Road traffic accidents and their implications for management.

Abstract

It has been known for some time that police records collected by the Department of Transport could be unreliable. Local Authorities use these data as an aid to the decision making process and to assist with objective setting. Studies warning of deficiencies in the accuracy of Stats 19 police data show confusing and often differing levels of inaccuracy. Due to the atypical nature of Road Traffic Accident typology the thesis sets out to examine a methodology for use by professional safety practitioners in order to test the reliability and accuracy of existing data and to test how in an operational environment these data might be expanded to meet the needs of the practitioner responsible for education, training and publicity measures rather than the pure highway engineering function which exists at the present time. Saunders, in 'Road Safety Management in a shire county' showed how tactical objectives were set by safety practitioners but concluded that operational resource planning was a vital stepping stone between the tactical and operational objective setting phase. The thesis examines this aspect in depth from a theoretical backcloth but illustrates throughout how this is-necessary to improve management efficiency and effectiveness within a public sector organisation. The thesis examines the levels of under-reporting in the local area from a management standpoint and considers the effects this information will have on the organisation. At the same time, aids to accident analysis such as statements made to the police and methods for improving the quality and reliability of data collection in an operational setting are considered. From this, the thesis examines the current and a proposed revision of the resource base and considers how these findings affect the operational resource plan for the organisation. This, and the methodology discussed, is a necessary management consideration if it is to enable an organisation to meet its aims and objectives.