title: Examining Driving Risk And Lifestyle Factors Influencing Speed Preference In A Laboratory-Based Speed Choice Task

authors: O'Sullivan, Dominic

subjects: Speed

abstract: Vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of severe injury or death in the world, and are accompanied by tremendous social and financial burdens. Excessive or inappropriate speed plays a major role in increasing the likelihood that a crash will occur, as well as elevating the severity of injury or damage. Young drivers are disproportionately over-represented in speed related crash involvement, and determining the factors contributing to young driver crashes is an important consideration. Both age and gender stand out as playing important roles in drivers crash likelihood, with the probability of being involved in a crash being significantly elevated for drivers aged under 25 years old. Young drivers are also prone to over-confidence in their driving skills, and this ‘poor calibration’ has been found to be a factor in crash involvement. Also, lack of impulse control could be a major factor related to speeding behaviour. Young drivers may have still developing executive functions of the frontal lobes, which might explain these age related factors of unsafe driving.   
One yet unexplored factor in determining the likelihood of crash involvement is the role of life satisfaction and well-being in driving behaviour. Low levels of life satisfaction have been found to be associated with risky, maladaptive, or disadvantageous behaviours. Given that younger people have high rates of depression and anxiety, this may implicate life satisfaction as an important and unexplored area of interest in driver psychology. In the current study, we looked to explore whether different levels of life satisfaction was related to the way drivers chose preferred speeds in a laboratory and video-based speed choice task. Additionally, measures of self-rated driver skills, past driving violations, as well as probability of future risky driving behaviour were used in order to predict speed choices in young driver. 
 It was found that while there was significant difference between gender groups, with the unexpected finding of female drivers choosing faster speeds, the life-satisfaction measures were not found to be significant in predicting speed choices. However, it was indeed observed that drivers who were classified as low in life satisfaction tended to choose faster speeds, but this needs to be replicated with a larger sample to increase the power of the statistics, possibly revealing a significant effect. The thesis discusses limitations of the current research as well as suggestions for further research.

text: Examining Driving Risk And Lifestyle Factors Influencing Speed Preference In A Laboratory-Based Speed Choice Task Vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of severe injury or death in the world, and are accompanied by tremendous social and financial burdens. Excessive or inappropriate speed plays a major role in increasing the likelihood that a crash will occur, as well as elevating the severity of injury or damage. Young drivers are disproportionately over-represented in speed related crash involvement, and determining the factors contributing to young driver crashes is an important consideration. Both age and gender stand out as playing important roles in drivers crash likelihood, with the probability of being involved in a crash being significantly elevated for drivers aged under 25 years old. Young drivers are also prone to over-confidence in their driving skills, and this ‘poor calibration’ has been found to be a factor in crash involvement. Also, lack of impulse control could be a major factor related to speeding behaviour. Young drivers may have still developing executive functions of the frontal lobes, which might explain these age related factors of unsafe driving.   
One yet unexplored factor in determining the likelihood of crash involvement is the role of life satisfaction and well-being in driving behaviour. Low levels of life satisfaction have been found to be associated with risky, maladaptive, or disadvantageous behaviours. Given that younger people have high rates of depression and anxiety, this may implicate life satisfaction as an important and unexplored area of interest in driver psychology. In the current study, we looked to explore whether different levels of life satisfaction was related to the way drivers chose preferred speeds in a laboratory and video-based speed choice task. Additionally, measures of self-rated driver skills, past driving violations, as well as probability of future risky driving behaviour were used in order to predict speed choices in young driver. 
 It was found that while there was significant difference between gender groups, with the unexpected finding of female drivers choosing faster speeds, the life-satisfaction measures were not found to be significant in predicting speed choices. However, it was indeed observed that drivers who were classified as low in life satisfaction tended to choose faster speeds, but this needs to be replicated with a larger sample to increase the power of the statistics, possibly revealing a significant effect. The thesis discusses limitations of the current research as well as suggestions for further research.

