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Abstract
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There are three distinct program areas within traffic accident prevention. They are (1) the roadway, (2) the vehicle, and (3) the driver. Each of these areas are extremely important. All must receive adequate attention if we are to be successful in our national traffic safety program.
There have been and are now many dedicated individuals and organizations working on the problems within the traffic accident prevention field. The auto industry has made and will undoubtedly continue to make improvements in the safety of our automobiles. The Bureau of Public Roads and the highway departments of the States have been achieving remarkable success in eliminating many of the environmental factors which, in the past, have caused many deaths and injuries.
The highway and auto are receiving much attention; however, the third area, the driver, or the human aspect, has not received adequate attention. There are many reasons for the lack of effective programing in human aspects of accident prevention. Among the most significant are (1) very little reliable information about the human aspects of driving exists and research is needed to test the many hypotheses which have been developed; (2) personnel qualified to conduct this needed research have not been available; (3) funds for this research have not been available in sufficient quantity; and (4) probably most important, a focal point or organization for action and research programs in the human aspects of traffic safety has not been available.
The Public Health Service is undertaking the task of being one of the focal points for research in the human aspect of traffic accident prevention because 38,000 deaths and over 4 million injuries each year, caused by auto accidents, is a public health problem of major importance and one for which immediate corrective steps should be taken.
The Public Health Service is presently working in four areas of the human aspects of traffic safety. They are the program aspects of emergency medical services, protective devices, and driver improvement; and basic and applied research. A brief discussion of each is included. |