Marjo Hippi

Wireless traffic safety network for incident and weather information

Vehicular wireless communications with Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANET) utilizing Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication tools are key technological approaches in efforts to improve traffic safety and efficiency. The European project WiSafeCar (under the Celtic cluster of the EUREKA network) has as one of its key targets to develop an intelligent hybrid wireless traffic safety network between vehicles and infrastructure. Vehicle based sensors and observations are exploited to generate intelligent real-time services on a service platform for vehicles. WiSafeCar considers not only urban areas, but also the special case of operating in rural areas where no high-density base station (road side unit) network for V2I communication is available. Hybrid communication of cellular and IEEE 802.11p based wireless vehicular networking has been employed, with the primary objective of the cellular communication to provide an alternative solution in areas outside of the range of the wireless vehicular network.

587 Pedestrian slipping injuries compared to weather

Background Slipping injuries use to happen through the year but winter time with ice and snow increases the risk of slipping injuries. Young people use to slip more often than older ones but slipping injuries becomes typically more harmful when the person becomes older. Slipping injuries are a big problem not only economically but also because causing long sick leaves among the people on the best work age. Methods The amount of slipping injuries can be seen especially from the database maintained by Federation of Accident Insurance Institutions. That database includes injuries and accidents which have happened when walking from home to work, during work day or on way from work to home. This database is very reliable and gives a good outlook of happened injuries and accidents. Posti is a big organisation where employees are working outside when delivering newspapers (early in the morning) and magazines and other post (in the daytime). Posti has their own database that includes information about injuries and other related data. The information of slipping injuries from different sources and weather data are compared in this study. Results The level of slipping injuries is clearly higher during winter time than during summer time. There seems to be quite visible correlation between temperature and number of slipping injuries, sometimes also snowfall seems to correlate quite well with the number of daily injuries. When temperature drops below zero degrees the number of slipping injuries use to raise. Conclusions Slipping injuries are very common problem especially in countries located in places where ice and snow exist on winter time. There should be lot of potential available to decrease the number of slip injuries. This study presents the statistics of the slip injuries compared to weather. Also, suggestions are given how the awareness of the slipperiness could be improved.

897 FMI’s warning service – warnings about slippery walkways

Background Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) has developed a numerical weather model that simulates the level of slipperiness on the walkways. The model classifies the walkway slipperiness into three classes; normal, slippery and very slippery. Normal means that there is not ice or snow on the surface. Slippery condition means that snow and ice may exist, but the surface has relatively good grip and normal walking is possible. Very slippery walkway condition is expected if walkway is covered by ice and there is water or light snow above the ice layer. Sometimes packed snow can be very slippery, too. FMI is giving warnings if very slippery walkway condition is expected. Description of the problem Icy and snowy walkways are very typical in Finland during winter. Slipperiness due to ice and snow on walkways increases the risk of pedestrians’ slipping injuries. Almost every second person slips annually in Finland and around 50 000 persons are injured needing medical attention. Big part of the injuries happen outside on winter time when ground is covered by ice or snow. Emergency departments are crowded during the most slippery days. Economic losses due to slip injuries are around 420 million euros yearly, that sum includes costs in health care, lost workdays and general welfare. Results (effects/changes) There should be lots of possibilities to reduce the number of slipping injuries and costs related to injuries. FMI’s warnings about slippery pedestrian pavement condition is one way to improve the safety among the pedestrians. Pedestrians may reserve more time for travelling, choose the way of travelling or use anti-slip devices if very slippery pavement condition is forecasted. Conclusions Slip injuries are a big problem causing economic losses and long sick leaves. FMI’s warnings about slippery walkway condition is one way to inform the predicted slipperiness and increase awareness of slipperiness among the citizens.