THE ACCIDENT-PRONE DRIVER

DATA SHOW THAT SOME DRIVERS HAVE MORE THAN THEIR SHARE OF ACCIDENTS, AND THUS MAY BE REGARDED AS ESPECIALLY ACCIDENT PRONE. THE ACCIDENTS ARE DUE TO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEFICIENCIES, IGNORANCE, I.E. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OR SKILL, AND INADVERTENTLY OR LACK OF SUFFICIENT WILL OR DESIRE TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS. PHYSIOLOGICAL DEFECTS WERE THE CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS IN 19% OF THE ACCIDENT-PRONE DRIVERS. IN 21% IT WAS FAULTY JUDGMENT OF SPEED OR DISTANCE. THE REMAINING CASES INCLUDED WRONG ATTITUDE TOWARD WORK, SLOWNESS OF REACTION, EXCESSIVE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO FATIGUE, GENERAL NERVOUSNESS AND FEAR, ETC. THIS STUDY WAS MADE OF 181 HIGH ACCIDENT MEN OPERATING STREET CARS, AN OCCUPATION SIMILAR TO THAT OF DRIVING A MOTOR VEHICLE. THERE IS NO POSSIBLE CONTROL AMONG PRIVATE AUTOMOBILE DRIVERS. THE NEAREST APPROACH IS FOUND IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF DRIVERS' LICENSE LAWS, INCLUDING THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF ACCIDENT RECORDS, THE EXAMINATION OF APPLICANTS FOR LICENSES, AND THE POWER TO SUSPEND OR REVOKE THE LICENSE. THE OTHER MEANS OF CONTROL OF NON-COMMERCIAL DRIVERS IS THROUGH THE LOCAL POLICE AND COURTS, WHICH HAVE JURISDICTION OVER DRIVERS BROUGHT IN FOR VIOLATION OF LAWS AND ORDINANCES.

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  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Vol 10, pp 247-253. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
  • Authors:
    • Williams, S J
  • Publication Date: 1931

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Monograph Title: Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board Held at Washington, D.C. December 11-12, 1930
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00223298
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Jun 1 1971 12:00AM