Farmers' perceptions and concerns: the risks of driving farm vehicles on rural roadways in North Carolina

This study focuses on farmers' perceptions of roadway safety and reviews specific and pertinent North Carolina rural road crash data to evaluate their perceptions and concerns. A survey was mailed to 1,357 prospective participants throughout North Carolina. Of these, 656 (48.3%) North Carolina farmers completed and returned the survey. The study revealed that while the majority of respondents took a number of specific safety measures to ensure their safety while driving their tractor on rural roads, most believed that driving their tractor on rural roads was more dangerous than it was five years ago. Few respondents believed that laws governing tractors on rural roads are well known by urban residents. While a majority of the respondents would support a law to mandate the use of a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem on the back of slow-moving farm equipment, a majority also believed that a more effective way to mitigate potential crashes would be to ensure that all farm vehicles had blinking or flashing lights, that diamond-shaped caution signs depicting a tractor were posted on roadways with frequent tractor traffic, and that roadway shoulders were created or widened on roads with heavy farm traffic so that tractors could move off the roadway. Only 22% of respondents felt safe driving their tractor on rural roadways in North Carolina. Most respondents felt that the biggest problem with roadway safety was the lack of respect and increased speed of other drivers. Recent data indicate that in crashes involving farm vehicles, citations were issued to 34% of the non-farm vehicle operators and 24% to farm vehicle operators. For those driving non-farm vehicle who were deemed at fault, 66% were cited for failure to reduce speed. For those driving farm vehicles, the most frequent citation involved the lack of safe movement.     

Slow-moving vehicles in Swedish traffic

The objective of this study was to reach a better understanding of accidents on Swedish roads involving slow-moving vehicles and to suggest ways of preventing such accidents. We analyzed accident data from a 5-year period (1992-1996) involving all types of farm vehicles as well as horses and horse-drawn vehicles. During each year of the period under investigation, slow-moving vehicles were involved in more than 250 traffic accidents on Swedish roads, and an average of 10 people were killed, 66 sustained serious injuries, and 192 sustained slight injuries. This was about 1.3% of all persons injured in traffic accidents in Sweden. The deaths and injuries mostly involved car drivers and passengers. Tractor drivers and unprotected road users (people walking or traveling by motorcycle, moped, or bicycle) also sustained serious injuries and deaths. Vehicles overtaking slow-moving vehicles from behind were the most common type of accident (30%), followed by turning accidents (27%), accidents at crossroads (26%), and with oncoming vehicles (17%). To strengthen the suggestions for improvement, a questionnaire was sent out to driving school teachers in Sweden. Subjects were asked about their experiences with farm vehicles on the roads and their suggestions for ways to increase traffic safety. Based on the accident data and the questionnaire responses, we developed several suggestions for reducing road accidents, including measures for making farm vehicles more visible, improvement of the training provided at driving schools, and information campaigns directed at drivers of farm vehicles and other road users. Further in-depth research is needed to analyze road accidents involving slow-moving vehicles and to test different intervention measures.     

Nighttime impaired driving in rural Alberta

A nighttime roadside survey of rural Alberta drivers was conducted to quantify the nature and extent of impaired driving on Alberta's rural roads during nighttime. The survey also sought to describe driver demographics and information about the trip, such as origin and destination, among rural Alberta's nighttime drivers. Surveys were administered to drivers of vehicles that were randomly sampled at rural locations in Alberta between the hours of 10:00 PM and 4:00 AM between 22 August and 1 September 2001. Drivers who agreed to participate were asked a series of short questions. The interview concluded with the driver providing a breath sample to measure the driver's BAC level. Of the drivers surveyed, 3% had a BAC that was over the legal limit of 80 mg%. A total of 13% of drivers tested had detectable amounts of alcohol in their system.     

仿生玉米掰穗装置掰穗速度与功耗试验

目前国内外采用的玉米摘穗装置均存在着籽粒破损率高、含杂率高和功率消耗大等问题,为解决上述问题,该文采用模仿人工收获玉米果穗的方式,设计了仿生玉米掰穗装置。首先进行拉力测试试验,分别在静态与动态2种条件下对传统摘穗方式与仿生掰穗方式收获玉米果穗所需力进行测量,验证仿生掰穗方式可行性;然后设计仿生玉米掰穗装置试验台并进行掰穗速度与功率消耗的综合试验,得到掰穗手速度与纯功率消耗的关系。试验表明:静态传统摘穗方式与仿生掰穗方式收获玉米果穗平均所需力分别为435和41.4 N。动态传统摘穗方式与仿生掰穗方式收获果穗平均所需力分别202.5和20.7 N。仿生掰穗比传统摘穗所需力大大减少。与传统玉米收获装置相比(正常工作速度1.2 m/s),该装置功率消耗低,约为36 W,小于传统一对摘穗辊消耗的纯功率(240 W)。该研究为玉米收获机摘穗部件的改进提供了参考。     

