Translocations are an established element of restoration plans for threatened species, but success in establishing new populations is often limited, highlighting the need for careful evaluation of translocation efforts. Variation among individuals may contribute to poorly placed translocations, particularly when there is variation in the spatial ecology of target species. As a test of this we investigated the spatial ecology of imperiled New England cottontail ( Sylvilagus transitionalis (Bangs, 1895)) in Rhode Island, USA. We combined telemetry data with remotely-sensed vegetation data to evaluate the home ranges, resource selection, and survival of translocated cottontails at three sites, including one where we also tracked resident cottontails. Despite instances of alignment among individuals, we found a wide span of home range estimates and high individual variability on resource selection. Both of these results suggest that population-level inferences of translocated individuals may fail to capture important aspects of animal ecology at the individual level. Further, we found lower survival compared to residents at one of our sites and literature values for other resident populations. Our results suggest that there are benefits to considering variation among individuals when designing management plans to support translocations.

Social vulnerability refers to the susceptibility of individuals or communities to harm and is influenced by various inequities related to resources, opportunities, and social conditions. This study aims to investigate the association of motor vehicle crash fatalities with community vulnerability and variations between urban, suburban, and rural areas. Negative binomial regression models were used to estimate cross-sectional associations of population-based motor vehicle crash fatality rates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) across all Census Tracts in the United States in 2018-2022. Associations were allowed to vary by area type. A decile increase in vulnerability was associated with 11% higher fatality rates in urban areas and 9% higher fatality rates in suburban areas (P <0.001) but only a 1% higher fatality rate in rural areas (P = 0.08). When individual components of vulnerability were examined, fatality rates were most strongly associated with the racial and ethnic minority status theme of the SVI in urban areas but with the socioeconomic status theme in suburban areas and rural areas. Most dimensions of the vulnerability measure were associated more strongly with pedestrian fatalities than with total crash fatalities. Strategies to reduce roadway mortality should account for complex relationships between social vulnerability and geographic location. Future research examining these relationships may help develop interventions that go beyond improving traffic safety, such as addressing social and economic inequities.

Abstract Background Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of injury death among adults aged 65 and older in the U.S., second only to falls. A common state-level approach to mitigating older adult crash risk is the implementation of driver license renewal policies which vary largely between states and data on their effectiveness in preventing crashes and injuries are limited. To fill this gap, the aim of this study is to examine the association between state driver license renewal policies and older driver crash and injury rates. Methods Historical crash data, license renewal policy data, and other relevant policy and demographic data were gathered from 13 U.S. states (CO, IL, IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, UT, WI, WY) for years 2000 through 2019, inclusive. Main exposures included six license renewal policies: renewal period, in-person renewal frequency, vision testing, knowledge testing, on-road drive testing, and mandatory physician reporting. The primary outcomes were crash and injury rates per 100,000 population. Results The study population included 19,010,179 crash-involved drivers aged 40 and older. State policies became less restrictive in many states over the study period, even for drivers aged 75 and older, resulting in longer times between renewals and fewer in-person renewal requirements. Loosening of in-person renewal from every time to less than every time was associated with increased crash rates, among drivers aged 65 to 74 (RRcrash = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.01–1.16). A longer duration between in-person renewals was associated with increased injury rates among drivers 75 and older (RRinjury = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.00–1.39). Conclusions Generally, state policies became less restrictive and resulted in longer required intervals between license renewal. Loosening of driver license renewal policies was associated with increased crash and injury rates. However, safety benefits of restrictive older driver licensing policies should be carefully weighed against costs to older adult well-being and quality of life following licensure loss. Additional methods to assess fitness to drive are necessary to identify the mechanisms behind the increased rates.

Herbivores are challenged when selecting a diet because many plants have limited nutritional value and some use defenses to avoid being eaten. Understanding diet selection of herbivores in most landscapes also involves choices between native versus nonnative plant species which, in turn, informs management actions to conserve the species. The New England Cottontail, Sylvilagus transitionalis (Bangs 1895)—a species on the decline—is the focus of a large conservation consortium. We conducted microhistological analyses of field collected fecal samples and field surveys of plant species available to determine winter diet of New England cottontails on Patience Island, Rhode Island. Energy density (total nitrogen, crude fat, energy, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, ash, and total phenolics) was measured for each of the available plants. A used-available framework was used to determine the selection of each species identified in their feces and how this related to the measured nutritionally relevant constituents. We hypothesized that New England cottontails would select plant species with higher protein and energy values and select native versus nonnative plant species. Unexpectedly, New England cottontails did not select plants with higher protein or energy content but rather plants with higher phenolic and ash levels. In addition, New England cottontails strongly selected native plant species. Our results support previous research that New England cottontails are generalist herbivores, but that plant defenses and whether the plants are native play a role in diet selection.

