MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHWAY SAFETY

RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT HAS NOT KEPT PACE WITH HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMMING. THE LACK OF REALISTIC GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING EDUCATION AND TRAINING NEEDS, FAILURE TO INVOLVE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN PLANNING, SHORTAGE OF FUNDS, AND INADEQUATE COORDINATION HAVE HANDICAPPED EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE HIGHWAY SAFETY ACT. MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT IS AN ESSENTIAL MEANS OF IMPLEMENTING AND OPTIMIZING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DRIVER EDUCATION, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE, DRIVER TESTING AND LICENSING, ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER PROGRAM ELEMENTS. MANY RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHWAY SAFETY ARE PRESENTED IN THIS AND OTHER PROJECTS. THE KEY QUESTIONS APPEAR TO BE: (1) WHO SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE NATIONALLY AND IN EACH STATE TO EXTRACT THE MOST REALISTIC AND PROMISING MEASURES, PLACE THEM IN A PRIORITY ORDER, AND DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTATION? (2) WHAT KIND OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, AT ALL GOVERNMENT LEVELS, WILL KEEP ACTION IN MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT CLOSELY ATTUNED TO THE NEEDS OF THE FUNCTIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS? (3) WHAT ACTION IS NEEDED TO STIMULATE AND COORDINATE APPROPRIATE SUPPORT (INCLUDING FUNDING) FOR MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT FROM GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE AGENCIES? THIS PROJECT, BY PRESENTING THE FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE STAFF ALONG WITH SPEECHES DELIVERED AT THE ATLANTA SYMPOSIUM, ADDRESSED THESE AND RELATED QUESTIONS. THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT BEFORE ANY MAJOR IMPROVEMENT OCCURS, CLOSER COORDINATION AND COOPERATION IS NEEDED WITHIN AND AMONG THE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT (FEDERAL-STATE-LOCAL), AND BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL GROUPS. /AUTHOR/