Victim or injurer, small car or SUV: Tort liability rules under role-type uncertainty

In this paper we modify the standard tort model by introducing role-type uncertainty. That is, we assume that neither party knows in advance whether she will be the victim or the injurer when an accident occurs. When the standards of care of the two parties are set at the socially optimal levels, only pure comparative negligence and the equal division rule guarantee efficiency, while the rules of simple negligence, contributory negligence, and comparative negligence with fixed division (other than a 50:50 split) may produce inefficient equilibria. Since pure comparative negligence splits liability between negligent parties according to each party's degree of fault, it makes the accident loss division independent of one's role-type. This produces its efficiency advantage.We extend the model to the choice of vehicle size, as a factor determining who will be the injurer and who the victim in motor vehicle collisions. In the extension we analyze various standard negligence-based liability rules, and tax rules, as instruments to mitigate inefficiency resulting from the vehicle size “arms race.” We also examine two strict liability rules, one of which incorporates a comparative negligence feature; this rule prevents inefficiency from both role-type uncertainty and from the “arms race.”     

浅析查处“机动车使用假号牌”违法行为中的若干疑难问题

近年来,机动车使用假号牌的现象呈增多趋势,迫切要求公安机关加大对此类违法行为的查处力度。但由于该项工作中存在机动车假号牌鉴定难等问题,交通警察在执法过程中遇到很多困难。为此,应当通过完善法律法规、建立专业鉴定机构、提升专业人员素质等途径促使公安机关交警部门切实有效查处此类违法行为。     

Subjective Age in the Transition to Adulthood for Persons with and without Motor Disabilities

This study examined subjective age (how old one feels) and associated variables in 148 emerging adults, ages 20–30 years. Seventy-six participants had a motor disability (cerebral palsy, spina bifida) and 72 had no motor disability. Participants completed questionnaires and were interviewed. There was no significant difference in subjective age between groups. Consistent with previous research, chronological and subjective ages were significantly negatively related in participants without motor disabilities. Chronological and subjective ages were unrelated in the group with motor disabilities but higher psychosocial maturity was related to an older subjective age. Perceptions of how much parents fostered autonomy did not predict subjective age in either group. In both groups, individuals whose parents treated them as younger reported feeling younger. Number of role transitions did not predict subjective age. The results highlight the importance of exploring motor disabilities as a source of diversity in the subjective ages of young people during the transition to adulthood.

反思交强险费率与交通违章挂钩——问题出在哪里?

保监会制定的《机动车交通事故责任强制保险费率浮动暂行办法》规定"保险费率与交通事故挂钩"。这一规定为保险费率与交通违章挂钩今后的"复活"埋下了伏笔。这种做法偏离了机动车交通事故责任强制保险的目的与宗旨,扭曲了交强险费率浮动机制的功能和本来的作用,有偏离法律法规的规定之嫌,且偏离了科学合理的原则。其实质是借用行政权力来强迫人们交纳不科学不合理的交强险费用。     

车辆内接触DNA检测方法的分析比较

目的探讨汽车内接触DNA的分离方法及遗传标记分型效率。方法收集单人长期驾驶的11辆小型轿车,采用粘取法和擦拭法富集方向盘、变速杆和手刹三个部位的脱落细胞,采用磁珠法和硅胶膜法提取基因组DNA,采用GoldenEye^TM 20A和PowerPlex■Fusion进行扩增,并对检验结果进行比较分析。结果方向盘在基因座分型正确率、等位基因drop-in和drop-out基因座比率、单基因座正确率以及单基因座等位基因drop-in和drop-out率六个方面均表现最好,其次为变速杆,最差为手刹;擦拭法和粘取法之间DNA提取在获得的DNA总量和STR检测正确成功率方面无统计学差异;PPFusion与20A的总体基因座分型比较正确率无差异,但单基因座正确率优于20A,drop-out发生率低于20A,drop-in发生率高于20A。结论汽车内脱落细胞的检测可优先采集方向盘部位,根据载体质地选择擦拭法或粘取法采集脱落细胞,选用硅胶膜法或磁珠法提取DNA,PPFusion和20A两个试剂盒均可,分析结果时需特别注意drop-in和drop-out。     

