudski faktori koji čine uzročnike na koje možemo uticati. U obzir su uzete mere obuhvaćene novim Zakonom o bezbednosti saobraćaja. Izvršena je analiza nezgoda u funkciji godina starosti vozača. Predložene mere za suzbijanje i prevenciju imaju za cilj smanjenje i opadanje negativnih trendova.Elements that makes the traffic system, environment, vehicles and human, also represents integral part of any resulting accident. In addition to numerous improvements of vehicles, expansions and improvement of road infrastructure, the number of accidents have been increasing. The main culprit, human, who, with the participation of 57% (when combined with other factors accounts for more than 90%) of accidents, is the weakest link in the chain. This work covered and explains numerous human factors at which we can affect. The new Law on Traffic safety was taken in consideration. Analysis of accidents in function of the drivers age was conducted. The goal of measures, which have been proposed for suppression and prevention, is declining and reducing negative trends

Pavić, Nenad

Popović, Vladimir

Vasić, Miloš

Istrazivanja i projektovanja za privredu

English

Machinery - Repository of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade

Paper number: 9(2011)3, 206, 411 - 416DRIVERS AGE AS THE DOMINANT DEMOGRAPHIC FACTOR IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTMSc Nenad Pavi  *Delta Generali Insurance, Belgrade, Serbia Dr Vladimir PopoviUniversity of Belgrade, Faculty of mechanical engineering, Belgrade, SerbiaMiloš VasiInstitute for research and design in commerce & industry, Belgrade, SerbiaElements that makes the traffi c system, environment, vehicles and human, also represents integral part of any resulting accident. In addition to numerous improvements of vehicles, expansions and improvement of road infrastructure, the number of accidents have been increasing. The main culprit, human, who, with the participation of 57% (when combined with other factors accounts for more than 90%) of accidents, is the weakest link in the chain.This work covered and explains numerous human factors at which we can affect. The new Law on Traffi c safety was taken in consideration. Analysis of accidents in function of the drivers age was conducted. The goal of measures, which have been proposed  for suppression and prevention, is declining and reducing negative trends.Key words:  traffi c accidents,  drivers age, human factorsINTRODUCTIONIncreasing number of vehicles on the roads, im-proving performance and higher average speed have affected that the last decades great im-portance been given to improved the system of active, passive and catalytic motor vehicle safety. Despite considerable technical progress, it seems that the number of accidents continues to rise. Reports of the World Health Organization show that at 2002. the number of casualties in the middle-income countries was 550.000 while in 2008. this number amounted 940.000 [09].Traffi c accidents occurring as a factor of road, vehicles and humans (Figure 1. [19]). Several conducted studies have shown that 57 % of all crash cases were due soley to human factor, while in combination with others percent-age greater than 90 [02].HUMAN FACTORS DistractionOne of the prerequisites for safe driving is atten-tion. When mental resources are not suffi cient to meet all the imposed tasks, the driver will see only a limited set of information which he will use for decision making and response to the demand-ing task. Other information will go unnoticed and be deleted from memory [03]. The causes of ob-struction may be varied ; this time we shall focus our attention on two most important: talking with a passengers and cell phone.Simultaneous vehicle steering and conversation with the passenger leads to processing addition-al informations, which inevitably brings to reduc-tion of concentration, particularly among young and inexperienced drivers.Four studies have shown that risk of an accident increases with the number of teens passengers ride with young driver only one almost doubles the risk of accidents, while two or more increase MSc Nenad Pavi  and etc. - Drivers age as the dominant demographic factor in traffi c accident411* Delta Generali Insurance, Milentija Popovi a 7b, New Belgrade, Serbia, e-mail: nenad_pavic@live.comFigure 1. Traffi c factorsJournal of Applied Engineering Science  9(2011)3  the risk to fi ve times than driving alone [20].Form of auditory input, cell