EXPERIMENTAL CASE STUDIES OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS - A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF PROCEDURES AND CONCLUSIONS

An interdisciplinary team, composed of a medical representative, an engineering scientist, and a behavior scientist, studied first-hand 68 ordinary traffic accidents. The team members, who were not given any special training in accident investigation, collected all data for the analysis. (This approach was intended to afford an opportunity for original ideas about accidents and accident investigation). Reviewed in this report are the problems and experiences of data collection, especially that of trying to discover causes of accidents from the information which is usually available, such as drivers' statements and police reports. Eighteen one-page data sheets were developed for this study - two for medical data, nine for engineering information, and seven for behavioral information. Study results include the development of an operational (as opposed to conditional) concept of accident causes, a comprehensive procedure for determining factors which combine to cause accidents, and an evaluation of problems and limitations of forming judgements about accident causes. Factors contributing to the accidents studied were always present in combination and only condition factors were considered. The streets conditions (especially view obstruction) contributed more factors than was expected. The 'suburban matron', and not the 'teenage terror', was suggested as the personality type most likely to become involved in a traffic accident.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Jointly sponsored by the Department of Health Education and Welfare with the Bureau of Public Roads, and the Automative Safety Foundation.
• Corporate Authors:

  Northwestern University, Evanston

  Traffic Institute, 405 Church Street
  Evanston, IL  United States  60208
• Authors:
  • Baker, J S
• Publication Date: 1960

Media Info

• Pagination: 52 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash analysis; Crash causes; Crash investigation; Data collection; Interdisciplinary studies; Traffic crashes
• Old TRIS Terms: Interdisciplinary
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00141758
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Criminal Justice Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Report No. SN-1113
• Contract Numbers: RG-5359, CRR-11-5981
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 4 1977 12:00AM