THE LACKLAND ACCIDENT COUNTER MEASURE EXPERIMENT

A COUNTERMEASURE DESIGNED TO REDUCE LOST-TIME ACCIDENTS IN PRIVATELY-OWNED VEHICLES WAS EVALUATED IN A PILOT STUDY AT LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE. THE AIM OF THE COUNTERMEASURE WAS TO CHANGE ATTITUDES OF TOLERANCE TOWARD AIRMEN WHO DRINK AND THEN DRIVE RECKLESSLY. SUCH BEHAVIOR WAS IDENTIFIED AS SYMPTOMATIC OF DISTURBED, RATHER THAN MASCULINE OR BRAVE, PERSONS. THE COUNTERMEASURE PROGRAM INCLUDED EDUCATIONAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND PSYCHIATRIC ATTRIBUTES. DURING THE YEAR IN WHICH THE COUNTERMEASURE WAS APPLIED, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ACCIDENT EXPERIENCE (FROM 50 TO 60 PERCENT, DEPENDING ON THE CRITERION EMPLOYED). THE REDUCTION RAN COUNTER TO RISING NATIONAL, STATE AND CITY TRENDS. IT ALSO RAN COUNTER TO THE EXPERIENCE AT RANDOLPH AFB, A NEARBY BASE. AN UNCONTROLLED DESIGN CONTAMINANT WAS STEPPED-UP ON-BASE AIR POLICE ACTIVITY. THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST OF THE COUNTER-MEASURE WAS LIGHT. FURTHER RESEARCH IS SUGGESTED TO DETERMINE WHICH ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM WERE EFFECTIVE. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/HRBproceedings/40/40-027.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 40, pp 513-522, 1 FIG, 2 TAB, 5 REF. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Barmack, J E
  • Payne, D E
• Publication Date: 1961

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the Fortieth Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board, Washington, D.C., January 9-13, 1961.
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Proceedings
  • Volume: 40
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Behavior; Countermeasures; Drivers; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Education; Traffic crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motor vehicle accidents
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver psychology
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221360
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 5 1972 12:00AM