title: Heavy Vehicle Crash Characteristics in Oman 2009-2011.
abstract: In recent years, Oman has seen a shift in the burden of diseases towards road accidents. The main objective of this paper, therefore, is to describe key characteristics of heavy vehicle crashes in Oman and identify the key driving behaviours that influence fatality risks. Crash data from January 2009 to December 2011 were examined and it was found that, of the 22,543 traffic accidents that occurred within this timeframe, 3,114 involved heavy vehicles. While the majority of these crashes were attributed to driver behaviours, a small proportion was attributed to other factors. The results of the study indicate that there is a need for a more thorough crash investigation process in Oman. Future research should explore the reporting processes used by the Royal Oman Police, cultural influences on heavy vehicle operations in Oman and improvements to the current licensing system.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; ; Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, Directorate General of Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Islam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Al-Bulushi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia;
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia;
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.affiliation: Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia;
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University;
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Reesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Al-Shamsi
keywords: Accident Prevention; Automobile Driving; Oman; Safety; Traffic Accidents