Journal Article Accepted manuscript COVID-19 Pandemic Exacerbated Socioeconomic Disparities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities Get access Brian C Tefft, Brian C Tefft AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Washington, DC, United States Correspondence Address: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 607 14th Street NW, Suite 701 Washington, DC 20005 UNITED STATES Tel: +1 (202) 639-3407 BTefft@aaafoundation.org Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Rebecca Steinbach Rebecca Steinbach AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Washington, DC, United States Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar American Journal of Epidemiology, kwae068, https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwae068 Published: 16 May 2024 Article history Received: 24 April 2023 Revision received: 10 April 2024 Accepted: 14 May 2024 Published: 16 May 2024

Objective The current study investigated the factors that predict drowsy drivers’ decisions regarding whether to take breaks versus continue driving during long simulator drives. Background Driver drowsiness contributes to substantial numbers of motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and deaths. Previous research has shown that taking a nap and consuming caffeine can temporarily mitigate drowsiness and enable continued safe driving. Method Ninety drivers completed a 150-mile highway drive in a driving simulator after a day of partial sleep restriction. Drivers passed several simulated rest areas where they could take breaks. To replicate drivers’ motivation to reach their destination safely but also quickly, drivers were told that they would be paid more for completing the simulated drive faster but would forfeit their payment if they crashed. Results Break taking was predicted by drivers’ self-ratings of drowsiness and by the severity of lane departures. However, even at the highest levels of drowsiness, most drivers bypassed simulated rest areas without stopping. In comparing self-rated drowsiness to drowsiness measured by eye closures, drivers often under- and over-estimate their own level of drowsiness. Conclusion Drowsy drivers use their own self-assessed drowsiness when deciding whether to take breaks. These self-assessments are often incorrect, and even when drivers rate themselves as severely drowsy they are unlikely to stop to rest during long drives. Application The findings reveal the need for effective drowsy driving countermeasures to motivate drivers to stop to take breaks. Results underscore the need to educate and/or motivate drivers to respond sooner to warning signs of drowsiness.

Objective The current study examined whether differences in the branding and description or mode of training materials influence drivers’ understanding and expectations of a partial driving automation system. Background How technology is described might influence consumers’ understanding and expectations, even if all information is accurate. Method Ninety drivers received training about a real partial driving automation system with a fictitious name. Participants were randomly assigned to a branding condition (system named AutonoDrive, training emphasized capabilities; or system named DriveAssist, training emphasized limitations) and training mode (quick-start brochure; video; or in-person demonstration). No safety-critical information was withheld nor deliberately misleading information provided. After training, participants drove a vehicle equipped with the system. Associations of drivers’ expectations with branding condition and training mode were assessed using between-subjects comparisons of questionnaire responses obtained pre- and post-drive. Results Immediately after training, those who received information emphasizing the system’s capabilities had greater expectations of the system’s function and crash avoidance capability in a variety of driving scenarios, including many in which the system would not work, as well as greater willingness to utilize the system’s workload reduction benefits to take more risks. Most but not all differences persisted after driving the vehicle. Expectations about collision avoidance differed by training mode pre-drive but not post-drive. Conclusion Training that emphasizes a partial driving automation system’s capabilities and downplays its limitations can foster overconfidence. Application Accuracy of technical information does not guarantee understanding; training should provide a balanced view of a system’s limitations as well as capabilities.

Driver drowsiness contributes to substantial numbers of motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and deaths. Previ-ous research has shown that taking a nap and consuming caffeine can temporarily mitigate drowsiness and enable continued safe driving. The current study sought to investigate what factors influenced drowsy drivers’ decisions regarding whether to take breaks versus continue driving. Ninety drivers completed a 150-mile highway drive in a driving simulator, beginning at 11pm or 2:30am, after a day of partial sleep restriction. Drivers were given the opportunity to stop, rest, and obtain caffeinated beverages at simulated rest areas throughout the drive. To replicate drivers’ motivation to reach their destination safely but also quickly, drivers were told that they would be paid more for completing the simulated drive faster but would forfeit their payment if they crashed. Self-reported subjective drowsiness was significantly associated with break-taking decisions for breaks that were attributed to drowsiness; however, even at the highest levels of drowsiness, most drivers bypassed simulated rest areas without stopping. Results underscore the need to educate and/or motivate drivers to respond sooner to warning signs of drowsiness.

With the driver responsibilities that are required to safely operate ADAS driving systems, it is critical that users understand the capabilities and limitations of these systems. The present study was a secondary analysis of data from a previous study that examined driver understanding and expectations of an SAE L2 driving system after brief training and after brief on-road experience using the system. The current analysis examined the role of demographic and individual difference factors on driver understanding and perceptions of the system immediately after training as well as changes after brief experience using the system. Models were used to examine relationships between the demographic and individual difference factors and various outcomes related to understanding and expectations of the system. It was found that age, gender, prosocial driving scores, aggressive driving scores, and education level were significant predictors of participant understanding outcomes surveyed after system training. Gender, employment status, race and ethnicity, prosocial driving scores, and aggressive driving scores were relevant individual differences for significant changes in perceptions of the L2 system capabilities and limitations after experience using the system themselves. These findings have implications for training and other approaches to address knowledge gaps.