year: 2016

title: The effect of silane coupling agent on iron sand for use in magnetorheological elastomers Part 1: Surface chemical modification and characterization

authors: Pickering, Kim L.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Bis-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulphane (TESPT) was employed for surface modification of iron sand for use in magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). The amount of TESPT was varied at five levels (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 wt%) relative to iron sand content to assess the optimum amount of coupling agent for interfacial bonding and damping performance. Evidence that coupling had occurred between iron sand and TESPT was identified by Raman Spectroscopy and the grafting percentage was determined by thermogravimetric analysis. Subsequently, isotropic MREs containing unmodified and modified iron sand particles and natural rubber were prepared. Crosslink density assessment by swelling testing provided evidence that the tetrasulphane group of TESPT formed crosslinks with the rubber chains. The results exhibited the advantages of TESPT as a coupling agent between iron sand particles and rubber and also revealed that 6% TESPT content produced the highest crosslink density. The effects of the amount of TESPT on dynamic mechanical properties the morphological characteristics of the MREs were also investigated.

text: The effect of silane coupling agent on iron sand for use in magnetorheological elastomers Part 1: Surface chemical modification and characterization Bis-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulphane (TESPT) was employed for surface modification of iron sand for use in magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). The amount of TESPT was varied at five levels (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 wt%) relative to iron sand content to assess the optimum amount of coupling agent for interfacial bonding and damping performance. Evidence that coupling had occurred between iron sand and TESPT was identified by Raman Spectroscopy and the grafting percentage was determined by thermogravimetric analysis. Subsequently, isotropic MREs containing unmodified and modified iron sand particles and natural rubber were prepared. Crosslink density assessment by swelling testing provided evidence that the tetrasulphane group of TESPT formed crosslinks with the rubber chains. The results exhibited the advantages of TESPT as a coupling agent between iron sand particles and rubber and also revealed that 6% TESPT content produced the highest crosslink density. The effects of the amount of TESPT on dynamic mechanical properties the morphological characteristics of the MREs were also investigated.

year: 2015-01-01

title: The discovery of gold at Te Aroha and its consequences: January to October 1880

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: By mid-1880, when there were expectations that gold would be found at Te Aroha, at last Ngati Rahiri permitted prospecting. A government-subsidized prospecting party under Hone Werahiko set out in early August and announced an apparently valuable find one month later. As the discovery was on Ngati Rahiri land, a goldfield could not be declared open immediately, but despite this increasing numbers of prospectors arrived. Newspapers were cautious, not wanting to encourage a rush based on nothing but rumours, some of them extravagant, notably one of finding ore that would produce 200oz to the ton. 
Despite being doubtful about the prospects, officials prepared to proclaim a new goldfield. In late October, good specimens were shown in Thames, encouraging more to leave both there and the Waikato to explore. After the warden inspected the ground where Werahiko had found gold, which was off limits to everyone except the original prospectors, he arranged to have the only test made before the field was opened. Although this gave an uncertain indication of whether the ore was payable, and little real work was being done outside the prospectors’ claim, regulations were devised permitting the proclamation of the new field.

text: The discovery of gold at Te Aroha and its consequences: January to October 1880 By mid-1880, when there were expectations that gold would be found at Te Aroha, at last Ngati Rahiri permitted prospecting. A government-subsidized prospecting party under Hone Werahiko set out in early August and announced an apparently valuable find one month later. As the discovery was on Ngati Rahiri land, a goldfield could not be declared open immediately, but despite this increasing numbers of prospectors arrived. Newspapers were cautious, not wanting to encourage a rush based on nothing but rumours, some of them extravagant, notably one of finding ore that would produce 200oz to the ton. 
Despite being doubtful about the prospects, officials prepared to proclaim a new goldfield. In late October, good specimens were shown in Thames, encouraging more to leave both there and the Waikato to explore. After the warden inspected the ground where Werahiko had found gold, which was off limits to everyone except the original prospectors, he arranged to have the only test made before the field was opened. Although this gave an uncertain indication of whether the ore was payable, and little real work was being done outside the prospectors’ claim, regulations were devised permitting the proclamation of the new field.

year: 2016