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Siu WHS, Peng WS, Chen WM, See LC. The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on motorcycle crashes in Taiwan. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e37901. [PMID: 38640266 PMCID: PMC11029935 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000037901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Taiwan is one of the countries with the highest motorcycle per capita globally, and motorcycle crashes are predominant among traffic crashes. This study examines the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 restrictions on motorcycle crashes. We analyzed the trend of motorcycle crashes in Taipei City from 2019 to 2020 using the dataset provided by the Department of Transportation, Taipei City Government, Taiwan. We found 47,108 and 51,441 motorcycle crashes in 2019 and 2020, involving 61,141 and 67,093 motorcycles, respectively. Mopeds had the highest risk in 2020, followed by heavy motorcycles [≥550 cubic capacity (cc)] and scooters compared to 2019. Food delivery motorcycle crashes increased for scooters (0.93% in 2019 to 3.45% in 2020, P < .0001) and heavy motorcycles (250 < cc < 550) (0.90% in 2019 to 3.38% in 2020, P < .0001). While fatalities remained under 1%, 30% to 51% of motorcyclists sustained injuries. Food delivery with scooters or heavy motorcycles (250 < cc < 550) was significantly associated with motorcyclist injuries and deaths. Compared with 2019, the adjusted odds ratios of motorcyclist injuries and deaths in 2020 were 1.43 (95% confidence interval = 1.05-1.94) for heavy motorcycles (≥550 cc) and 1.07 (95% confidence interval = 1.04-1.09) for scooters. This study shows that coronavirus disease 2019 restrictions was associated with elevated risks of crashes, injuries, and deaths among motorcyclists, reflecting the general preference for private transport over public transport. The popularity of food delivery services also contributed to increased motorcycle crashes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wing Hin Stanford Siu
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Education, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Sheng Peng
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Min Chen
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Lai-Chu See
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Biostatistics Core Laboratory, Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
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Lee J, Liu H, Abdel-Aty M. Changes in traffic crash patterns: Before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Florida. ACCIDENT; ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION 2023; 190:107187. [PMID: 37364361 DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
In the twentieth year of the twenty-first century, humanity is facing an unprecedented global crisis owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has brought about drastic changes in the way we live and work, as well as the way we move from one place to another, namely transportation. Previous studies have preliminarily found that mobility, travel behavior, and road traffic safety status experienced great changes after the outbreak of the COVID-19. The objective of this study is to explore how crash patterns have changed, as well as the contributing factors of such changes and the heterogeneity between counties in Florida. Thus, data of COVID-19 cases, crash, socioeconomic factors, and traffic volume of 2019 and 2020 are collected. Preliminary analyses show a considerable reduction from March to June. Substantial changes are shown in the proportions of crashes by time of occurrence and injury severity. Two types of statistical models are developed to identify factors of (1) changes in the percentages of crashes by type and (2) the numbers of crashes by type. The developed models reveal various demographic, socioeconomic, and travel factors. After controlling other factors, the total numbers of crashes are 14% lower after the outbreak. The most significant reductions are observed in peak-hour (22%), while no significant change is found in fatal crashes. The results show that the number of crashes has significantly decreased even after controlling the traffic volume, but some crash types (e.g., fatal) did not show a significant reduction. The findings are expected to provide some insights into better transportation planning and management to ensure traffic safety in a possible future epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeyoung Lee
- School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410075, China; Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States.
| | - Haiyan Liu
- School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410075, China.
| | - Mohamed Abdel-Aty
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States.
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Soltani A, Azmoodeh M, Roohani Qadikolaei M. Road crashes in Adelaide metropolitan region, the consequences of COVID-19. JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT & HEALTH 2023; 30:101581. [PMID: 36778534 PMCID: PMC9894777 DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2023.101581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Many countries instituted lockdown rules as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, however, the effects of COVID-19 on transportation safety vary widely across countries and regions. In several situations, it has been shown that although the COVID-19 closure has decreased average traffic flow, it has also led to an increase in speeding, which will indeed increase the severity of crashes and the number of fatalities and serious injuries. Methods At the local level, Generalized linear Mixed (GLM) modelling is used to look at how often road crashes changed in the Adelaide metropolitan area before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Geographically Weighted Generalized Linear Model (GWGLM) is also used to explore how the association between the number of crashes and the factors that explain them varies across census blocks. Using both no-spatial and spatial models, the effects of urban structure elements like land use mix, road network design, distance to CBD, and proximity to public transit on the frequency of crashes at the local level were studied. Results This research showed that lockdown orders led to a mild reduction (approximately 7%) in crash frequency. However, this decrease, which has occurred mostly during the first three months of the lockdown, has not systematically alleviated traffic safety risks in the Greater Adelaide Metropolitan Area. Crash hotspots shifted from areas adjacent to workplaces and education centres to green spaces and city fringes, while crash incidence periods switched from weekdays to weekends and winter to summer. Implications The outcomes of this research provided insights into the impact of shifting driving behaviour on safety during disorderly catastrophes such as COVID-19.
