A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON AN ON-THE-SPOT SURVEY OF ACCIDENTS

A TOTAL OF 247 ACCIDENTS WAS INVESTIGATED. THE METHOD INCLUDED JUDGMENT BY THE TEAM AS TO THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENTS. IT WAS FOUND THAT VEHICLE FACTORS AND ROAD FACTORS EACH OCCURRED IN ONE QUARTER OF THE ACCIDENTS, AND THAT ROAD USER FACTORS OCCURRED IN THREE QUARTERS. BRAKING AND TIRE DEFECTS WERE SUFFICIENTLY COMMON TO SUGGEST THAT THESE FACTORS SHOULD BE STUDIED FURTHER. LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURRED IN 40% OF THE ACCIDENTS. THE FEATURES OF SOME OF THE MAIN ACCIDENT BLACK SPOTS WERE STUDIED AND REMEDIAL MEASURES SUGGESTED. THE RESULTS REINFORCE THE NEED FOR THE RESEARCH INTO THE CONSPICUITY OF VEHICLES TO PEDESTRIANS, THE OPTIMUM PLACING OF WARNING SIGNS ON THE APPROACH TO HAZARDS, AND THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MOVEMENTS OF PEDESTRIANS. /AUTHOR/