CONDUCTING IN-DEPTH ACCIDENT STUDIES

In 1983 the Accident Research Unit at the Institute for Consumer Ergon omics began a major study, sponsored by the UK Department of Transport and three motor companies, to investigate the causes of injury to occ upants in car accidents. This study has been under way for nearly ten years and the database of information is one of the most comprehensive of its kind in the world. This information plays a key role in establ ishing the priorities for safety research in the UK, based on real lif e accident data, This paper is concerned with the practical aspects of the collection and analysis of real life accident data, Issues includ e the establishment and maintenance of collaboration with police force s, hospital consultants and coroners; recruitment and training of staf f; accident sampling; data quality control and large scale project man agement. The case is also made for the need to establish a coordinated European database of accident information to facilitate the developme nt of appropriate safety requirements and to set priorities for safety research in Europe.