A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS OF TRANSPORTATION LAW

The systems approach to solving large-scale problems has enjoyed considerable success in complex technological undertaking but has not lived up to its expectations for solving society's problems. It is hypothezied that there are two principle reasons why the systems approach has not been widely employed for legal systems: (1) lack of personnel capable of understanding the techniques of both law and science and (2) lack of suitably processed data. The authors' experiences in applying systems methodologies to the area of transportation law (i.e., legal systems dealing with highway safety) indicate that these problems can be overcome and that operationally useful results will follow. In particular, the systems approach has been found to be a practical means of clarifying legal system objectives and for coordinating legal system functions. /Author/