刍议四川省机动车被盗抢原因及防治对策

四川省机动车被盗抢原因主要有:车主或驾驶员的麻痹大意和侥幸心理;停车场的设置、规划及管理存在漏洞;公安机关打击乏力等。防范措施有:提高车主或驾驶员的安全防范意识;合理设置停车场,规范机动车管理;加大打击力度。     

A two-step approach to assessing composition effects of the National Voter Registration Act

Using aggregate level data from 1996 and 1998 this paper employs a two-step strategy to explore the impact of implementing the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) on the education, income, age, and racial/ethnic composition of state electorates. The results of the project suggest that implementation of the reform had a moderate effect on reducing the tendency of state registered electorates to be skewed toward higher education, income, and age groups. The implementation of NVRA procedures was also associated with reductions in the tendency of the voting electorate to be skewed toward higher socioeconomic groups and older Americans. The impact was indirect, however, in that changes in the voting electorate were a result of changes in the registered population, which were, in part, due to the implementation of the reform.     

Motor vehicle accident with complete loss of consciousness due to vasovagal syncope

Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is one of the most common causes of complete or partial loss of consciousness, thus it might cause harm to the patients themselves or innocent bystanders while driving a car. In our case report we introduce the case of a 60-year-old man who was admitted to hospital after a serious motor vehicle accident due to loss of consciousness. We demonstrate the process and results of complete cardiologic and neurological assessment. Our case report illustrates the importance of recognition of patients with a high risk for incapacitating symptoms due to VVS, and the use of head-up tilt-table tests to determine the diagnosis and to guide therapy with beta-blocking agents. As transient loss of consciousness during driving may cause potentially fatal accident, it has to be taken into consideration during decision making for issue of driving licenses to patients with VVS.     

“手足十二针”对缺血性脑卒中偏瘫患者运动皮质连接组功能连接的影响

目的 运用静息态功能磁共振技术探究“手足十二针”对缺血性脑卒中偏瘫患者运动皮质连接组功能连接（functional connectivity, FC）的影响。方法 纳入37例缺血性脑卒中偏瘫患者，分为真穴组25例、假穴组12例。真穴组患者给予“手足十二针”组穴（双侧合谷、内关、曲池、足三里、阳陵泉、三阴交）针刺干预；假穴组患者给予“手足十二针”经穴旁开1寸针刺干预。采用Fugl-Meyer量表(Fugl-Meyer assessment scale, FMA) 评价患者的肢体运动功能，采用美国国立卫生研究院卒中量表 (National Institute of Health stroke scale, NIHSS) 评价患者的神经系统缺损程度，并进行静息态功能磁共振成像。选取双侧初级运动区（primary motor area, M1）、辅助运动区（supplementary motor area, SMA）、运动前区（premotor cortex, PMC）为种子点，分析计算各脑区间FC值。比较两组患者治疗前后FMA量表、NIHSS评分及FC值。结果 与治疗前比较，真穴组患者治疗后FMA上肢运动功能评分、下肢运动功能评分、总分均显著升高（P<0.05），NIHSS评分显著降低（P<0.05）；双侧M1 FC值显著升高（P<0.05），患侧SMA与健侧PMC的FC值显著降低（P<0.05）。与治疗前比较，假穴组患者治疗后下肢运动功能评分、FMA总分均显著升高（P<0.05），NIHSS评分显著降低（P<0.05）。结论 “手足十二针”可能通过增强双侧初级运动区的FC以改善缺血性脑卒中偏瘫患者的运动功能及神经功能缺损程度，且具有穴位特异性，而辅助运动区与运动前区FC的改变也是另一可能的机制。