Organizational context and the use of accident investigation training

Training is widely supported as an effective means for maintaining and improving the quality of accident investigations conducted in various organizational and jurisdictional settings. A problem exists in that those who manage training typically restrict their attention to factors and conditions existing in the immediate training environment and pay little attention to problems and conditions existing in the organizational context from which the trainee is extracted and must return. In this study, a national sample of 297 local, county, and state law enforcement officers reported on organizational problems/conditions that blocked or impeded their use of accident investigation training. Graduates of a 2-week motor-vehicle accident investigation course rated 29 problems/conditions, hypothesized within the literature to influence behavior in organizations, on their relative influence on training use. Lack of rewards/incentives for job performance or for training use, lack of time and resources necessary to implement training outcomes, and lack of commitment, communication, and follow-through by administrators were identified by over 30% of the respondents as moderate or major impediments to training use. Findings may be used by safety managers, supervisors, and trainers to enhance training impact and to increase the quality and quantity of accident data and information.