Access management strategies are devised to facilitate travel mobility and improve safety. Direct access especially left-turns in and out of developments can create significant problems for the traffic flow and safety on the adjacent roadway and at the driveways. This study evaluates the safety and operational impacts under various access configurations, and provides basic guidelines as to when left-turns at driveways should be prohibited. The safety considerations were found to be less significant compared to the operational concerns since the crash reductions that might be expected from access restrictions appeared to be relatively modest. The importance of review of crash history by site is emphasized. Traffic simulation models were developed using VISSIM to analyze the operational impacts of driveway turning restrictions at corner and mid-block sites. The results indicate that lesser the corner clearance, more negative is the impact on driveway related delays. Also, the negative impact due to mainline volume increment was more severe as compared to the increment in driveway volume. The impact on the driveway operations was worse when the number of lanes on the adjacent roadway was less than 5 or 4. The right-turn (in or out) driveway traffic was not critical from either the operations or safety perspectives due to fewer conflict points. General guidelines are proposed for prohibition of left-turns in and out for various combinations of mainline and driveway traffic volumes and corner clearances.@en

Children in developing countries are exposed to greater risk of fatality, serious injury, or disability, during road travel due to lack of awareness and absence of laws on children road safety measures such as the use of child restraints in vehicles. In most of the developing countries, it is not required by law, to use child car seats and therefore are rarely used. Research studies have been repeatedly showing significant efficacy of child car seats, if properly used, in preventing serious injuries and fatalities in young children during road accidents, due to restraining the children occupants against the ejection from the vehicle. Like many other developing countries, there is currently no legislation, in Pakistan, mandating the use of child car seats. Children exposure to traffic and risk of being involved in a traffic accident have been greatly increased in the country, over the past few years, due to increased number of vehicles, vehicle fleet, and trend of pre-schools and day care facilities. However, the awareness of parents regarding importance of safely traveling with infants and young children has not increased. Qualified and affluent parents have also been observed showing negligence in using the car child seats for their children. In this context, the objectives of this study were to investigate the level of awareness and usage of child car seats in Pakistan as well as to explore the need and interventions for conducting effective awareness campaigns or educational programs for parents in the country. Total 214 vehicles with children occupants and 385 children were observed at several schools, day-care centers, and pediatric departments in hospitals within 3 cities of Pakistan.@en

Introduction The objectives of this study were to investigate the level of awareness and usage of child car seats in Pakistan, identify problems that influence non-usage among the knowledgeable parents, as well as to explore the need and interventions for conducting effective awareness campaigns or educational programs for parents in the country. Methods Total 375 vehicles with children occupants and 622 children were observed at several schools, day-care centers, pediatric departments in hospitals, and children recreational places within 3 cities of Pakistan. Child safety restraints usage was almost negligible in the study sample. Out of the total 375 vehicles, 318 parents/drivers participated in the interview survey. Results Almost half of the participants were found to be unaware of child car safety restraints. Those who knew, most commonly expressed unavailability, time taken in child car seat installation, and absence of law as the reasons behind not using the child car seats while another common reason was their misperception about the children age group for using child car seats. Driver's education level was found to be the most significant (p < 0.0001) demographic characteristic associated with the driver's awareness on child car seats as well as support towards their usage, initiation of awareness campaigns, and law implementation. Conclusions The findings of the study indicate a great need and potential for child car seat educational programs as well as market for such devices especially among educated and affluent parents. The findings of the study also identify parents’ behaviors and attitudes, existing problems, and highlight several challenges and recommendations for planners, policy makers, transportation safety specialists, pediatricians, law enforcement agencies, as well as manufacturers for promoting children road safety.@en