CAUSAL CHAIN APPROACHES TO THE EVALUATION OF HIGHWAY SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES

THE PROCESS OF EVALUATION OF HIGHWAY SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES IS EXAMINED FROM TWO POINTS OF VIEW-EVALUATION AT THE PROJECT PLANNING STAGE IN WHICH COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS IS APPROPRIATE AND EVALUATION AFTER IMPLEMENTATION USING THE TECHNIQUES OF EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. THE USE OF A CASUAL CHAIN APPROACH TO EVALUATION OF HIGHWAY SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES IS RECOMMENDED. IN THIS APPROACH MEASUREMENTS OF THE DIRECT EFFECTS OF A COUNTERMEASURE ARE MADE, AND THESE ARE RELATED TO THE ULTIMATE (ACCIDENT) MEASURE BY ANALYZING THE CHAIN OF EVENTS WHICH FOLLOW. THREE EXAMPLES OF THIS TECHNIQUE ARE GIVEN - ONE INVOLVING A SPEED CONTROL PROGRAM PROMOTED BY A POLICE AGENCY, A SECOND INVOLVING A MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION PROGRAM, AND THE THIRD AN IMPROVED AMBULANCE SYSTEM. THE CAUSAL CHAIN APPROACH CAN YIELD RATHER IMMEDIATE AND USEFUL RESULTS. WHILE THESE MEASURES MAY NOT BE POLITICALLY AS SATISFYING AS DRAMATIC LIFE-SAVING CLAIMS, THEY HAVE THE VIRTUE OF BEING MORE REALISTIC INDICATORS OF THE SUCCESS OF A COUNTERMEASURE PROGRAM. /AUTHOR/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1800052
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 3, No 1, PP 9-20
• Authors:
  • Hall, W K
  • O'Day, J
• Publication Date: 1971-3

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp 9-20
• Serial:
  • Journal of Safety Research
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0022-4375
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00224375

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Evaluation; Highway safety; Planning; Statistical analysis
• Uncontrolled Terms: Causes; Experimental design
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221288
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 1 1971 12:00AM