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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

[From the medical criticism to the psychotechnical discipline: doctor and automobile at the beginning of the automobile age].

This contribution focuses on medical and psychological discussions about the consequences of early automobilism in Germany. It can be shown that the medical profession was reasonable discordant concerning attitudes towards the motorcar. Whereas a growing number of doctors used the relative inexpensive and useful small cars, which were aggressively advertised by industry, an influential minority identified the risks and damages of motorized driving very clear sighted. Medical criticism was not fundamental but focused on personal mistakes of drivers or technical and technological inadequateness that could be removed. It therefore differed significantly from the basic opposition of several "enemies of progress".

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1977

Health effects of exposure to automobile exhaust--V. exposure of toll booth operators to automobile exhaust.

The exposures of automobile toll booth collectors in the Boston area to selected air contaminants were monitored during the four seasons from 1972 to 1974. The highest carbon monoxide concentrations were found at the in-city toll booths and the highest lead levels at the surburban booths. Biological monitoring for carbon monoxide and lead exposure were closely related to airborne contaminant levels. The study supports the need for environmental control for toll booths located at busy highway and tunnels.

Air↗
PubMed1978

Carbon monoxide automobile emissions measured from the interior of a traveling automobile.

During a procedure to monitor carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations inside a traveling car, it was discovered that CO emissions from individual passing vehicles produced accurately measurable increases in the CO concentration. The CO produced by individual vehicles varied by three orders of magnitude; this finding demonstrates that a relatively small number of cars can be responsible for a high percentage of total vehicle CO Emissions.

Automobile Driving↗
PubMed1985

[Is there a risk of noise-induced hearing loss in automobile drivers and in automobile sport racing?].

Professional racing drivers are exposed to extreme noise pollution by their high-capacity cars. For the purpose of evaluating the emissive noise of racing-cars, noise-level measurements on race-courses were undertaken. As a result noise-levels up to 130 dB (A) for the outer noises and 125 dB (A) for the inner region of the car were measured. Moreover, eighteen professional racing drivers as well as eleven employees, working in the pit, underwent audiometric investigations. Only one of the racing drivers showed noise deafness. This result can be explained by the short periods of exposure to the noise, which is 150-180 hours every year, and the regular wearing of ear-plugs. The employees working in the pits, however, showed distinct hearing impairments, explained above all, by their activities at the motor-test blocks. Incidentally this paper also deals with the noise sources of vehicles and the origin of noise deafness. There is no risk of noise deafness for this group of persons.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗
PubMed2006

Prevalence and predictors of home and automobile smoking bans and child environmental tobacco smoke exposure: a cross-sectional study of U.S.- and Mexico-born Hispanic women with young children.

BACKGROUND: Detrimental effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on child health are well documented. Because young children's primary exposure to ETS occurs in homes and automobiles, voluntary smoking restrictions can substantially reduce exposure. We assessed the prevalence of home and automobile smoking bans among U.S.- and Mexico-born Hispanics in the southwestern United States, and examined the influence of mother's country of birth and smoking practices on voluntary smoking bans and on child ETS exposure. METHODS: U.S.- and Mexico-born Hispanic mothers of children aged 2 through 12 years were systematically sampled from health clinics in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In-person interviews were conducted with 269 mothers (75.4% response rate) to obtain information on main study outcomes (complete versus no/partial home and automobile smoking bans; child room and automobile ETS exposure) and risk factors (mother's country of birth, maternal and household smoking behaviors). Data were analyzed with chi square tests and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Three-fourths (74-77%) of U.S.-born and 90-95% of Mexico-born mothers reported complete automobile and home smoking bans. In multivariate analyses, mother's U.S nativity, mother's current smoking, and presence of other adult smokers in the home were associated with significantly increased odds of not having a complete home or automobile smoking ban. Mother's smoking was associated with child ETS exposure both indoors (odds ratio [OR] = 3.31) and in automobiles (OR = 2.97). Children of U.S.-born mothers had increased odds of exposure to ETS indoors (OR = 3.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37-7.69), but not in automobiles. Having complete smoking bans was associated with substantially reduced odds of child ETS exposure both indoors (OR = 0.10; 95% CI: 0.04-0.27) and in automobiles (OR = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.05-0.36). CONCLUSION: This study of Hispanic mothers in the southwestern U.S. indicates that there are substantial differences between U.S.- and Mexico-born mothers in the prevalence of home and automobile smoking bans, and resulting child ETS exposure. Tobacco interventions to increase smoke-free environments for U.S. Hispanic children should focus on both home and automobile smoking practices, especially among U.S.-born mothers, and utilize strategies that impact smoking practices of all household members.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Relationship among house-dust mites, Der 1, Fel d 1, and Can f 1 on clothing and automobile seats with respect to densities in houses.

