THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF SAFETY ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH AND BY THE COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA

The annual toll of motorcycle accidents in the United States stabilized in 1967 at approximately 2000 riders killed per year after an alarming increase of more than 140% in the previous three-year period. A stochastic comparison of three-year periods before and after the abrupt change indicates that the deaths of approximately 5000 persons were prevented in the latter period, 1967, 1968, and 1969. This achievement can be attributed in part to safety efforts through and by the communications media. Had the growth rate of fatalities and that of registered motorcycles continued unchecked after 1966, there would have been nearly 4,000,000 vehicles registered and approximately 4700 motorcycle riders killed in 1969. Instead, registrations were held to approximately 2,225,000 and deaths to less than 2000 motorcycle riders killed. The principal cause of the improvement in accident experience after 1966 was the reduction in the growth of the number of vehicles. This reduction can be attributed to the success of efforts to inform the public of the severe hazards associated with riding motorcycles on roads and streets. It is impossible to assign a monetary value to the safety effort of the communications media. The specific work of the media is not chargeable to safety, because it is a regular part of the publications process. In any event the cost of the motorcycle safety effort was quite small compared to either the magnitude of the problem or the apparent benefits. Consequently, the cost-effectiveness relationship of this effort must be among the most favorable of all highway safety activities. (A)

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Iowa, Iowa City

  Safety Research Center
  Iowa City, IA  United States  52242
• Authors:
  • O'Mara, J J
• Publication Date: 0

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 17 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Cost effectiveness; Crash rates; Fatalities; Highway safety; Mass media; Motorcycles; Motorcyclists; Prevention; Publicity; Safety; Stochastic processes
• Old TRIS Terms: Communication media
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00081116
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 26 1975 12:00AM