Ongoing declines in the imperiled New England cottontail Sylvilagus transitionalis have coincided with the introduction and expansion of the closely related eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus. These paired population trends have led to the inference of competition between the two species. Competition between native and introduced species has often involved overlapping use of food resources, but limited effort has been spent to analyze the diets of New England cottontail and eastern cottontail and to evaluate the potential for resource competition. We used microhistologic analysis of fecal pellets to assess the winter diets of both species and we compared diet composition with available plant communities to evaluate their preferences for dietary items across southern New England and southeastern New York. We found no differences in diets between New England cottontail and eastern cottontail, although diets did differ between regions within the study area. Diet preferences also were consistent between the species and largely excluded nonnative plant genera. Our results demonstrate that these species are generalist herbivores and that there is high potential for competition for food resources in the winter between them, although the present lack of diet partitioning may indicate the presence of other factors limiting competition. This study highlights the need for careful evaluation of interactions between native and nonnative species, a prerequisite for developing conservation plans that appropriately account for interspecific competition.

Purpose: This study examines the relative risk of death among crash-involved teenage drivers in Methods: We performed cross-sectional analysis of police-reported crashes in the United States in years 2016-2019 to estimate rate ratios for death among drivers aged 16-17 years by passenger composition (no passengers, one teen, >two teens, teens and adults aged 20-34 years, adults aged 20-34 years only, >one adult aged 35-64 years). Models were adjusted for confounding and effect Results: Crash-involved teen drivers carrying >2 teen passengers were twice as likely to die as teens driving alone. The driver was seven times as likely to die when carrying a mix of teen and young adult passengers compared with teens driving alone. Teen drivers' risk of death was lowest in the presence of an adult passenger aged 35-64 years. Carrying one teen passenger presents young adult passengers than if they are driving alone or with a mature adult. The results support passengers. Results also help to clarify why previous studies have found that young passengers are (c) 2022 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

Research has shown that drivers are often unaware of the capabilities and limitations of advanced in-vehicle technology (Jenness et al., 2008). Feature names may lead to misunderstanding (Teoh, 2020), and information from automobile manufacturers, the media, and others may contribute to formation of inaccurate mental models (Beggiato & Krems, 2013; Abraham et al., 2017; Dixon, 2020). The current study examined whether the branding, tone, and mode of training materials about an SAE International Level 2 (“L2”) partial driving automation feature influence consumer understanding and expectations of its capabilities and limitations. Method. Licensed drivers (N = 90, M = 47.3 years, SD = 14.4) with no experience with L2 systems were recruited via local advertisements and assigned randomly to one of three training conditions to learn about an actual L2 feature: a printed “Quick-Start Guide,” a video, or an in-person demonstration. Materials also varied by branding/tone, with the feature named: (i) “AutonoDrive,” with materials emphasizing its capabilities, or (ii) “DriveAssist,” with materials emphasizing its limitations. Although the emphasis differed, no false or deliberately misleading information was provided nor was any safety-critical information withheld, regardless of training condition. After training, participants completed a questionnaire that probed their understanding of how to use the feature, their trust in it, their expectations regarding its behavior, and their willingness to use it. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of all study materials are provided in (Singer & Jenness, 2020). Results. Participants in the AutonoDrive condition reported significantly greater trust in the vehicle’s ability to avoid a collision without driver input in all eight scenarios examined, including five that were clearly outside the system’s capabilities (p ≤ .024, Wilcoxon rank-sum, onetailed), and were far more likely to believe incorrectly that the system detected vehicles to the sides and rear (p ≤ .002). They also reported significantly greater trust that the system would successfully control the vehicle’s speed and lane position without driver input in seven of 18 scenarios (including several outside its capabilities) and greater trust albeit not significantly in nine of the remaining 11 scenarios. Participants in the AutonoDrive condition were also more likely to report that the L2 system increased their willingness to perform behaviors such as engaging in cellphone conversation, eating, and driving faster than usual. Differences by training mode were largely nonsignificant. Discussion. All participants were provided a common set of factual information about the capabilities and limitations of an actual L2 system that was given a fictitious name. Some participants received information that emphasized the system’s capabilities (e.g., “works reliably under most limited-access highway conditions”), while others were given the same facts with emphasis on limitations (e.g., “does not work reliably in all conditions”). Large, consistent associations between the training condition and participants’ expectations about the system were observed. Results suggest that emphasizing the capabilities and benefits of an L2 feature can lead consumers to overestimate its capabilities and overlook important limitations. It is important to ensure that information provided to consumers is not only technically accurate but also balanced. Acknowledgment. This research was conducted as part of a larger study funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