BACKGROUND: Locations where there are no dust mites or pets present may contain allergens that pose a risk factor for sensitizing and inducing rhinitis and asthma. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among the prevalence of mites and mite, dog, and cat allergens in homes, on clothing, and on automobile seats. METHODS: Over a 2-year period (July 1998 to July 2000), dust mite and mite, dog, and cat allergen densities were determined in homes, associated automobiles, and on the clothing of the drivers. During this period 87 homes were sampled one to five times each. RESULTS: Low levels of live and dead mites were present in most dust samples obtained from automobile seats and in 16% from clothing. Seventy-two and 50% of the home samples had >2 microg and >10 microg Der l/g of dust, respectively, whereas 23% of automobiles seat samples had >2 microg Der l/g of dust with a mean of 1.3 microg/g. Mite and Der 1 densities were not different for homes with or without pets. However, homes with pets had significantly more Fel d 1 or Can f 1 allergen than homes without pets. Homes without cats and dogs had an average of 93 and 29 microg/g of Fel d 1 and Can f 1, respectively, which was well above threshold levels for sensitization and induction of allergic reactions. Although most clothing had detectable levels of pet allergen, the levels of these allergens were low. CONCLUSIONS: Der 1 densities in some automobiles were sufficiently high (>2 microg/g of dust) to be risk factors for sensitization and allergic reactions. However, most automobile seats had levels of dog and cat allergen that were well above the threshold levels considered to be risk factors for both sensitization and symptoms, regardless of the presence of a pet in the home. The presence of live and dead mites and mite, cat, and dog allergens in automobiles and on clothing suggests that both are vehicles in the dispersal of mites and mite and pet allergen.

Allergens↗
PubMed1998

Resource utilization by injured automobile occupants and pedestrians.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the hospital resources utilized in treating pedestrian trauma would be significantly greater than that for automobile occupants. This was based on previous studies that showed that the demographic features and patterns of injury sustained by the pedestrian population were significantly different from that of automobile occupants. METHODS: A hospital-based study was designed utilizing retrospective analysis of a prospective trauma database. All primary retrievals of pedestrians (n=547) and automobile occupants (n=597) involved in accidents in Central Sydney from mid-1990 to mid-1995 were included. The length of hospital stay, use of the intensive care unit (ICU) and visits to the operating theatre (Standard Resource Cost) were compared. RESULTS: The age and injury severity scores were significantly higher for the pedestrian group. The length of stay (days) for the pedestrians (mean, 12 SD 14; median, 7 interquartile range (IQR) 13), was significantly higher (P < 0.0001 ) than that for the automobile occupants (mean, 7 SD 11; median, 2 IQR 6). The ICU utilization (days) for the pedestrians (mean, 1.3 SD 4.0; median, 0) was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than that of the automobile occupants (mean, 0.6 SD 2.9; median, 0). The average operating theatre utilization per pedestrian (0.65 visits) exceeded that of automobile occupants (0.43) by 50% (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms that the acute care of pedestrian injury utilizes more hospital resources than that of automobile occupants. Resources should be allocated to meet this need both in terms of hospital reimbursement and overall directives in public health policy.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2005

[Quantitative assessment of the risk of lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma among automobile mechanics].

BACKGROUND: A quantitative assessment of the risk of lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma among mechanics exposed to dust released from automobile asbestos-containing parts was performed. METHODS: The population of automobile mechanics in France, according to profession and industrial sectors codes, was estimated from the data of the 1999 census. Risks were computed for a total male population of 242,360 automobile mechanics aged 16 to 60 years. Exposure to asbestos among these workers comes from maintenance tasks involving asbestos-containing parts produced before 1997 (date of the asbestos ban in France). Airborne asbestos concentration data available from the literature were highly variable. No data reporting the distribution of time spent for such tasks over a typical week of work were available. Therefore, different weekly exposure profiles were simulated, based on data from the 1994 SUMER survey. Risk models were those used for assessing asbestos health effects by all national and international agencies. Exposure scenarios mixed different levels of exposure, periods of time, proportions of exposed workers and dates of the "natural" disappearance of the automobile fleet built before asbestos was banned in brakes and other parts. The most realistic scenario hypothesizes that all automobile mechanics were exposed to asbestos, that the exposure levels ranged from 0.06 and 0.25 fibers/liter per week for the period before 1997, and between 0.01 and 0.06 fibers/liter per week afterwards until 2010. RESULTS: According to this scenario, the number of lifelong cancer deaths (lung and pleura) induced by asbestos exposure in this population is estimated at 602 "unavoidable" cases, due to exposure experienced before 2003; 43 other cases will occur if asbestos is not removed from existing automobiles.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Life cycle assessment of switchgrass- and corn stover-derived ethanol-fueled automobiles.