Identifying training needs of logging truck drivers using a skill inventory

The purpose of this research was to determine if the Driver Skill Inventory (DSI) could be used to characterize the self-assessed driving performance of commercial logging truck drivers. The DSI requires respondents to subjectively evaluate their own ability in regard to 15 different driving skills. The DSI responses of 1000 logging truck drivers were collected across three southeastern states. The underlying hypothesis in the current study was that DSI responses of these drivers would have similar reliability and factor structure as those DSI responses collected from non-commercial drivers in previous studies. Factor analysis of the data confirmed this hypothesis. Statistical analysis revealed that low self-ratings on various safety skill items within the DSI inventory were associated with: (1) inconsistency in using seat belts, (2) inconsistency in performing pre-trip inspections on logging trucks, and (3) committing moving violations. Conversely, high self-ratings ratings on various perceptual-motor skill items were associated with these same at-risk behaviors. The perceptual-motor skill items were also positively associated with negative attitudes toward driving regulations and the number of moving violations incurred over a three-year period. Non-parametric statistical analysis revealed that self-assessments were lowest for DSI skills pertaining to controlling one's anger while driving and managing the truck through a skid or slide. Results of the study confirmed that the DSI can be successfully applied to commercial logging truck drivers as part of an overall comprehensive training needs assessment.     

Temporal and spatial variability in root reinforcement of streambanks: Accounting for soil shear strength and moisture

Riparian vegetation exerts a number of mechanical and hydrologic controls on bank stability, which can affect the delivery of sediment to channels. Estimates of root reinforcement of soils have commonly been attained using perpendicular root models that simply sum root tensile strengths and consider these as an add-on factor to soil strength. A major limitation of such perpendicular models is that tensile strength and resistance is wrongly considered to be independent of soil type and moisture, and therefore variations according to these bank properties are omitted in conventional models. In reality, during mass failure of a streambank, some roots break, and some roots are pulled out of the soil intact; the relative proportions of roots that break or pull out are determined by a combination of soil moisture and shear strength. In this paper an equation to predict the frictional resistance of root–soil bonds was tested against field data collected at Long Creek, MS, under two soil moisture conditions. The root pullout equations were then included in the root-reinforcement model, RipRoot, and bank stability model runs for Goodwin Creek, MS, were carried out in order to examine the effects of spatial and temporal variations in soil shear strength and rooting density, on streambank factor of safety. Model results showed that at smaller root diameters breaking forces exceeded pullout forces, but at larger root diameters pullout forces exceed breaking forces. The threshold diameter between root pullout and root breaking varied with soil shear strength, with increasing soil shear strength leading to a greater proportion of roots failing by breaking instead of pullout. Root-reinforcement estimates were shown to reflect changes in soil shear strength, for example, brought about by variations in soil matric suction. Resulting Factor of safety (F_S) values for the bank during the period modeled ranged from 1.36 to 1.74 with 1000 grass roots/m², compared to a range of 0.97 to 1.37 for the non-vegetated bank. Root reinforcement was shown to increase bank stability under the entire range of soil moisture conditions modeled. However, the magnitude of root reinforcement varied in both space and time as determined by soil shear strength and soil moisture.     

Roads as sources of heavy metals in urban areas. The Covões catchment experiment,Coimbra, Portugal

Purpose

This work studies the implications of different traffic patterns for heavy metal and solid pollution generation processes following rainfall events with contrasting antecedent meteorological conditions, at a periurban catchment. The aim is to provide information on the pollution processes and their potential environmental impacts for urban areas.

Materials and methods

Seven campaigns were performed covering winter, spring, and summer conditions, for rainfall events with different antecedent conditions. Four types of roads were monitored: low traffic, average traffic, heavy traffic with demanding driving situations (break and turning), and heavy traffic with high vehicle speed (motorway profile). Samples were taken at the beginning, middle and end of the events to measure within event variation in concentration. Analytical standard procedures were used to quantify pH, conductivity, turbidity, total solids, volatile solids, suspended solids, volatile suspended solids and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in the total and dissolved forms (as to infer the particulate fraction), namely copper, zinc, cadmium and lead.

