Impact of geomagnetic storms, lunar cycles and days of the week on car accidents injuring people in terms of their potential impact on road users in Vinnytsia and the region, Ukraine

Abstract

Man is an important component of the road transport system. Along with transport factors, traffic factors, the external environment, the human factor is a priority. It was found that human error was a definite or probable cause in more than 90% of the accidents studied [1, 2]. Thus, most accidents and related injuries and deaths are the result of dangerous driving due to human factors [2, 3]. On the other hand, man, as a biological system, is under the influence of various rhythms of the external, in particular, the natural environment, which affects its physiological parameters [4, 5, 6]. An increase in blood pressure with an increase in the level of geomagnetic activity was estimated, and systolic and diastolic bp increased significantly on the first day of the geomagnetic storm [4, 6]. These effects were present regardless of gender and medication [4, 6, 7]. The average increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the study group reached 9% [7, 11]. The percentage of people who reported subjective psychophysiological complaints was also significantly increased with increasing geomagnetic activity and the highest sensitivity was found in women with hypertension [7, 11]. Sensitivity to magnetic storms increases in patients with hypertension and increases significantly from moderate to severe hypertension [7, 8, 11]. The state of human habitat is dependent on solar activity due to variations in the parameters of the lower ionosphere, changing its resonant frequencies that correlate with brain rhythms: alpha, beta, gamma, delta and theta [8, 9]. The electrical conductivity of the human body reflects the biophysical state of man, and this can be used as an indicator of human response to perturbations of various origins. A strong relationship between conductivity, geomagnetic perturbations and atmospheric characteristics was found [9, 10]. Biochemical studies reveal inhibition of melatonin secreted by the pineal gland, possibly due to desynchronized biological rhythms, which links geomagnetic activity and human health [10, 11]. There are indications that calcium ions in cells may play a role in one or more mechanisms [10, 11]. Lunar rhythms have become one of the most studied issues in modern chronobiology. A number of obvious lunar influences on the animal world have been proven, but there is no solid evidence that human biology is regulated in any way by the moon [12, 13]. The belief that stars and planets can affect human health and behavior is not only seen in ordinary people [18], but a high proportion of health professionals continue to hold this belief: a survey of 325 people in New Orleans found that 140 individuals (43%) believe that the lunar phases affect the behavior of the individual [14]. In a study [15], the number of patients with injuries did not increase during the full month compared to other days of the menstrual cycle. Also, the relationship between the attack and the suicide attempt was not observed on the days of the full moon [15]. The full menstrual cycle phase did not cause a higher number of patients in a psychiatric hospital and was only 0.007% of the deviation [20], but there was a significant grouping of seizures during the full moon [21]. Another analysis showed that in non- epileptic seizures there was an increase in their number in the full moon, and in epileptic seizures − an increase in the last quarter [16]. There was an increase in the number of patients during the full month of hospitalization for gastrointestinal bleeding, although the authors express the feasibility of further research [17]. The depend- ence of the state of the cardiovascular system on the four phases of the moon in men has been noted [19]. The influence of weekly rhythms is reflected in the change in human mood, which amounted to 40% of the variance in the sample of 74 students [22]. One subject rated his mood daily for 1,500 consecutive days. A series of mood swings demonstrated a clear and dominant 7-day period [23]. The aim of this study was to assess the human impact of geomagnetic storms, phases of the moon and days of the week on car accidents with injuries in Vinnytsia and the region, Ukraine.