phone conversation while driving, greatly contributes to increased risk of accidents. Conducted research have found that older adults (65 to 74) increased time of breaking, following distance and time neces-sary to reach the previous velocity. On the other hand, young people (18 to 25 years) degraded reaction time to the same level as older  who drive without use of cell phone [18].FatigueAs a result of physical and (or) mental effort, which occurs during the driving, depending on the intensity, are manifest through: slow reaction and decision making, slow movement control, reduced tolerance for other road users, halluci-nations ... Figure 2. [07].Men under 30 made up about 50% of all acci-dents that occurred under the infl uence of fatigue [05]. The importance of this factor is perhaps Figure 2. Dependency risks of accidents from fatiguebest illustrated by the fact that the organism af-ter 17 to 19 hours without sleep is in the same condition as when it comes to blood alcohol level of 0.05g/100ml [21]. The most commonly given responses in the fi ght against fatigue and con-tinuing driving are grouped in Table 1. [13].As this is a complex process, for better under-standing we can separated it on four main fac-tors [15]:1. DetectionIt begins when driver see object ahead. He can, due to fatigue, deconcentration, poor visibility ... be in sight even before.2. Identifi cationData collection (the object is stationary or mov-ing, estimating the speed ...) and their selection by priorities.3. DecisionAfter information collected, it is necessary to de-cide, whether and how to react.4. ReplyMoment beginning of decision implementation, ie. contact with the command brakes or turning the steering wheel, which represents the end of the reaction time.The perception of an objects has a direct infl u-ence. It has been found that TTC (time to con-tact), which can be measured experimentally to study the degree of perception, at elderly adults overestimated, in case of smaller and underes-timated in case of higher speed [04,01]. Reac-The obtained answers %Opening a window / turn up air conditioning 68 Stop and a short walk 57Listening to the radio / CD 30 Talk with a travel companion 25 Drink Coffee 14 Other 15Table 1. Obtained answers in testing the driver’s habits to combat fatigueMSc Nenad Pavi  and etc. - Drivers age as the dominant demographic factor in traffi c accident412 , 206At Loughborough University in Great Britain found that the only effect, which is effective more than 10 -15 minutes of these obtained answers, gives caffeine intake of at least 150 mg or fi fteen minutes of sleep [06].Reaction TimeIn the narrow sense, corresponds to time of a mental process and represented time required to register and select the type of response [02]. Journal of Applied Engineering Science  9(2011)3tion times in the function of drivers age shown in Figure 3 [15].Factors that may additionally prolong reaction time are fatigue, stress, tension, alcohol con-sumption and (or) other opiates ... when the risks of accidents exponentially increases.Figure 3.  Reaction times in the function of drivers ageVisual factor Defi nition Related driving tasksAccommodation Change in the shape of the lens to bring images into focusChanging focus from dashboard displays of the roadwayStatic visual acuity Ability to see small details cleary Reading dashboard displaysAdaptation Change in sensitivity to different levels of lightAdjust to changes in the light upon enter-ing a tunnel in daylightAngular movment Seeing objects moving across the fi eld of viewJudging speed of cars crossing our path of travelMovment in depth Detecting changes in size of the im-age on the eye Judging speed of an approaching vehicleColor Discrimination of different colors Identifi cation of colors of signalsContrast sensivity Seeing objects thet are similar in brightness to their backgroundDetection of dark-clothed pedestrians at nightDepth percepcion Judgment of the distances of objects Passing on two lane roads with oncom-ing traffi cDynamic visual acuity Ability to see objects that are in mo-tion relative to us Reading traffi c signs while movingEye movment Changing the direction of gaze of the eyes Scanning the road for hazardsGlare Sensitivity Ability to resist and recover from the effect of glareReduction in visual performance due to headlight glareTable 2. Visual factors and potential risksVisibilityWith age, the quality of vision decreases. Amount of light, which