DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED METHODS FOR REDUCTION OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

A STATE OF THE ART REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED ON THE CURRENT PRACTICES OF ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, REPORTING, AND ANALYSIS. THE SHORT COMINGS ARE DISCUSSED OF COMMONLY USED ACCIDENT RECORDS SYSTEM AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE FOR SPECIFIC METHODS TO IMPROVE THESE SYSTEMS. A MULTI-LEVEL CONCEPT OF ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION IS PROPOSED WHICH INVOLVES THE BASIC REPORT OF ALL ACCIDENTS, LIMITED INVESTIGATION OF A SELECTED SAMPLE OF ACCIDENTS, AND INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION OF A LIMITED NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS. STUDIES OF ACCIDENT REPORT FORMS WERE INCLUDED IN THE RESEARCH TOGETHER WITH SUGGESTED METHODS FOR IMPROVEMENT. IMPLICIT IN THE PROPOSED SYSTEM IS THE NEED TO INTEGRATE ACCIDENT DATA WITH THE APPROPRIATE NONACCIDENT DATA: DRIVER, VEHICLE, AND HIGHWAY RECORDS. A SAFETY REVIEW BOARD IS RECOMMENDED FOR THE REVIEW OF ALL HIGHWAY PLANS AND PROGRAMS TO INSURE INCORPORATION OF CURRENT SAFETY KNOWLEDGE. A SIMPLIFIED ACCIDENT REPORT FORM IS NEEDED TO PROVIDE BASIC ACCIDENT DATA. AN APPENDIX INCLUDES SEVERAL DEMONSTRATION STUDIES THAT INDICATE THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT CAN BE OBTAINED BY USING AN IMPROVED ACCIDENT RECORD SYSTEMS STUDY. EXAMPLES INCLUDE TIRE FAILURE VERSUS VEHICLE SPEED, TIRE FAILURE VERSUS A NUMBER OF PLIES, FREQUENCY OF ACCIDENTS AS A FUNCTION OF TIME SINCE INSPECTION, FATAL ACCIDENT RATE BY SEX, ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT ACCORDING TO VEHICLE MANUFACTURER, AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VEHICLE EXPOSURE AND ACCIDENTS. A NUMBER OF STUDIES CONDUCTED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT DEMONSTRATED THAT: (1) STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PERMITTED INTERPRETATION OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF VARIOUS OBSERVATIONS, AND (2) PROPERLY TRAINED POLICE COULD COLLECT USEFUL AND RELIABLE INFORMATION.