IMPROVEMENT IN HIGHWAY SAFETY

A REVIEW IS MADE OF THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE ON PSYCHOLOGY OF THE HIGHWAY OF THE DIVISION OF PSYCHOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL. THIS COMMITTEE WAS ORGANIZED AS THE RESULT OF THE EMPHASIS PLACES UPON THE NEED FOR RESEARCH ALONG THIS LINE BY THE FIRST HOOVER CONFERENCE ON STREET AND HIGHWAY SAFETY IN 1926. PSYCHOLOGISTS WERE ASKED TO INVESTIGATE THIS FIELD FOR TWO REASONS. IN THE FIRST PLACE THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL ESTIMATES THAT AT LEAST 90 PERCENT OF ALL ACCIDENTS ARE DIRECTLY TRACEABLE TO THE DRIVER. THE SECOND IS THAT, AS A MATTER OF PERSONNEL, IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM IN THAT THIS YOUNGER SCIENCE SPECIALIZES IN STUDIES OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR. THE FIRST STUDIES WERE MADE OF TRAFFIC ANALYSIS IN SPECIFIC LOCATIONS, OF THE ACTIONS OF DRIVERS HAVING TROUBLE AT THESE PLACES AND OF THE NATURE OF SUCH ACCIDENT LOCATIONS. FURTHER ANALYSES OF DRIVERS IN A LABORATORY SITUATION WERE CARRIED OUT. IN ORDER TO EXTEND THE STUDY AN OUTDOOR TEST FIELD WAS DEVISED IN WHICH ABOUT 1200 DRIVERS HAVE BEEN EXAMINED. DATA RELAVENT TO LOCATION OF HIGHWAY SIGNS, TYPE AND NATURE OF SIGNS WHICH ARE MOST LEGIBLE, AS WELL AS VISIBLE, WERE SECURED ALONG WITH CERTAIN INCIDENTAL FACTS. /AUTHOR/