photoreceptors of eye for people over 60 years can register, are two thirds less than for those in their twenties. As a result of adaptation to new situation and the need to maintain the level of visibility, contrast sensitivity decreases.MSc Nenad Pavi  and etc. - Drivers age as the dominant demographic factor in traffi c accident413, 206At night, when eyes have adjusted to dark, headlights of incoming vehicles, due to sudden changes in light intensity, cause glare. Weakened accommodation at older population, as well as mentioned infl uence (decreasing the registered amount of light and increased contrast), led to scattering of light and short blindness.Also, the width of the visual fi eld is reduced which has a direct impact on visibility. Comes to increase the necessary amount of time and heavier spotting a pedestrian on other side of the road, parking, inclusion of vehicles from ad-jacent streets... [08]. Factors and their impacts are shown in Table 2 [16].Journal of Applied Engineering Science  9(2011)3  harmful side. The group consisted from males and females, aged 18 to 75 years. It  was ex-pected that data demonstrate a degree of com-pliance with other tests where, direct or indirect, demographic features was included in the analy-sis. The results are shown graphically (Figure 4).The largest share is among people aged 18 to 30 years, after which number of accidents de-creases. Young people, although naturally pre-disposed to be a better drivers-thanks to shorter reaction time, better coordination of movement, psychomotor skills ... because the lack of social responsibility, maturity and experience in traffi c, are participants in a larger number of accidents.Excessive security, risky driving style and inabil-ity to recognize and react in dangerous situa-tion made pretty dangerous combination. Jump that occurs at people over 65 years of age are caused by numerous consequences that were mentioned in previous discussion with reference to the section that follows.DISCUSSIONExposed research, statistics and facts that been presented in this paper should drawn attention to the seriousness of the issues which in public haven’t got attention to the extent it deserves. The current situation is such, that predictions, Figure 5, has not encouraged. [22].Other factorsAlcohol is one of the biggest causes of traffi c ac-cidents. Depending on the entered quantities, it affects on vision (reduction acuity and constric-tion of visual fi eld ), concentration, reasoning ... The same goes for drugs - reaction time decreas-ing, weakening motor functions, assessment ... Most accidents under these infl uences is among young people. In contribution to this speaks ex-ploring from  2009. by the U.S. government for road safety, showing that concetration of alcohol and / or drugs while driving by persons from 21 to 25 years is the most common, 24.8%, after which followed gradual decline [14]. Diffi culties at detecting some drugs in the body and false images which occur are serious problem. Smok-ing marijuana cigarette leaves low level of trace after three to four hours, while the effect lasts for the next twelve or more. [16].MATERIAL AND ANALYSISFrom previous studies of human factors which were presented in this paper and their impact on ability to drive, we can conclude that age, to a lesser or greater extent, represents the common denominator.The study group comprised 200 persons - driv-ers, selected with method of random choice who had in period of six months at Delta Generali insurance reported accidents as a damaged / Figure 4. Participation of traffi c accidents in the function of the drivers ageIt is necessary to investing more in scientifi c research, for the sake of detecting the causes and suggestions for their prevention, and traffi c regulations which will adequately, through the implementation of these informations into new or existing legislation, lead to reducing the number of traffi c accidents. Implement more active traffi c education for children and young people through educational institutions, acting through media, with emphasis on those who are most represent-ed among young - television and internet ...MSc Nenad Pavi  and etc. - Drivers age as the dominant demographic factor in traffi c accident414 , 206Journal of Applied Engineering Science  9(2011)3Training of drivers in driving schools, in addition to acquiring basic skills and knowledge, must provide more. Introduce and show how to re-act in emergency