Utilizing domestically produced cellulose-derived ethanol for the light-duty vehicle fleet can potentially improve the environmental performance and sustainability of the transport and energy sectors of the economy. A life cycle assessment model was developed to examine environmental implications of the production and use of ethanol in automobiles in Ontario, Canada. The results were compared to those of low-sulfur reformulated gasoline (RFG) in a functionally equivalent automobile. Two time frames were evaluated, one near-term (2010), which examines converting a dedicated energy crop (switchgrass) and an agricultural residue (corn stover) to ethanol; and one midterm (2020), which assumes technological improvements in the switchgrass-derived ethanol life cycle. Near-term results show that, compared to a RFG automobile, life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are 57% lower for an E85-fueled automobile derived from switchgrass and 65% lower for ethanol from corn stover, on a grams of CO2 equivalent per kilometer basis. Corn stover ethanol exhibits slightly lower life cycle GHG emissions, primarily due to sharing emissions with grain production. Through projected improvements in crop and ethanol yields, results for the mid-term scenario show that GHG emissions could be 25-35% lower than those in 2010 and that, even with anticipated improvements in RFG automobiles, E85 automobiles could still achieve up to 70% lower GHG emissions across the life cycle.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed2005

Unsafe driving in North American automobile commercials.

BACKGROUND: Motor-vehicle crashes (MVCs) are a leading cause of death of young Americans and Canadians. Aggressive driving and driving at high speed are frequently cited as contributing to crashes. Consumer and safety associations have raised concern that driving behaviour portrayed in automobile commercials may influence consumer-driving behaviour. However, the prevalence of aggressive driving in automobile commercials has not been systematically evaluated. OBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence and types of unsafe driving that are portrayed in United States and Canadian televised automobile commercials as well as the use of safety promotion and disclaimers. DESIGN: All English language automobile and truck commercials (>or=30 seconds in length), airing nationally on major broadcast and cable networks in either the United States or Canada during January or July between 1998 and 2002 were assessed by three independent raters for the presence and type of unsafe driving activity, presence of safety promotion and the use of written disclaimers in each commercial. RESULTS: Of 250 total commercials, 113 (45 per cent) contained an unsafe driving sequence as determined by at least two of three raters. Unanimous agreement as to the presence of an unsafe driving sequence was found in 63 (25 per cent) commercials. Aggressive driving accounted for 85 per cent of the unsafe driving sequences, including 56 per cent with speed violations. Safety promotion was present in 30 (12 per cent) commercials. Of 141 commercials in which the gender /sex of the driver was shown, 115 (81 per cent) displayed a male driver. CONCLUSION: Unsafe driving is prevalent in North American automobile commercials. Given the extent to which MVCs are a public health and economic concern, this finding seems in conflict with responsible advertising. The degree to which the portrayal of driving in automobile commercials affects consumer-driving behaviour should be an area of further investigation.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1995

One hundred years of automobile-induced orthopedic injuries.

As the automobile has evolved over its first 100 years, many changes have improved its safety and have resulted in lower fatality rates. To a great extent, physicians have provided the thrust for these improvements. Now, as more people survive automobile accidents, injuries to the musculoskeletal system take on importance as causes of individual disability and social cost. The patterns of automobile-induced orthopedic injuries continue to change. This article reviews the first 100 years of these injury patterns and relates their occurrence to specific automobile design features and oversights. Because any one automobile accident is likely to injury only a few people at most, trends and patterns are much more difficult to ascertain than for mass transit vehicular accidents. For this reason, physician awareness of contemporary injury patterns is the first step toward safer automobile design.

Accidents, Traffic↗