Quiz 2 Assessment 3

Quiz 2 assessment 3

Rajveer Kaur Bansal

[Institutional Affiliation(s)]

Author Note

Quiz 2 assessment 3

Question 1: C

Question 2: D

Question 3:

Phase

Human factors

Vehicle & Equipment

Environmental Factors

Pre-crash

Alcohol consumption

Late night driving

Forgot seatbelt

No police enforcement

Older model

Worn brake pads

No air bags

Unlit road

No Speed limit warning

Crash

Sudden brakes

Poor brake pad grip

Speed not reduced enough

Air bags didn’t engage

Round Curve

No crash-protective object

Post-Crash

Injury

Coma

Lost Balance

Car rolled

No immediate aid

No nearby rescue facilities

In the case of the female driver, there were a number of human, environmental, and equipment-related risks involved. A key human factor was driving late at night at high speeds under the influence of alcohol. The driver was also alone, and therefore did not have anyone to direct or guide her in case of a mistake. At the same time, the compact car, which is not built for high-speed driving and maneuvering, did not have air-bags and its brake pads had worn over time. The environmental risk factor included an unlit road which caused poor visibility and a round curve with no apparent warning signs or crash-protective objects to reduce the severity of the crash. Hence, a range of factors contributed together to increase the likelihood of the crash. Consequently, the car did not stop within time due to a poor grip, which lead to the vehicle’s speed being high enough to become unstable and swerve. In addition, the lack of air bags could not reduce the severity of the crash, which led to the driver receiving severe injuries upon crash. With no immediate first aid and help available, any preventable complication could not be avoided. The road conditions and a lack of nearby rescue facilities served as further environmental risk-factors. In addition, a lack of police presence to regulate speed limits, display speed warnings, or install protective objects at curves also indicates a negligence in health and safety compliance by the local authorities. Thus, a range of environmental, individual and equipment-related factors were responsible in increasing the likelihood and severity of the incident, exacerbating the adverse outcome for the driver.

Question 4: E

Question 5A: In the case of Lisa and Susan, a range of physical, economic, and social factors come into play to together create health risks for Susan and her daughter Lisa. Some social factors include a lack of familial and peer support. Susan’s abusive relationship and a lack of acceptance from her family contributed together to create health risks for Lisa and her mother. In addition, unsupportive neighbors further increased the risk, as Susan has no one to depend on, in case there is a need. A poor economic conditions together with inadequate social support creates further health risks for the family, as Susan struggles to pay for Lisa’s schooling, rent, and food. Living in a busy industrial area and a polluted environment, Lisa’s asthmatic symptoms are expected to worsen, since regular medication is required to manage the condition, which Susan may not be able to afford. Moreover, a lack of social support increases the risk for Lisa, as there would be no one to care for her condition in case her asthmatic symptoms become worse in Susan’s absence. In addition, Lisa’s development and well-being also suffers because of a lack of adequate resources in the environment. The overall physical environment creates further problems as there are a lack of parks, footpaths, or bicycle lanes to engage in healthy activities, such as cycling. Moreover, a busy highway in an Industrial area is likely to have poor air quality, increased risk of accidents, and higher likelihood of crime. Additionally, Susan’s job and economic circumstances do not permit her to provide for all of Lisa’s needs, and is thus unable to prevent many of the health risks created by these factors.

Question 5B: Although a number of factors increase health risks for Susan and Lisa, however, certain changes to the physical environment may help reduce some of these risks for the family. The school can provide transportation and supervision to children who want to engage in after-school sports activities, especially for students whose parents work late hours, and are unable to drive or supervise their child after school. In addition, the school can provide sports equipment to students from low-income background so that they are able to join and compete with their peers, and engage in healthy exercise and sporting activities. The local government can introduce better industry practices that reduce emissions, regulate waste disposal, prohibit establishing work-sites near residential areas, and stop other industrial activities that create environmental hazards in the surrounding area. Additionally, the local government can setup a local Soup Kitchen within the area, which is partly funded by the local community to provide free-food to low-income families. The local community can also demand local political leaders to set up parks and recreational places within the area to improve the overall physical environment. Likewise community support programs that launch initiatives to support single mothers and low-income families would be useful to provide them with social support. The government can further expand health coverage plans and social security programs to include medication and preventive screenings for low-income families. Together, these programs would significantly improve the overall health condition and reduce risks for Susan and her family, by mitigating some of the key social, environmental and economic risk-factors.