situations; predicting, spotting mistakes of other road users and adequate re-sponses to them. Conducted Republic research indicated that just over 1% of rear-seat passen-gers used seat belts [11]. Importance of preventive measures through the demonstration is one of the best ways to indi-vidual understand, how rules and laws are not there to kept him limited or hindered. A good example of this can be activitie of the National driving academy and use simulators for frontal impact and rollover.Figure 5. Projected deaths for selected causes to 2030What about elderly people (over 65)? Regula-tions, governing what kind of health condition must be a driver, was written at 1982. Studies speak in favor that it would be desirable to in-troduce a ban on cell phone use, in a manner anticipated with new Law on traffi c safety for novice drivers  [23,12]. Also, driving at night, for reasons already explained, signifi cantly increas-es the risk. The introduction of the test, which would checked the ability of potential collisions during the necessary controls required for driver license extension [01].CONCLUSIONIt is necessary to pay more attention and re-sources to testing and implementation of pre-ventive measures.Also, seen from the point of cost-effectiveness, presented proposals along conducting detailed analysis and working on their application and implementation is signifi cantly more cost-effec-tive than the amount of material costs that result from accidents, with a reminder that life has no price.REFERENCESDeLucia, R., Bleckley, K., Meyer, E., Bush, M. (2003). Judgments about collision in younger and older drivers. Transportation Research Part F: Traffi c Psychology and Behaviour, No 1, Vol 6, pp. 63-80uri , P., Filipovi , D.(2009). Reakciono vreme voza a izaziva a saobra ajnihnesre a. Medicinski pregled, No 3-4, Vol 62, pp. 114-119.uri , P., Mikov M. (2008). Neke osobine vozaca izazivaca saobracajnih nesreca. Medicinski pregled, No 9-10, Vol 61, pp. 464-469.Hancock, A., Manser, P. (1997). Time-to contact: More than tau alone. Ecological Psychology, No 4, Vol 9, pp. 265-297Horne, J., Reyner, L. (1995). Sleep Related Vehicle Accidents, British Medical Journal Vol.310, pp. 565-567.Horne, J., Reyner, L. (2000). Sleep Related Vehicle Accidents, Sleep Research Labora-tory, Loughborough University1)2)3)4)5)6)MSc Nenad Pavi  and etc. - Drivers age as the dominant demographic factor in traffi c accident415, 206Journal of Applied Engineering Science  9(2011)3  http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/PDF/Bulletins/, retrieved on July 18th, 2011http://www.visualexpert.com/why.html, re-trieved on July 20th, 2011http://www.who.int/healthinfo/en/, retrieved on July 29th, 2011Kaplanovi , S., Petrovi , J., Ivkovi  I. (2009). Economic instruments in function of sustainable development of road transporta-tion. Istraživanja i projektovanja za privredu, No 25, Vol 7, pp. 17-22.Lipovac K, Buli , Vemi  D. (2002). 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XXXVI Nau nostru ni skup održavanje mašina i opreme, Zbornik radova Beograd, pp. 109-114.Strayer, L., Drews, A. (2003). Effects of cell phone conversations on younger and older drivers. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 47th Annual Meet-ing, pp.1860-1864.Todorovi , J., Vujovi , R., Šotra, D., Caki ,I. (2001). Preventiva i štetni doga aji kao bitan  actor osiguranja motornih vozila u drumskom saobra aju. Preventivno Inženjerstvo, No 1, Vol 9, pp. 30.Triplett, W. (2005). Teen Driving. The CQ Researcher, No 1, Vol 15, pp. 8.Williamson, A. (2000). Moderate Sleep Deprivation Produces Impairments in Cogni-tive and Motor Performance Equivalent to Legally Prescribed Levels of Alcohol Intoxi-cation. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, No 10, Vol 57, pp. 649-655.World health statistics (2007). World Health Organization, pp.12.Yannis, G., Papadimitriou, E., Papantoniou,P., Petrellis, N. (2010). Cell phone use and traffi c characteristics. 12th World Conference on Transport Research; Lisbon, Portugal.17)18)19)20)21)22)23)Paper sent to revision: 08.06.2011.Paper ready for publication: 13.09.2011. MSc Nenad Pavi  and etc. - Drivers age as the dominant demographic factor in traffi c accident416 , 206

Drivers age as the dominant demographic factor in traffic accident

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Drivers age as the dominant demographic factor in traffic accident

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