ACCIDENT JOURNALISM AND TRAFFIC SAFETY EDUCATION

Traffic accident reporting in the Canadian daily press was investigated on three levels: a content analysis, a readership analysis and a field experiment of a modified accident reporting style. First, twelve daily newspapers in Ontario and Quebec were investigated on the manner in which they reported on traffic accidents in a three-month period. The accident reports were analyzed in terms of 51 content variables and compared with accident data obtained from police departments and provincial ministries of transport. Very small percentages of actually occurring accidents were found to be reported by newspapers, which also contained little information on the causes of these accidents. Implications for public education with respect to traffic accident prevention are discussed. Secondly, semi-structured telephone interviews were held with 392 holders of valid driver's licenses in Kingston, Ontario. The interview focussed upon motivations and reactions with regard to the reading of traffic accident reports in the daily paper. The data were analyzed with a view to providing information of potential use in the development of an accident reporting style which would better inform and educate the road-using public with respect to the size of the accident problems, causation of accidents and their preventability. Thirdly, an effort was made to develop a prototype of a more educational accident journalism. The modified style was implemented by the daily newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, while another community, Belleville, Ontario, served as control. Social surveys conducted before and after the eight week implementation of the modified style took the form of structured telephone interviews with a total of approximately 1200 licenced drivers. Significant changes were observed in people's opinions of accident reporting, in their perceptions of the magnitude of the accident problem and traffic accident risk, and in the attribution of accident causes. (Authors)

• Corporate Authors:

  Transport Canada Research and Development Centre

  Tower C, Place de Ville
  Ottawa, ONo K1A 0N5,   Canada 
• Authors:
  • WILDE, GJS
  • ACKERSVILLER, M J
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 75 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash reports; Data collection; Newspapers; Prevention; Safety; Surveys; Traffic crashes; Traffic safety education
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00366867
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: TP3659 E
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1983 12:00AM