Results and discussion

The collected data show a direct relation among the number of vehicles and/or the driving manoeuvres performed by them and the amount of solids and heavy metals present in the wash out overland flow collected. An important fraction of the heavy metals is washed off in the particulate form, which represents an increased problem since the road overland flow is directed to green/brown areas and for the local aquatic ecosystems. Maximum copper values recorded exceed 0.6 mh L^?1, zinc exceeds 5 mg L^?1, lead 0.1 mg L^?1 and cadmium 0.01 mg L^?1. Values are higher after long dry spells and reduce concentration throughout the rainfall events.

Conclusions

An important part of the heavy metals (with relevance for zinc and lead) are washed off in the particulate form, pollutants are typically related to the amount of traffic, and especially to the existence of driving manoeuvres. The summer events show the highest values, due to the accumulation of pollutants during the long dry spells.

     

Ohio farm safety day camps: developing a successful statewide program through surveillance and evaluation

To address the at-risk population of rural youth, Ohio State University Extension initiated a statewide farm safety day camp program, partnering with other state sponsors. The program has completed a ten-year anniversary, and evaluation data from the 79 camp sessions held within that timeframe (N = 15,440; response rate = 79.4%) were analyzed. The objectives of the evaluation were to determine youth perceptions of their experience as well as determine if the camp sessions accurately targeted high injury-causing agents. Overall, 75.0% of the campers were satisfied with the program, 76.0% reported that they learned from their participation, and 71.2% agreed that the information was relevant and useful. Popular topics taught at the day camps were consistent with the most prevalent on-farm injury hazards affecting youth populations, including livestock safety, ATV safety, lawn and garden safety, tractor and machinery safety, electrical safety, and water safety.     

村域尺度的不同乡村发展类型多功能特征与振兴方略

村域是中国农村社会经济活动的基本单元,科学划分乡村发展类型是分区分类推进乡村振兴的基础和关键。该研究在考虑规划约束的前提下,从经济条件、交通区位、资源禀赋和生态环境质量4个维度构建密云区乡村综合发展评价指标体系,并借助SOFM网络模型和地理探测器工具系统划分乡村发展类型。结果表明:1)在经济发展、交通区位等综合影响下,密云区乡村发展的空间分异特征明显,其发展水平总体呈现"水库南部水库北部"的特点。其中,密云镇、穆家峪镇和十里堡镇内的乡村发展最为突出,其乡村发展均处于较高级别以上;古北口镇和新城子镇的乡村发展弱。2)将密云区乡村划分为经济交通主导高水平区、交通生态主导高水平区、资源生态主导中高水平区等7大类,其中交通生态主导高水平区和经济生态主导中高水平区是主要的乡村发展类型,集中分布在不老屯、大城子、巨各庄、穆家峪、西田各庄、冯家峪和溪翁庄等镇。交通生态主导高水平区村庄生态环境质量较高,交通区位优势明显,叠加上较强的经济实力,乡村综合发展水平高。经济生态主导中高水平区村庄具有较强的经济发展水平和生态环境质量,乡村综合发展水平也较高。3)基于多功能视角梳理各类型区的功能特征,遵循"重点发展优势功能、适度提升弱势功能"的思路提出村庄振兴建议,以期为制订差异化的乡村振兴策略提供依据。     

轮式拖拉机线控液压转向系统路感特性与评价

针对路感特性是线控转向技术的难点之一,设计与评价了轮式拖拉机线控液压转向系统的路感特性。分析了路感的评价指标、产生机理及拖拉机等农用车辆行车环境差异大的特殊性;实测了拖拉机在旱地、土路、水泥路、沥青路等路面上的原地转向与行驶时的转向阻力,以指导设计模式化路感特性与模式识别系统。农田作业模式侧重于路感的轻便性,驾驶员作用在方向盘上的切向力为2~10.127 N,车速低于11 km/h;非农田作业模式侧重于路感的真实度,切向力范围为2.5~52.5 N,车速低于30 km/h。完成了路感的主观评价,评价结果表明模式化路感特性可以令驾驶员满意。设计的模式化路感可以有效改善拖拉机的驾驶感觉,推动线控液压转向系统的发展。     

豫南丘陵山区农村居民点用地分布影响因素及时空异质性分析

为探究城镇化进程中农村居民点格局演变特征及其影响因素,以豫南丘陵山区光山县为例,采用空间自相关分析和局部线性地理加权回归模型(LLGWR)分析了农村居民点用地分布的集聚特征及其影响因素的时空异质性。结果显示：光山县农村居民点主要集聚于县域的中北部,其影响因素存在着显著的时间和空间非平稳性,在不同区位对农村居民点分布的作用强度不同。1985年农村居民点分布的影响因素包括地理地貌因素和距离交通条件,分别为海拔高度、距最近国道、省道、水系距离和距最近县城距离。到了2015年,地理地貌因素的影响作用有所减弱,除海拔高度、距最近国道、省道距离外,农村居民点分布影响因素还包括城镇化率和农户密度。总体而言,适宜的海拔高度、通达的道路交通、较高的城镇化率和人口密度对农村居民点分布具有促进作用。     

