REPORTING AND RESEARCHING TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY SAFETY RESEARCH CENTER HAS PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPORTING AND RESEARCHING OF ACCIDENTS TO REDUCE THE WORK OF THE HIGHWAY PATROLMAN. THE PLAN CALLS FOR: USE OF SAMPLING PROCEDURES TO KEEP REPORTING AT A MINIMUM; COLLECTION OF SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION ON SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF ACCIDENTS, E. G. TIRE CONDITIONS OR SEAT BELT USE; COMPUTERIZATION OF ACCIDENT DATA; AND USE OF STATISTICAL ANALYSES TO IDENTIFY TRENDS IN THE DATA. THEY ARE ALSO SENDING OUT THE ACCIDENT REPORTER, A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER PUT OUT BY RESEARCHERS FOR TRAFFIC OFFICERS WHICH CLARIFIES EACH STEP OF THE ACCIDENT- REPORTING SYSTEM, TELLS THE MEN HOW THE ACCIDENT DATA THEY COLLECT IS USED AND SUGGESTS MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO GATHER INFORMATION. A PICTORIAL DAMAGE RATING SCALE, TAD, WAS DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE FOR A SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGE TO VEHICLES INVOLVED IN CRASHES. TO ESTIMATE DAMAGE, POLICE OFFICERS RELY UPON DIAGRAMS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND A DAMAGE RATING SCALE RANGING FROM "SLIGHT DAMAGE" TO "TOTALED".

• Publication Date: 1972-4

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 58-60
• Serial:
  • POLICE CHIEF
  • Volume: 39
  • Issue Number: 4

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash investigation; Crash reports; Information processing; Loss and damage; Manual safety belts; Photographs; Ratings; Shoulder harnesses; Statistical analysis
• Old TRIS Terms: Shoulder harness
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221701
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 9 1972 12:00AM