This article describes the organization and functions of PACTS, the United Kingdom's Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety. Established formally in 1982, and funded by membership subscription and a small grant from the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund, PACTS brings together parliamentarians from all political parties. Scientists, the police, and representatives from a wide range of professional, road user, commercial and special interest groups, including casualty doctors, orthopaedic surgeons and paedriaticians. PACTS has 3 functions: (a) to be an independent national forum for the identification and promotion of research based solutions to the traffic accident problem; (b) to provide a technical advisory service for parliamentarians on a wide range of transport safety matters; and (c) to promote wider publicity and information on transport safety measures by staging conferences, exhibitions, and producing printed and audio material. The principal work of the council is carried out by 4 technical working parties: vehicle design; road user behaviour; road environment; and aviation safety. The work undertaken to introduce the motor vehicles (wearing of rear seat belts by children) bill is described briefly to illustrate the way the council works.
Language: en
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