Traffic accidents and environmental physical activity

27-day cycles in human mortality: Traute and Bernhard Düll

This tribute to her parents by one co-author (NDP) is the fruit of a more than a decade-long search by the senior author (FH) for the details of the lives of Bernhard and Gertraud ("Traute") Düll. These pioneers studied how space/terrestrial weather may differentially influence human mortality from various causes, the 27-day mortality pattern being different whether death was from cardiac or respiratory disease, or from suicide. FH is the translator of personal information about her parents provided by NDP in German. Figuratively, he also attempts to "translate" the Dülls' contribution in the context of the literature that had appeared before their work and after their deaths. Although the Dülls published in a then leading journal, among others (and FH had re-analyzed some of their work in a medical journal), they were unknown to academies or libraries (where FH had inquired about them). The Dülls thoroughly assembled death certificates to offer the most powerful evidence for an effect of solar activity reflected in human mortality, as did others before them. They went several steps further than their predecessors, however. They were the first to show possibly differential effects of space and/or Earth weather with respect to suicide and other deaths associated with the nervous and sensory systems vs. death from cardiac or respiratory disease as well as overall death by differences in the phase of a common 27-day cycle characterizing these mortality patterns. Furthermore, Bernhard Düll developed tests of human visual and auditory reaction time to study effects of weather and solar activity, publishing a book (his professorial dissertation) on the topic. His unpublished finding of an increased incidence of airplane crashes in association with higher solar activity was validated after his death, among others, by Tatiana Zenchenko and A. M. Merzlyi.

[Biometeorological influence on motorcyclists and bicyclists trauma]

INTRODUCTION

Biometeorological circumstances have great influence on all traffic participants, especially on reflexes, movement coordination and perception ability, increasing the number of accidents. Motocyclists and bicyclists are specific participants in traffic, so their traumatism has its own special characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to establish biometeorological influence on motorcyclists and bicyclists accidents.

METHODS

Comparative analysis of everyday biometeorological phases for the city of Kragujevac determinated by the Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia and motorcyclists and bicyclists accident evidence received from Kragujevac traffic police for the period 2004-2008.

RESULTS

There were 5,180 traffic accidents in this period, with 180 accidents in which 77 motorcyclists and 116 bicyclists were knocked down. Most of the accidents were in 2008 (53) and the least in 2005 (28). Most accidents occurred during August (28) and between 19.00 and 20.00 hours (18). There were no accidents during January, between 04.00 and 06.00 hours. There were 85% accidents in the urban area. Most of 169 males were aged 16-20 and 21-25 years (20 and 21). Most of 24 females (6) were aged 11-15 years. Those who caused the accident mostly sustained injuries due to improper speed limit (31), while the victims due to the disrespect of street-crossing priorities (32). Forty-one motorcyclists and 85 bicyclists suffered mild body injuries. Thirty-one motorcyclists and 27 bicyclist suffered severe injuries. Five motorcyclists and four bicyclists ended lethally. Most accidents happened in biometeorological phases 9 (63), 4 (32) and 1 (31).

CONCLUSION

Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between accidents and biometeorological phases, with most accidents occurring during stabile warm weather and rapid penetrations of cold fronts, and with a sudden switch of weather conditions.

[Biometeorological phases influence pedestrian trauma]

INTRODUCTION

Biometeorological circumstances have a big influence on all traffic participants, especially reflexes, moving coordination and perception ability. With a lower attention and drivers' and pedestrians' concentration, there was a larger amount of pedestrian trauma in certain biometeorological phases.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to establish the correlation between pedestrian trauma and biometeorological phases.

METHODS

The comparative analysis of everyday biometeorological phases for the city of Kragujevac determined by RHMI and the evidence of knocked-down pedestrians from the Kragujevac traffic police for the period 2003-2008.

RESULTS

There were 6,127 accidents, with 696 knocked pedestrians in 666 (10.87%) accidents. Most of them happened in 2003 (135), and the fewest in 2005 (90). Most accidents were during December (74), the fewest were in June (46). The fewest accidents were during 04-05-06 hour interval (by 2), most during 13-14 hours (61). There were 374 males and 349 females. Most of the males (by 60) were 0-10 and 11-20 years old, most of the females (74) were 11-20 years old. There were 443 pedestrians who suffered slight body injuries (112 were 11-20), 225 suffered heavy and 28 had lethal injuries (most over 70). As provokers, the pedestrians suffered because of improper crossing roads (185), while as a casualties, they suffered due to speeding of vehicles (285). Most accidents happened in biometeorological phases 4 (168) and 9 (151), the fewest in phase 10 (4).

CONCLUSION

Statistical analysis shows a significant correlation between pedestrians' accidents and biometeorological phases, when the most accidents occurred during penetrations of cold fronts, while there was a sudden switch of weather conditions from warm-dry to cold-wet weather.