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Key Words
- ABS, Australian bureau of statistics
- Adelaide
- CBD, Central business district
- COVID-19
- COVID19, Coronavirus disease of 2019
- GLM
- GLM, Generalized linear model
- GWGLM
- GWGLM, Geographically weighted generalized linear model
- GWR, Geographically weighted regression
- Injury
- LGA, Local government area
- PDO, Property damage only
- RV, Response variable
- SA1, Statistical area level 1
- TAZ, Traffic analysis zone
- Traffic crash
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Soltani
- Injury Studies, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
- UniSA Business, University of South Australia, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
- Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Azmoodeh
- Department of Transportation and Highway, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran
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Shihab MA, Shoots-Reinhard B. Ironic effects of political ideology and increased risk-taking in Ohio drivers during COVID-19 shutdown. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279160. [PMID: 36534686 PMCID: PMC9762566 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In March 2020, Ohio, along with many other states, enacted a stay-at-home order (i.e., "shutdown") to limit the spread of COVID-19. As a result of lower traffic, crashes should also have declined. We investigated whether crash rates declined in Ohio during the stay-at-home order and explore possible predictors for the decrease, such as reduced travel in compliance with the order, along with speeding, alcohol, and drug use. In addition, we examined whether support for President Trump would relate to greater travel and greater crashes (particularly during the stay-at-home order, when greater travel indicated lower compliance). The overall rate of crashes fell as people stayed home, mainly due to a decline in minor crashes. In contrast, the rate of serious crashes did not fall. Instead, percentage of alcohol-related crashes increased during the stay-at-home order, and the reduction in travel was associated with greater speeding-related crashes. Because alcohol and speeding tend to increase crash severity, these two factors may explain why severe crash rates were not reduced by lower traffic. Instead, it appears that those drivers remaining on the roads during the shutdown may have been more prone to risky behaviors, evidenced by a greater percentage of alcohol-related crashes across the state during the shutdown and greater speed-related crashes in counties with less traffic. In addition, county-level support for President Trump indirectly predicted greater rates of crashes (of all types) via increased travel (i.e., lower compliance with the shutdown), even while controlling for county-level income, rurality, and Appalachian region. Importantly, this mediated effect was stronger during the weeks of the shutdown, when greater travel indicated lower compliance. Thus, lower compliance with the stay-at-home order and increased risky driving behaviors by remaining drivers may explain why lower traffic did not lead to lower serious crashes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason Alexander Shihab
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
- School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Brittany Shoots-Reinhard
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
- Center for Science Communication Research, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Chand S, Yee E, Alsultan A, Dixit VV. A Descriptive Analysis on the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Road Traffic Incidents in Sydney, Australia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:11701. [PMID: 34770214 PMCID: PMC8583350 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 has had tremendous effects worldwide, resulting in large-scale death and upheaval. An abundance of studies have shown that traffic patterns have changed worldwide as working from home has become dominant, with many facilities, restaurants and retail services being closed due to the lockdown orders. With regards to road safety, there have been several studies on the reduction in fatalities and crash frequencies and increase in crash severity during the lockdown period. However, no scientific evidence has been reported on the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on traffic incident duration, a key metric for crash management. It is also unclear from the existing literature whether the impacts on traffic incidents are consistent across multiple lockdowns. This paper analyses the impact of two different COVID-19 lockdowns in Sydney, Australia, on traffic incident duration and frequency. During the first (31 March-28 April 2020) and second (26 June-31 August 2021) lockdowns, the number of incidents fell by 50% and 60%, respectively, in comparison to the same periods in 2018 and 2019. The proportion of incidents involving towing increased significantly during both lockdowns. The mean duration of crashes increased by 16% during the first lockdown, but the change was less significant during the subsequent lockdown. Crashes involving diversions, emergency services and towing saw an increase in the mean duration by 67%, 16%, and 47%, respectively, during the first lockdown. However, this was not reflected in the 2021 data, with only major crashes seeing a significant increase, i.e., by 58%. There was also a noticeable shift in the location of incidents, with more incidents recorded in suburban areas, away from the central business area. Our findings suggest drastic changes in incident characteristics, and these changes should be considered by policymakers in promoting a safer and more sustainable transportation network in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Chand
- Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation (rCITI), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, NSW, Australia;
| | - Ernest Yee
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, NSW, Australia;
| | - Abdulmajeed Alsultan
- Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 16273, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vinayak V. Dixit
- Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation (rCITI), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, NSW, Australia;
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Miller A. What's new in critical illness and injury science? Driving characteristics and rates of road traffic accidents and associated serious injuries and fatalities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Crit Illn Inj Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.4103/2229-5151.332863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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