THE MINNESOTA SAFETY STUDY
A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY WAS MADE IN MINNESOTA OF ALL FUNCTIONS OF THE STATE RELATING TO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY WERE TO: (1) PROVIDE A FACTUAL BASIS FOR PLANNING THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE STATE'S TRAFFIC SAFETY SERVICES, (2) ASSIST THE LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS TO KEEP PACE WITH THE FUTURE GROWTH OF HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION, AND (3) DEVELOP THROUGH JOINT FACT-FINDINGS A BETTER PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THESE SERVICES AND THEIR BENEFITS. A MAJOR RECOMMENDATION CALLED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRAL TRAFFIC RECORDS SERVICE CENTER WHICH WILL SERVE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AS WELL AS MANY SEGMENTS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AS A SINGLE INFORMATION SOURCE. IT WOULD PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE RECORD SYSTEM OF ACCIDENTS AND WOULD INCLUDE DRIVER LICENSE RECORDS, VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS, AUTO THEFTS, ARRESTS AND WARNINGS, CONVICTIONS, FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY RECORDS AND ROAD CHARACTERISTICS. SINCE IT IS RECOGNIZED THAT THE VALUE OF COMPUTER OUTPUT IS LIMITED BY THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION FED INTO THE SYSTEM, TWO STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS TO INSURE COMPLETENESS OF ACCURACY AND DATA ARE: (1) TO ESTABLISH MILEPOSTS AT APPROPRIATE INTERVALS ON THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM TO MAKE POSSIBLE THE PINPOINTING OF ACCIDENT LOCATIONS AND TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS AND RELATE THEM TO HIGHWAY CHARACTERISTICS AND CONDITIONS, AND (2) TO CONVERT VEHICLE REGISTRATION CARDS TO PLASTIC AND PROVIDE CARD IMPRINTERS FOR ALL OFFICERS. IT WAS FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT: THE PRESENT VEHICLE REGISTRATION RECORD-KEEPING BE CONVERTED TO AN ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM AND THAT AN EXPANDED PROGRAM OF SURVEILLANCE BE CONDUCTED ON TRUNK HIGHWAYS TO DETECT DEFICIENCIES IN CONDITIONS, TRAFFIC CONTROL AND MAINTENANCE. ESTIMATED SAVINGS ON THE DRIVER LICENSE FILE AND THE ACCIDENT REPORT FILE ALONE TO BE 40% OF THE ANTICIPATED COSTS OF THE COMPUTER PROCESSING.
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Authors:
- Staffeld, P R
- Publication Date: 1966
Media Info
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Computers; Crash reports; Driver licensing; Highway safety; Highway transportation; Information processing; Information retrieval; Location; Mileposts; Recording; Registrations; Traffic crashes; Traffic safety
- Uncontrolled Terms: Violations
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00220439
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: pp 124-128
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Apr 28 1994 12:00AM