The government of Washington state legalized recreational cannabis consumption in December 2012. We used data on all drivers involved in fatal crashes in Washington in the years 2008-2019 (n = 8,282) to estimate prevalence in fatal crashes of drivers with ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) in their blood before and after legalization. However, nearly half of the drivers were not tested for drugs; we therefore used multiple imputation to estimate THC presence and concentration among them. We used logistic regression followed by marginal standardization to estimate the adjusted prevalence of THC-positive drivers after legalization relative to what would have been predicted without legalization. In the combined observed and imputed data, the proportion of drivers positive for THC was 9.3% before and 19.1% after legalization (adjusted prevalence ratio: 2.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.3, 4.1). The proportion of drivers with high THC concentrations increased substantially (adjusted prevalence ratio: 4.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.5, 15.1). Some of the increased prevalence of THC-positive drivers might have reflected cannabis use unassociated with driving; however, the increased prevalence of drivers with high THC concentrations suggests an increase in the prevalence of driving shortly after using cannabis. Other jurisdictions should compile quantitative data on drug test results of drivers to enable surveillance and evaluation.

Introduction: Hit-and-run crashes are a criminal offense that leave the victim without prompt medical care or the ability to receive financial compensation. Method: The purpose of the current study was to quantify the factors associated with the probability that a driver leaves the scene of a fatal crash, using multiple imputation to incorporate information from drivers who were never apprehended and thus whose characteristics were unknown. Results: The results of this study show that in addition to driver, vehicle, and environmental factors having significant impacts on the likelihood of a driver fleeing the scene, economic and demographic factors are important as well. Practical Applications: This analysis allows for a more holistic understanding of hit-and-run crashes and informs potential countermeasures and future research. (c) 2021 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Many drivers in the United States use alcohol or cannabis, including some who co-use both substances. Using data from a nationally representative survey, self-reported engagement in various risky driving behaviors is examined among drivers who co-use alcohol and cannabis, those who use alcohol but not cannabis, those who use cannabis but not alcohol, and those who use neither. Results were adjusted for age, gender, education, and race. Co-users, compared with those who use only alcohol, were more likely to engage in nearly all of the risky behaviors measured in the survey, including driving under the influence of alcohol. Compared with those who neither drink nor use cannabis, those who use only cannabis were more likely to drive under the influence of prescription drugs, engage in aggressive driving, and ride with an intoxicated driver. Results of this and future related research will assist with understanding the differences in driving behavior among users of alcohol, cannabis, or both, so more effective interventions can be developed to improve traffic safety.

Introduction: Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems have been shown to reduce rates of crashes, injuries, and deaths of young novice drivers. However, approximately one in three new drivers in the United States obtain their first driver's license at age 18 or older, and thus are exempt from most or all provisions of GDL in most states. Method: In July 2015, the state of Indiana updated its GDL program, extending its restrictions on driving at night and on carrying passengers during the first 6 months of independent driving, previously only applicable to new drivers younger than 18, to all newly-licensed drivers younger than 21 years of age. The current study examined monthly rates of crashes per licensed driver under the affected conditions (driving at night and driving with passengers) among Indiana drivers first licensed at ages 18, 19, and 20 under the updated GDL system compared with drivers licensed at the same ages under the previous GDL system. We used Poisson regression to estimate the association between the GDL system and crash rates, while attempting to control for other factors that might have also influenced crash rates. We used linear regression to estimate the association between the GDL system and the proportion of all crashes that occurred under conditions restricted by the GDL program. Results: Results showed, contrary to expectations, that rates of crashes during restricted nighttime hours and with passengers were higher among drivers licensed under the updated GDL system. This mirrored a statewide increase in crash rates among drivers of all ages over the study period and likely reflected increased overall driving exposure. The proportions of all crashes that were at night or with passengers did not change. (C) 2020 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) is the focus of extensive efforts to conserve the species. A major component of their conservation program is the collection of faecal samples to determine their distribution and abundance throughout their range. In parts of their range, New England cottontail is sympatric with a non-native eastern cottontail (S. floridanus) and snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). Because faecal samples from all three lagomorphs are indistinguishable, a reliable molecular genetic method for specimen identification is necessary. We tested the efficacy of a diagnostic character method by analyzing sequence data from 1770 faecal, blood, and tissue samples collected from five states in the Northeastern United States. The method amplified a portion of the mitochondrial DNA control region and identified numerous diagnostic characters for each species. Two suspected nuclear mitochondrial DNA sequences (NUMTs) also were identified when a universal primer was used in the polymerase chain reaction. Our study could be the first evidence of a NUMT in a lagomorph and highlights the importance of using taxon-specific primers for species identification.