The farm apprentice: agricultural college students recollections of learning to farm "safely"

A consistent message in the farm safety literature is the need to develop effective interventions to manage the unacceptably high rate of injury and death among farm children. To better understand the influence of childhood farm experiences on safety beliefs, attitudes, and practices, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 farm youth attending the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. The interviews were designed to elicit information pertaining to participants' earliest memories of involvement in farm activities, the decision-making processes that led them to assume work-related responsibilities, and the roles that their parents played in their safety training. A common theme of experiencing childhood as a "farm apprentice" emerged across all narratives whereby farm activities were learned primarily through observational learning and modeling of parents and then mastered through repetition. As "farm apprentices," the youths' involvement in dangerous activities such as tractor driving and livestock handling began at early ages, with very little formal training and supervision. Although participants clearly described themselves as being exposed to dangerous activities, they believed that they had the capacity to control the risks and farm safely. Based on our findings, the concept of the "farm apprentice" appears to be integral to the social context of the farming community and should be considered in the design of interventions to reduce child injury and death.     

发达国家乡村转型特征与中国特色乡村发展路径探索

实施乡村振兴战略,首先要按规律办事。该研究提炼了西方发达国家乡村发展实践中功能转型、经济转型、社会转型、村落转型和政策演进等方面的共性特征,总结了中国乡村具有担负粮食安全任务、并联式现代化环境、家户小农主体、流动性多元化社会、聚落空间变革、发展基础薄弱等方面的特性。在此基础上,探索提出了树立城乡等值理念、重视粮食生产与农业现代化、培育壮大乡村二三产业、以精明收缩指导空间优化、巩固乡土文化和创新机制政策等中国特色乡村发展路径建议,为中国乡村建设提供理论支撑,为政策制定提供策略参考。     

农村土地综合整治的内在驱动力分析

为充分发挥农村土地综合整治的积极作用,从理论上探究其与城乡统筹发展的关系,从历史角度对其进行定位,并进行理论升华。在对农村土地整治内涵剖析的基础上,从经济、社会、政治3个方面分析农村土地综合整治的内在驱动力,揭示了农村土地综合整治对社会经济的积极影响,进而对农村土地综合整治进行了理性思考,最后从规划管理、决策机制、产权制度、收益分配、主导主体和配套制度等方面提出相关的对策建议,该文为进一步推进农村土地综合整治提供了较好的理论支撑和实践参考。     

国道和乡村道路条件下三轮汽车的排放特性

为了分析实际道路行驶时三轮汽车的排放特征,该研究利用车载排放测试系统(portable emission measurement system,PEMS)对国道和乡村道2种道路条件下的10辆三轮汽车的常规气态污染物和颗粒物进行了排放测试。结果发现:在2种道路条件下的3种行驶工况(加速工况、匀速工况和减速工况)中,三轮汽车在加速工况下的各项排放因子均高于其他工况;加速工况下,CO的平均排放因子高出匀速工况和减速工况的0.7倍和1.7倍;3种工况条件下,三轮汽车在乡村道上行驶产生的排放均高于国道;对比速度、加速度和排放速率等高线图发现,在不同道路条件下CO、HC和PM排放速率峰值出现在车速较低而加速度较大的区域;对比国道和乡村道上颗粒物数量浓度分布发现,2种道路条件的分布规律相似,以核模态和积聚模态颗粒为主;在乡村道上行驶时,粗粒子模态颗粒数量浓度高于国道上的。该研究成果为三轮汽车的排放控制提供了参考。     

山区乡村多功能发展与乡村聚落演变的耦合机理

探究山区乡村功能多元化与乡村聚落演变的耦合关系,对山区乡村振兴和乡村可持续发展具有重要意义。通过构建二者的耦合协调综合评价指标体系,利用耦合协调度模型和地理探测器等方法,以三峡库区腹地奉节县为研究区,定量探究了乡村功能多元化与乡村聚落演变的耦合关系及驱动机制,进而提出了相关建议。结果表明：1）研究区乡村功能多元化和乡村聚落演变综合指数呈上升趋势;两系统耦合协调度逐年增长,失调乡镇数量减少,在空间上呈现“西低东高,南低北高”的发展态势。2）乡村功能多元化与乡村聚落演变耦合协调度具有明显的空间集聚特征,高高集聚区域主要集中在永安街道等中心城镇的郊区。3）基于功能多元化综合指数与聚落演变综合指数的增减关系,该文将各乡镇归纳为活力型、衰退型、转型型和传统型4种耦合模式。4）人口密度、人均GDP、人类活动强度等社会经济因素是主要驱动因子,各因子间的交互作用大部分为非线性增强和双因子增强。该文的研究方法和研究结果可为其他地区进行相关研究以及制定差异化的村落振兴方案提供参考。     

我国与欧美化肥重金属限量标准的比较和启示

本文介绍了欧盟各国以及美国部分州的化肥重金属限量标准的制定过程和阈值,分析了我国相关标准制定中存在的不足。我国化肥重金属限量标准是针对肥料种类来制定的,肥料种类之间重金属限量值及限制的重金属种类均存在很大差异。限量标准有国家标准,也有行业标准。不少单质化肥及复合肥标准中没有重金属限量指标,但对由单质化肥配制的水溶性复混肥料则制定了非常严格的限量标准。我国重金属限量标准的制定缺乏理论依据和试验数据支撑,标准公布后也缺少制定依据的说明和解释。美国是根据磷肥及微量元素肥料种类和用量两方面来设定重金属限量标准,该标准由美国环保局(USEPA)等机构根据化肥中有害元素对人类健康风险评估模型制定的,并参考了长期的田间定位试验数据和食物中重金属的风险评估调查数据。美国植物食品控制管理协会(AAPFCO)根据上述风险评估结果提出了化肥中重金属的限量标准,美国各州则在参考该标准的基础上根据各州法律法规实施。欧盟目前没有统一的化肥重金属限量标准,各国各自规定了相关标准。建议我国参考发达国家的标准制定方式建立重金属的危害风险评价体系;根据大量、中量与微量元素肥料类别及施用量,区分不同重金属的限量,且所有化肥所含的重金属进入农田的限量标准应保持一致。建议制定标准应进行环境、食品安全等调查与长期定位试验,以科学数据为依据,制定适合我国国情的化肥重金属限量标准。     

A summary of state laws regulating youth operating farm tractors on highways

Driving farm tractors on highways is hazardous for youth due to the large speed differential between motor vehicles and agricultural vehicles, as well as recent increases in traffic volume on many rural roads. In 1994, the state of Wisconsin enacted legislation requiring youth who operate farm tractors on highways to complete a tractor and machinery certification course. We were interested in finding out whether other states have similar requirements. The purpose of this project was to collect and summarize state laws regulating youth who operate farm tractors on highways in the U.S. A systematic method was used that included an initial Lexis-Nexis database search followed by internet searches in combination with follow-up email and telephone communications when missing or unclear results were obtained. The findings show that 14 states have legislation addressing youth who operate farm tractors on highways. The content of these statutes varies, but includes driver's license or educational requirements, as well as regulations concerning the ages, locations, and/or times of day when youth may drive farm machinery on highways. This compilation of state laws will be useful information for agricultural safety professionals in designing effective outreach programs. A synthesis of the findings may also lead to the development of model legislation or inform future research efforts aimed at preventing youth farm tractor crashes on highways.     

采用安全韧性理论的农村居民点空间布局优化

安全韧性是农村居民点存续发展的基础和保障,能有效指导乡村振兴背景下农村居民点的空间布局优化。该研究以内蒙古武川县可可以力更镇（可镇）为例,基于安全韧性理论,界定农村居民点安全韧性的内涵和特征;借助景观格局指数,分析可镇农村居民点空间分布现状;基于农村居民点安全韧性特征,从适宜性、冗余度、适应性和自组织性4个维度构建农村居民点安全韧性评价指标体系并测算其安全韧性等级;基于评价结果,结合《国家乡村振兴战略规划（2018-2022年）》及《关于统筹推进村庄规划工作的意见》,确定可镇农村居民点空间布局优化类型,并提出相应的空间布局优化策略。结果表明：1）农村居民点安全韧性是一个过程性概念,具有阶段性特征,包括防御阶段、恢复阶段和适应阶段,各个阶段有其显著特征,依次为适宜性、冗余度、适应性,以及贯穿于整个过程的独立自主能力;2） 可镇农村居民点安全韧性整体水平较高,安全级别以上的农村居民点斑块共87个,占可镇总面积的52.5%,在空间上呈现出\     

中国农村厕所改造及粪污处理标准体系研究

农村无害化卫生厕所改造可以有效地减少农村地区粪-口传播疾病的发病率,保障人民群众身体健康和生活品质。2018年以来,农业农村部会同有关部门积极行动,大力推进农村厕所革命,取得了积极成效。然而,一些地方农村厕所\