Characterizing the Role of Wind and Dust in Traffic Accidents in California.

ABSTRACT: Wind is a common ground transportation hazard. In arid regions, wind-blown dust is an added risk. Here, we analyzed the relationship between accidents and wind speed, dust events to study how they may have contributed to vehicular accidents in California. The California Highway Patrol reports information about weather conditions that potentially contributed to traffic accidents, including a code for wind but not for reduced visibility due to dust. For the three counties that contain the major dust source regions in California (the Mojave Desert and the Imperial Valley), we found greater daily maximum wind speed for days with accidents coded for wind compared to all days with accidents. The percentage of people injured in accidents attributed for weather other than wind and coded for wind w

SUBMITTER: Bhattachan A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7007095 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature