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Title Reducing Urban Speed Limits Decreases Work-related Traffic Injury Severity: Evidence from Santiago, Chile
Authors Eduardo Graells, Matías Toro, Gabriel Mansilla, Matías Nicolai, Santiago Mansilla, Jocelyn Dunstan
Publication date April 2025
Abstract Work-related transportation incidents significantly impact
urban
mobility and productivity. These incidents include traffic crashes,
collisions between vehicles, and falls that occurred during commuting or
work-related transportation (e.g., falling while getting off a bus during
the morning commute or while riding a bicycle for work). This study analyzes
a decade of work-related transportation incident data (2012-2021) in
Santiago, Chile, using records from a major worker's insurance company.
Using negative binomial regression, we assess the impact of a 2018 urban
speed limit reduction law on incident injury severity. We also explore
broader temporal, spatial, and demographic patterns in these incidents in
urban and rural areas.
The urban speed limit reduction is associated with a decrease of 4.26 days
in prescribed medical leave for incidents in urban areas, suggesting that
lower speed limits contribute to reduced injury severity. Our broader
analysis reveals distinct incident patterns across different groups. Workers
traveling by motorcycle and bicycle experience more severe injuries when
involved in traffic incidents, with marginal effects of 26.94 and 13.06
additional days of medical leave, respectively, compared to motorized
vehicles. Female workers tend to have less severe injuries, with an average
of 7.57 fewer days of medical leave. Age is also a significant factor, with
older workers experiencing more severe injuries -- each additional year of
age is associated with 0.57 more days of medical leave. Our results provide
insights for urban planning, transportation policy, and workplace safety
initiatives.
Pages article 101034
Volume 40
Journal name Travel Behaviour and Society
Publisher Elsevier Science (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Reference URL View reference page